At dawn, immediately after the Sabbath day, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph went to Jesus’ tomb so that they could anoint His body. To anoint meant to cover the dead body with perfume and spices according to Jewish custom. As they walked towards Jesus’ tomb they asked each other who would unroll the rock from in front of the tomb because it would be too heavy for them to move by themselves.

Mathew records that once they arrived, a large earthquake happened and with it came an angel of God, who went over to the tomb, rolled the rock away and sat down on it. He looked like lightning, and had clothes that were “as white as snow.” The soldiers who were guarding the tomb shook with fear. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, because I know the one that you are looking for, who was crucified, but He is not here, He has risen [from death] and is going to Galilee where you will see Him. Go and tell His disciples what I have said.”

The women left the scene really frightened, but also in joy and went to tell the disciples – when suddenly -- Jesus appeared and said to them, “Greetings.” The women fell at Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him, and Jesus responded to their fear by saying, “Do not be afraid, but go and tell my brothers [the disciples] to go to Galilee where they will see me.” The women got up, continued on their walk home and didn’t speak to anyone on the way. Mark records that once the Sabbath had ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James and Salome bought some spices so they could go and anoint Jesus’ body.

They women had to wait until after the Sabbath had ended because is was the Holy day, which meant that according to the Ten Commandments there could be not work done on that day. The women bought the spices because it was part of Jewish custom to cover a dead body with spices. On the way to Jesus’ tomb the women talked about how worried they were that they would not be able to roll away the large rock that covered the tomb.

They didn’t need to worry however because when they arrived, the rock was already rolled away, and when they entered the tomb there was a young man dressed in a white robe who was sitting on the right. The women were very afraid, but the young man told them to not be afraid; then he told them to look at the place where Jesus had lain, and from there to go and tell Peter and the other disciples that Jesus was going to meet them all in Galilee – just as He said He would.

Luke records that the rock was already moved away before the two women got there, and when they walked into the tomb they found it empty -- however in an instant, as they were questioning what had happened, two men dressed in white clothing arrived, which caused the frightened women to bow down to the two men. The men said to the women, “Why do you look for someone who is alive amongst the dead. Jesus is not here because He is raised [from His death]. Do you remember how He told you while he was in Galilee, ‘The Son of man will be given to sinful men and be crucified, but on the third day He would rise’? “

By saying this, the men stated how Jesus had told everybody that he would soon be crucified, but would soon also rise from His death on the third day. This was the third day. At this moment the women suddenly realized that it was true that Jesus had said these words.

As soon as they arrived they told the disciples and the others who were there what had happened. The women who told the disciples were: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary who was James’ mother, and some other women. The disciples didn’t believe the women because what they said seemed ridiculous, but Peter got up and ran to see for himself. Once there, he saw the linen that Jesus had been wrapped in, which made him leave the place questioning what had happened.

John records that after seeing the empty tomb, Mary ran back and told Peter and John, “They have taken Jesus away and we don’t know where!”

John also records that Mary stood outside the tomb and cried, and as she cried she looked back inside and saw two angels sitting where Jesus had lain: one of the angels was at the place where Jesus’ head had been, and the other was sitting where Jesus’ feet had been.

The angels asked Mary, “Woman, why do you cry?” to which she responded, “They have taken my Lord [Jesus] away, and I don’t know where they have taken Him.”

At this very moment, Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing near her, but she didn’t recognize Him; Jesus asked Mary, “Why do you cry? Who is it you are looking for?” Mary thought that Jesus was the gardener, so she said, “Sir, if you have taken Him away, then please tell me where, so I can go and get Him.” To which Jesus looked at Mary and said: “Mary.”

Mary looked up and said in the Aramaic language, “Rabboni! [Teacher.]”

Jesus then said to Mary, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet gone to my Father [heaven], but go and tell my brothers [the disciples] that ‘I am going to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and to your God.”

How beautiful! Jesus had just called his disciples “brothers,” and had told them that His God was their God as well. This applies us too, as we are also Jesus’ brothers, and God is our God. John records that Mary went back and told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” She then told them all that Jesus had said to her.

Peter and John immediately ran out of the place and headed for the tomb, with John overtaking Peter and arriving there first. When John arrived he didn’t go in, but when Peter caught up to him, Peter did go in. Once inside, Peter noticed the linen that had been wrapped around Jesus’ body, and he noticed the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head; however, it was separate from the linen and neatly wrapped. At this point John now joined Peter and he (John) saw and believed that Jesus had risen from His death. The two disciples went back to their homes. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ has just happened.