All THE FOUR gospels agree in saying that the first person who saw Jesus
Christ living after his death on the cross was Mary Magdalene; that is,
Mary of Magdala, a town on the Sea of Galilee; a woman from whom a year
before Jesus had driven out evil spirits; and who in love for what Jesus
had done to her, followed him, and helped him with her gifts, for she
was a rich woman.
When the other women, with Peter and John, went away from the tomb, Mary
stayed there, weeping and sobbing; for she had not seen the angel who
said that Jesus had risen, and did not know that he was alive. As she
stood weeping at the door of the tomb, she looked inside. There she saw
two angels sitting at the empty grave-place, one at the head, the other
at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.
"Woman," said one of the angels, "why are you weeping?"
"Because they have taken away my Lord," answered Mary, "and I do not
know where they have laid him."
Just then something caused her to turn around, and she saw a man
standing near her. It was Jesus, but she did not know him; for after
rising from his grave Jesus showed himself in differing forms, and
people could not know him until he allowed them.
"Woman," said Jesus to her, "why are you weeping? Who is it that you are
looking for?"
Mary thought that this strange man was the gardener. She said to him:
"Oh, sir, if you have carried him anywhere, tell me where you have laid
him, and I will take him away myself."
"Mary!" said Jesus.
And as he spoke her name, she knew him; and fell at his feet, clasping
them in her hands.
"My own Master!" was all that she could say, in her joy at seeing him
alive once more, whom she had last looked upon dead, hanging on the
cross.
"Do not hold me," said Jesus, "for I have yet to arise and go to my
Father in heaven; but go to my brothers, my disciples, and tell them
that I shall soon rise up from the earth and go to my Father and your
Father, to my God, and your God."
Mary Magdalene went and found the disciples, and said to them, "I have
seen the Lord!" telling them also what he had said to her.
After Mary Magdalene had gone away from the tomb, the other women--Mary
the wife of Clopas, Joanna, and Salome--came back from having seen the
disciples, and having told them what the angel had said, that Jesus had
risen. As they drew near the tomb, Jesus went to meet them.
"Welcome!" he said to the women. They ran up to him, fell on their
faces, and clasped his feet, just as Mary had done, for they felt joy
and fear mingled as they saw him.
"Do not be afraid," said Jesus, "go tell my brothers to go to Galilee
and they shall see me there."
So these women went again to find the disciples and give them the news
that Jesus was really living, and that they had seen him. All this was
on Sunday morning--the first Easter-day.
[Illustration: Mary Magdalene turned and answered the strange man whom
she thought was the gardener: "Oh, sir, if you have carried him
anywhere, tell me where you have laid him." "Mary!" said Jesus. And as
he spoke her name she knew him.]
On that morning, when the soldiers who had fled from the tomb recovered
from their terror, they went to the chief priests and told them about
the earthquake and the angel who had rolled away the stone. The priests
had a talk with the rulers of the city; then they gave a large sum of
money to the soldiers, and told them to say to everybody:
"The disciples came at night, while we were asleep, and broke open the
tomb, and stole the body of Jesus."
They knew that a soldier had no right to sleep while on guard; and the
rule of the army was, that any soldier who slept on his post should be
put to death. But the rulers said to them:
"If the governor hears about this, we will satisfy him, and see that no
harm comes to you."
So the soldiers took their money and did as they were told. And the
story that the body of Jesus was stolen from the tomb, was told among
the Jewish people and believed by them.
[Illustration: Coins struck by Pontius Pilate]
[Illustration: Then Jesus began to show them in all the Old Testament
books, how all the prophets had foretold the things that should take
place with Christ when he should come.]
A Walk with the Risen Christ