John 20: 11-21….Then Jesus appears.

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Comment: Mary having run to tell Peter and John (see yesterday’s devotional) obviously followed them back and after they left she stood turning everything over in her mind, maybe asking God in prayer what was going on. She cried and, probably with a mixture of curiosity and longing that maybe Jesus had risen as He had promised, looked into the empty tomb. It was not empty! Two angels were sitting there and spoke to her and she answered. “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” We are obviously getting a very abbreviated account of the event as we are told that she looked away and saw ‘the Gardener’. She blurted out her inner feelings and ‘The Gardener’ spoke her name. When He spoke, she immediately recognized Jesus who spoke to her (see the text) and then, I’m sure as fast as a deer, hastened to tell the disciples.

I wonder how they spent that day? Did they truly believe her? Did they mull over the things that Jesus had said? Did they half waveringly dare to believe what they had seen and heard? Jesus didn’t leave them wondering for long as that evening He was in their midst, without using the door! His message was three fold – one by the action of showing them His crucifixion scars and two with words. He initially said “Peace be with you.” and secondly “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Peace for them after all the fears and worries, and He offers us the same. Then a huge commission, which is meant for us as well! Hallelujah, He is Risen!

Prayer: Thank You, thank You God that this is the truth of the matter. You accepted His perfect sacrifice offered on our behalf.