About dawn on Sunday morning, the two Marys came to the sepulchre (Matt.
XXVIII:1). The soldiers set to watch the tomb are there also (Matt.
XXVIII:4). There is a "great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came, and rolled back the stone from the
door, and sat upon it" (Matt. XXVIII:2). "His countenance was like
lightning, and his raiment white as snow" (Matt. XXVIII:3). The angel
tells the women that Jesus is risen, and bids them go quickly and tell
His disciples that He is risen from the dead; "and, behold, He goeth
before you into _Galilee_; there shall ye see Him" (Matt. XXVIII:6, 7).
As the women were on their way to tell this to the disciples, "Jesus met
them, saying, All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and
worshipped Him" (Matt. XXVIII:9). Jesus says to them to be not afraid,
and to tell His brethren that He will meet them in _Galilee_ (Matt.
XXVIII:10). Some of the watch go into the city and tell the chief
priests what has happened (Matt. XXVIII:11). The chief priests give the
soldiers "large money" to say, "His disciples came by night and stole
Him away while we slept" (Matt. XXVIII:12, 13). The soldiers did as they
were taught, and "this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until
this day" (Matt. XXVIII:15). "Then the eleven disciples went away into
Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they
saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted" (Matt. XXVIII:16, 17).
Jesus then tells them to teach and baptize "all nations" (Matt.
XXVIII:10).[52]
According to Mark, the two Marys and Salome come to the tomb early
Sunday morning "at the rising of the sun" (Mark XVI:1). There was no
watch there, and the stone was rolled away from the door of the
sepulchre (Mark XVI:2, 3). They go into the sepulchre and find there a
"young man, sitting on the right side, clothed in a long, white garment"
(Mark XVI:5). The young man says to them that Jesus is risen, and that
they should go and tell the disciples and Peter: "He goeth before you
into _Galilee_," where they should see Him (Mark XVI:6, 7). The women
fled quickly from the tomb, "neither said they anything to any man; for
they were afraid" (Mark XVI:8). Then, at some time and place not
specified, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (Mark XVI:9). She tells of
this appearance to "them that had been with Him, as they mourned and
wept," but they believeth not (Mark XVI:10, 11). "After that He appeared
in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the
country. And they went and told it unto the residue: Neither believed
they then" (Mark XVI:12, 13). Afterward, at a time and place not
specified, Jesus appears to the eleven "as they sat at meat," and
upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart in not
believing the accounts of His previous appearances to Mary and the two
disciples (Mark. XVI:14). He then delivers a short exhortation to go
into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, telling of
the signs that should follow belief, and the punishment that should
follow unbelief (Mark XVI:15, 18). "So then, after the Lord had spoken
unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of
God" (Mark XVI:19).[53]
Luke relates that the two Marys, Joanna and "other women" went to the
tomb on Sunday, "very early in the morning" (Luke XXIV:1, 10). There is
no watch and the stone is rolled away (Luke XXIV:2). They enter the
sepulchre, find the body of Jesus gone, and, as they stand there "much
perplexed," "behold, two men stood by them in shining garments" (Luke
XXIV:3, 4). They were afraid, but the two men tell them that Jesus is
risen, as He had predicted, and as they now remember (Luke XXIV:5, 6, 7,
8). The women then return and tell "all these things unto the eleven and
to all the rest," but "their words seem to them as idle tales, and they
believed them not" (Luke XXIV:9, 11). Peter then goes to the sepulchre,
finds the linen clothes "laid by themselves," but apparently sees
nothing of the two men (Luke XXIV:12).
On the same day Cleopas[54] and another disciple go to a village called
Emmaus, about three score furlongs from Jerusalem (Luke XXIV:13, 18).
As they are proceeding on their way, Jesus, in the guise of a stranger,
joins them. Quite a long conversation follows, the disciples telling
Jesus the things that had happened to Him, and He expounding the
Scriptures to them. It is evening when they reach the village, and Jesus
"made as though He would go further." But the two disciples induce Him
to tarry with them (Luke XXIV:15-29), "and it came to pass as He sat at
meat with them, He took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to
them. And their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished out
of their sight" (Luke XXIV:30, 31).
The two return to Jerusalem and, finding the eleven there, say to them,
"The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to _Simon_" (Luke XXIV:32,
33, 34). They then tell the disciples what happened to them on the way
(Luke XXIV:35). "As they thus spoke, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of
them" (Luke XXIV:36). The disciples are terrified, and "supposed that
they had seen a spirit" (Luke XXIV:37). Jesus then tells them to see and
handle His hands and feet, and prove that He is real flesh and bones and
not a spirit. But "they yet believed not for joy, and wondered." To
finally convince them He eats before them a piece of broiled fish and
some honeycomb (Luke XXIV:38-43). He then delivers a short discourse to
them, telling that these things have happened to Him that the Law and
the prophets might be fulfilled (Luke XXIV:44-49). They then went out to
Bethany and He blessed them, and "while He blessed, He was parted from
them and carried up into heaven" (Luke XXIV:50, 51).
John says that Mary Magdalene came along to the sepulchre and found the
stone rolled away (John XX:1). She then summons Peter and John, who
enter and find the grave clothes lying around, but no body. They then
"went away again unto their own home." It is added, "For as yet they
knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead" (John
XX:2-10). Mary remains weeping, and, looking again into the sepulchre,
sees two angels in white there (John XX:11, 12). They ask her, "Why
weepest thou?" and she says, "Because they have taken away my Lord and I
know not where they have laid Him" (John XX:13). She then turns and sees
Jesus standing, but supposes Him to be the gardener. She asks Him to
tell her where they have laid Jesus, "and I will take Him away," she
says (John XX:14, 15). Jesus then calls her by name, and she apparently
recognizes Him and calls Him Master (John XX:16). Jesus then tells her,
"Go unto my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your
Father, and to my God and your God" (John XX:17). Mary then reports
these things to the disciples, but John does not say whether they
believed her, or, as Mark and Luke say, they disbelieved her (John
XX:18). On this same Sunday evening, when the eleven, except Thomas, are
together secretly for fear of the Jews, Jesus came to them and showed
them His hands and side. Then follows a short discourse from Jesus to
His disciples (John XX:20-23). When Thomas hears of this appearance, he
expresses his disbelief, unless he can put his fingers into the print of
the nails, and thrust his hand into His side (John XX:24, 25). Eight
days later Jesus appears again to His disciples, when Thomas is present,
and tells the latter to make his verifications. Thomas says unto Him,
"My Lord and my God." Jesus then commends those who "have not seen, and
yet have believed" (John XX:26-29).
John's Gospel apparently at one time ended at this point (John XX:30,
31), but Chapter XXI was subsequently added. Here there is related a
third appearance of Jesus, this time to six of the apostles and
Nathaniel of Cana (John XXI:1, 2). This occurred at the sea of Tiberias,
and there was a miraculous draught of fishes (see Luke V:4, 5, 6), and a
hint of Peter walking on the water (see Matt. XIV:28-31). At first the
disciples "knew not that it was Jesus," and, even after John tells Peter
that it is the Lord, they seem to be under some restraint, "and none of
the disciples durst ask Him, Who art thou, knowing that it was the
Lord" (John XXI:3-12). After they had dined, there ensued some
conversation between Jesus and Peter, and later with John, out of which
came the saying that the latter should not die (John XXI:15-23).
In neither of these appearances is there any account of Jesus ascending
up into heaven, or of His instructing the disciples to preach His Gospel
to all nations.[55]