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Page 788
Chapter 82
“Why Weepest Thou?”
The women who had stood by the cross of Christ waited and
watched for the hours of the Sabbath to pass. On the first day of
the week, very early, they made their way to the tomb, taking with them
precious spices to anoint the Saviour’s body. They did not think about
His rising from the dead. The sun of their hope had set, and night had
settled down on their hearts. As they walked, they recounted Christ’s
works of mercy and His words of comfort. But they remembered not
His words, “I will see you again.” John 16:22.
Ignorant of what was even then taking place, they drew near the
garden, saying as they went, “Who shall roll us away the stone from
the door of the sepulcher?” They knew that they could not remove the
stone, yet they kept on their way. And lo, the heavens were suddenly
alight with glory that came not from the rising sun. The earth trembled.
They saw that the great stone was rolled away. The grave was empty.
The women had not all come to the tomb from the same direction.
Mary Magdalene was the first to reach the place; and upon seeing that
the stone was removed, she hurried away to tell the disciples. Meanwhile
the other women came up. A light was shining about the tomb,
but the body of Jesus was not there. As they lingered about the place,
suddenly they saw that they were not alone. A young man clothed in
shining garments was sitting by the tomb. It was the angel who had
rolled away the stone. He had taken the guise of humanity that he
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might not alarm these friends of Jesus. Yet about him the light of the
heavenly glory was still shining, and the women were afraid. They
turned to flee, but the angel’s words stayed their steps. “Fear not ye,”
he said; “for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not
here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord
lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the
dead.” Again they look into the tomb, and again they hear the wonderful
news. Another angel in human form is there, and he says, “Why
seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember
how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The
Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be
crucified, and the third day rise again.”
He is risen, He is risen! The women repeat the words again and
again. No need now for the anointing spices. The Saviour is living,
and not dead. They remember now that when speaking of His death
He said that He would rise again. What a day is this to the world!
Quickly the women departed from the sepulcher “with fear and great
joy; and did run to bring His disciples word.”
Mary had not heard the good news. She went to Peter and John
with the sorrowful message, “They have taken away the Lord out of
the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him.” The
disciples hurried to the tomb, and found it as Mary had said. They saw
the shroud and the napkin, but they did not find their Lord. Yet even
here was testimony that He had risen. The graveclothes were not
thrown heedlessly aside, but carefully folded, each in a place by itself.
John “saw, and believed.” He did not yet understand the scripture that
Christ must rise from the dead; but he now remembered the Saviour’s
words foretelling His resurrection.
It was Christ Himself who had placed those graveclothes with such
care. When the mighty angel came down to the tomb, he was joined
by another, who with his company had been keeping guard over the
Lord’s body. As the angel from heaven rolled away the stone, the other
entered the tomb, and unbound the wrappings from the body of Jesus.
But it was the Saviour’s hand that folded each, and laid it in its place.
In His sight who guides alike the star and the atom, there is nothing
unimportant. Order and perfection are seen in all His work.
Mary had followed John and Peter to the tomb; when they returned
to Jerusalem, she remained. As she looked into the empty tomb, grief
filled her heart. Looking in, she saw the two angels, one at the head and
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the other at the foot where Jesus had lain. “Woman, why weepest thou?”
they asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she answered,
“and I know not where they have laid Him.”
Then she turned away, even from the angels, thinking that she must
find someone who could tell her what had been done with the body of
Jesus. Another voice addressed her, “Woman, why weepest thou? whom
seekest thou?” Through her tear-dimmed eyes, Mary saw the form of a
man, and thinking that it was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if thou have
borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him
away.” If this rich man’s tomb was thought too honorable a burial place
for Jesus, she herself would provide a place for Him. There was a grave
that Christ’s own voice had made vacant, the grave where Lazarus had
lain. Might she not there find a burial place for her Lord? She felt that
to care for His precious crucified body would be a great consolation to
her in her grief.
But now in His own familiar voice Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Now
she knew that it was not a stranger who was addressing her, and turning
she saw before her the living Christ. In her joy she forgot that He had
been crucified. Springing toward Him, as if to embrace His feet, she said,
“Rabboni.” But Christ raised His hand, saying, Detain Me not; “for I am
not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them,
I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your
God.” And Mary went her way to the disciples with the joyful message.
Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the
assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended
to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that
His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His
blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made
with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and
would love them even as He loves His Son. Christ was to complete
His work, and fulfill His pledge to “make a man more precious than
fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.” Isa. 13:12. All
power in heaven and on earth was given to the Prince of Life, and He
returned to His followers in a world of sin, that He might impart to them
of His power and glory.
