38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Comment: The fact that Jesus was dead and buried in a known tomb is important! Important because skeptics use all sorts of arguments to disprove the Resurrection. They suggest that Jesus wasn’t dead; or that the next day His followers had not known where He had been buried for sure; that someone(s) stole His body to make it appear as if Jesus had risen. He had foretold that He would rise! People didn’t survive crucifixion. It is true that He died sooner than many did but He had been brutally treated, and the Romans convinced themselves of His death by driving a spear through His upper abdomen, lower chest and into His heart. It wasn’t a surface cut. They were convinced as were the people who prepared His body and laid the body in the tomb of a well known Sanhedrin member, who was one of Jesus’ followers!
In this passage we don’t meet the Risen Jesus, but do have our questioning/hopes raised! Mary gets a surprise as she sees the huge stone used to cover the entrance to the burial spot rolled to the side! She raced to tell Peter and John. I wonder how fast her heart beat and what tumbled through her mind as she ran! The younger John outran the older Peter to get there, but the impetuous Peter walked into the grave first. They both saw the evidence that a body had been there. John, who wrote this gospel record says that he believed. What did he believe? I would love to know what they discussed as they went back to their homes! Tomorrow we read the record of people meeting with the Risen Jesus. Because He lives we can meet Him still today, not physically but in a real living relationship!
Prayer: You are not in the tomb Jesus. You are risen and so our hopes of what is to come!
As I read it! 