Mark 16:1 - Meaning and Application

Never was there such a Sabbath since the Sabbath was first given, as the one this chapter says was now over. During that Sabbath, our Lord Jesus lay in the grave. It was a Sabbath of rest for him, but a silent one. For his disciples, it was a sad Sabbath, spent in tears and fear.

Never were the temple Sabbath services so offensive to God, even though they had often been corrupt before, as they were then. The chief priests, who led those services, had their hands full of blood, the blood of Christ. Now that Sabbath is over, and the first day of the week is the first day of a new world.

We see here the loving visit the good women, who had followed Christ, made to his tomb. It was not a superstitious act, but a devout one. They set out from where they were staying very early in the morning, at daybreak or earlier. But either the walk was long, or they were delayed, so it was sunrise when they reached the tomb. They had also bought sweet spices. They came not only to pour out their tears over the dead body, which could only deepen their grief, but also to perfume it with spices (Mark 16:1).

Nicodemus, a ruler who had come to Jesus by night, had already bought a large amount of dry spices, myrrh and aloes, which would help dry the wounds and blood (John 19:39). But these good women did not think that was enough. They bought spices too, perhaps other kinds, like scented oils, to anoint him. The respect others have shown to Christ’s name should not keep us from showing our own respect for it.

They were also troubled about the stone at the tomb, and that concern was removed for them (Mark 16:3, 4). They said to one another as they came near the tomb, Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb? It was very large, too heavy for all of them together to move. They should have thought of this before leaving, and wisdom would have told them not to go unless they had someone with them who could do it.

There was another, much greater difficulty they did not know about: a guard of soldiers had been posted to watch the tomb. If they had arrived before the guard was frightened away, the soldiers would have driven them off. But their loving devotion to Christ brought them to the tomb. And by the time they arrived, both problems were gone, the stone they knew about and the guard they did not know about. They saw that the stone had been rolled away, and that was the first thing that amazed them. Those who are moved by holy zeal to seek Christ earnestly will find that the obstacles in their way often disappear in a surprising way, and they will be helped beyond what they expected.

Then an angel gave them assurance that the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead and left his tomb. The angel stayed there to tell all who came seeking him. First, they went into the tomb, at least a little way, and saw that the body of Jesus was not there where they had left it the night before. He who, by his death, agreed to pay our debt, by his resurrection received our release. His rising was a full and legal discharge, showing that the payment was accepted for every purpose for which it was meant. It settled the question with clear proof that he was the Son of God.

They saw a young man sitting on the right side of the tomb. The angel appeared in the form of a man, and of a young man, because angels, though created in the beginning, do not grow old. They remain in the same beauty and strength, and so will glorified saints be when they are like the angels. The angel was sitting on the right side as they entered the tomb, dressed in a long white robe, the kind great men wore. His presence should have encouraged them, yet they were frightened. Often what should comfort us becomes frightening because of our own mistakes and wrong ideas.

He calmed their fear by showing them that there was reason to rejoice, not to tremble (Mark 16:6). He said to them, Do not be afraid. Angels delight in both the faith of sinners and the comfort of sinners. Do not be afraid, because you are faithful lovers of Jesus Christ, and so you should be comforted, not ashamed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. The search of believing souls always has special regard for Christ as crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), so that they may know him and share in his sufferings.

His being lifted up from the earth is what draws people to him. Christ’s cross is the banner to which the nations come. Notice that the angel speaks of Jesus as the one who was crucified. That matter is past. That scene is over. They must not focus so much on the sad details of his crucifixion that they fail to believe the joyful news of his resurrection. He was crucified in weakness, yet that does not keep him from being raised in power. So those who seek him need not fear missing him.

He was crucified, but he is glorified. The shame of his suffering does not lessen the glory of his exaltation. In fact, that glory completely covers the disgrace of his suffering. Even after entering his glory, he never hid his sufferings or avoided having his cross spoken of. The angel who announces his resurrection still calls him Jesus who was crucified. Christ himself says, I am the living one, I was dead (Revelation 1:18). He appears in the praise of heaven as a Lamb that had been slain (Revelation 5:6).

It would therefore be good news for them to hear that, instead of coming to anoint a dead body, they could rejoice in a living Savior. He is risen, he is not here, not dead, but alive again. He could not show himself to them yet, but later they would see him. Even now, they could see the place where they had laid him. They could see that he was gone from there, not stolen by his enemies or his friends, but raised from the dead.

Then the angel told them to quickly report this to his disciples. In this way, these women became apostles to the apostles. That was their reward for loving Christ faithfully, standing by him at the cross, at the tomb, and in the tomb. They were first to come, and they were first to receive the news. None of the other disciples dared to come near the tomb or ask after him. So there was little danger that his body had been stolen by night. In fact, only a few women came near him, and they were not even able to roll away the stone. They were to tell the disciples that he is risen.

It was a dark time for the disciples. Their dear Master was dead, all their hopes and joys seemed buried with him, and they thought their cause was lost. They saw themselves as easy prey for their enemies, and they felt completely overwhelmed. So the angel told them to go quickly and say that their Master had risen, because that news would bring life and courage back to them and keep them from despair.

Christ was not ashamed to own his poor disciples, even now that he had been exalted. His honor did not make him distant from them, because he made sure they were told at once. He was also not quick to hold their failures against them when their hearts were still sincere toward him. The disciples had very unkindly deserted him, yet he still showed concern for them. Seasonable comfort will come to those who mourn for the Lord Jesus, and he will find the right time to show himself to them.

They were especially told to mention Peter, and this is carefully noted by this evangelist, who is thought to have written under Peter’s direction. If the disciples heard it, Peter would hear it too, for he was still with them, which showed some sign of repentance after denying his Master. Yet Peter is named separately for a reason. It would be especially good news to him, even more welcome than to the others, because he was grieving over his sin. Nothing can comfort true repentant people more than hearing of Christ’s resurrection, since he rose for their justification, that is, so they could be put right with God.

Peter also might fear that this joy did not belong to him. If the angel had only said, “Go, tell his disciples,” poor Peter might have thought, “But I do not dare count myself among them. I denied him, and he may deny me.” To prevent that, the message says, “Go to Peter by name and tell him he will be as welcome as any of the others when he sees Christ in Galilee.” A sight of Christ is very welcome to a true penitent, and a true penitent is very welcome to see Christ, because there is joy in heaven over such a one.

They were to meet him in Galilee, as he had told them before (Matthew 26:32). On the way down to Galilee they would have time to settle their thoughts and remember his earlier words, that he must suffer and die, and rise again on the third day. While they were still in Jerusalem, surrounded by strangers and enemies, they could not easily recover from their fear or receive better news calmly. All the meetings between Christ and his disciples are arranged by him. He never forgets his own appointment, and he will surely meet his people with the blessing he has promised wherever he has placed his name. In every meeting with his disciples, he is the one who goes first.

The women hurried away from the tomb and ran to the disciples as fast as they could, trembling and amazed (Mark 16:8). This shows how much we work against our own comfort when we do not really believe what Christ has said to us. He had often told them that he would rise on the third day. If they had paid those words proper attention and trusted them, they would have come to the tomb expecting to find him risen, and they would have received the news with joy instead of fear. But since they were told to speak to the disciples, because the message was meant to spread to the whole world, they did not say anything to anyone along the way. They were afraid, afraid it was too good to be true.

Our anxious fears often keep us from serving Christ and helping other souls. If faith, and the joy that comes from faith, were stronger, we could do much more.