While the Saviour was in God’s presence, receiving gifts for His
church, the disciples thought upon His empty tomb, and mourned and
wept. The day that was a day of rejoicing to all heaven was to the
disciples a day of uncertainty, confusion, and perplexity. Their unbelief
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in the testimony of the women gives evidence of how low their faith had
sunk. The news of Christ’s resurrection was so different from what they
had anticipated that they could not believe it. It was too good to be true,
they thought. They had heard so much of the doctrines and the so-called
scientific theories of the Sadducees that the impression made on their
minds in regard to the resurrection was vague. They scarcely knew
what the resurrection from the dead could mean. They were unable
to take in the great subject.
“Go your way,” the angels had said to the women, “tell His disciples
and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him,
as He said unto you.” These angels had been with Christ as guardian
angels throughout His life on earth. They had witnessed His trial and
crucifixion. They had heard His words to His disciples. This was shown
by their message to the disciples, and should have convinced them of
its truth. Such words could have come only from the messengers of
their risen Lord.
“Tell His disciples and Peter,” the angels said. Since the death of
Christ, Peter had been bowed down with remorse. His shameful denial
of the Lord, and the Saviour’s look of love and anguish, were ever before
him. Of all the disciples he had suffered most bitterly. To him the
assurance is given that his repentance is accepted and his sin forgiven.
He is mentioned by name.
“Tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee:
there shall ye see Him.” All the disciples had forsaken Jesus, and the
call to meet Him again includes them all. He has not cast them off.
When Mary Magdalene told them she had seen the Lord, she repeated
the call to the meeting in Galilee. And a third time the message was
sent to them. After He had ascended to the Father, Jesus appeared to
the other women, saying, “All hail. And they came and held Him by the
feet, and worshiped Him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go
tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me.”
Christ’s first work on earth after His resurrection was to convince
His disciples of His undiminished love and tender regard for them. To
give them proof that He was their living Saviour, that He had broken
the fetters of the tomb, and could no longer be held by the enemy death;
to reveal that He had the same heart of love as when He was with them
as their beloved Teacher, He appeared to them again and again. He
would draw the bonds of love still closer around them. Go tell My
brethren, He said, that they meet Me in Galilee.
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As they heard this appointment, so definitely given, the disciples began
to think of Christ’s words to them foretelling His resurrection. But
even now they did not rejoice. They could not cast off their doubt and
perplexity. Even when the women declared that they had seen the Lord,
the disciples would not believe. They thought them under an illusion.
Trouble seemed crowding upon trouble. On the sixth day of the
week they had seen their Master die; on the first day of the next week
they found themselves deprived of His body, and they were accused of
having stolen it away for the sake of deceiving the people. They despaired
of ever correcting the false impressions that were gaining ground
against them. They feared the enmity of the priests and the wrath of the
people. They longed for the presence of Jesus, who had helped them
in every perplexity.
Often they repeated the words, “We trusted that it had been He
which should have redeemed Israel.” Lonely and sick at heart they
remembered His words, “If they do these things in a green tree, what
shall be done in the dry?” Luke 24:21; 23:31. They met together in
the upper chamber, and closed and fastened the doors, knowing that the
fate of their beloved Teacher might at any time be theirs.
And all the time they might have been rejoicing in the knowledge
of a risen Saviour. In the garden, Mary had stood weeping, when Jesus
was close beside her. Her eyes were so blinded by tears that she did not
discern Him. And the hearts of the disciples were so full of grief that
they did not believe the angels’ message or the words of Christ Himself.
How many are still doing what these disciples did! How many echo
Mary’s despairing cry, “They have taken away the Lord, . . . and
we know not where they have laid Him!” To how many might the
Saviour’s words be spoken, “Why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?”
He is close beside them, but their tear-blinded eyes do not discern Him.
He speaks to them, but they do not understand.
Oh that the bowed head might be lifted, that the eyes might be opened
to behold Him, that the ears might listen to His voice! “Go quickly,
and tell His disciples that He is risen.” Bid them look not to Joseph’s
new tomb, that was closed with a great stone, and sealed with the Roman
seal. Christ is not there. Look not to the empty sepulcher. Mourn not
as those who are hopeless and helpless. Jesus lives, and because He lives,
we shall live also. From grateful hearts, from lips touched with holy
fire, let the glad song ring out, Christ is risen! He lives to make
intercession for us. Grasp this hope, and it will hold the soul like a sure,
tried anchor. Believe, and thou shalt see the glory of God.
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