John 20:13, commentary and pictures

Mary stood outside the empty tomb weeping in bitter disappointment, stooping to look inside and seeing two angels in white sitting where the body had lain while Jesus Himself stood beside her unrecognized. When the angels asked why she wept she answered that her Lord had been taken away and she did not know where He had been laid, her grief fixing her mind on the missing body rather than on His resurrection which she had not yet understood. Her tears and despair kept her from recognizing that Jesus was close beside her, showing how sorrow can blind the heart to the presence of the risen Saviour. That same weeping well represents the grief of those who waited for Christ in 1844 and felt they had lost Him when He did not come to earth as they expected. Yet He was not lost but alive, leading His people and entering the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to make atonement and receive the kingdom before returning, so His people now have no cause to weep as if He were still dead in the tomb.

Mary Weeping at Tomb

Mary stood outside the empty tomb weeping in bitter disappointment at not finding her Lord, and stooping to look into the sepulcher she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet, while He Himself was already standing beside her unrecognized and her heart cried out after her Saviour. Her experience illustrates that as Jesus died and rose again, even so those who sleep in Jesus will be brought with Him. The two angels appeared in human form and asked why she was weeping, but in her grief she did not recognize them as heavenly beings. Her grief over the missing body left her distressed and unconsoled despite the open tomb and the angels' question.

Her answer meant she believed someone had taken her Lord's body and she did not know where it had been laid. Her grief kept her focused on the missing body rather than on His resurrection, which she had not yet understood. Her words expressed her sorrow and distress and her desire to find and care for His body, which she thought had been taken away or moved from the tomb. Her despair, grief and tears kept her from recognizing that Jesus was close beside her or understanding what He said. The same can happen when sorrow blinds people to the presence of the risen Saviour and obscures Him from them.

After His resurrection Jesus appeared to the weeping women and made them the first messengers of the news that He had risen. Mary first preached a risen Savior, having wept at the tomb because she believed her Lord had been taken away and she did not know where He had been laid. The women reported that angels had told them Christ was risen and that they had seen Jesus alive in the garden.

Advent Disappointment Paralleled

The words of grief at the empty tomb also describe the grief of those who expected the Savior to come when the time passed and He did not appear. Disappointed believers who expected Christ's return felt the same when their expected time passed and their Saviour did not appear, in grief and bewilderment as if they had lost their Savior. After hoping Jesus would come to raise the dead, change the living saints, and establish His kingdom, His people when disappointed felt like the disciples mourning that their Lord was gone.

Those who believed without doubt that Jesus would come to raise the dead and change the living saints and take the kingdom to possess it forever feel, when the expected deliverance does not come, as Mary did at the sepulcher grieving that their Lord is taken and they do not know where He is. At the same time they are proved and tested under the laughter, mocking and reproach of a scoffing world because no visible tokens of wrath appear. The disciples' disappointment at finding the tomb empty, with Mary sorrowing because she thought her Lord had been taken, well represents the disappointment of those who waited for Christ in 1844 and felt they had lost Him when He did not come to earth. The angels' announcement that Jesus had risen and would go before them into Galilee showed He was not lost but alive and leading His disciples.

With deepest compassion Jesus sent His angels to direct the disappointed minds to follow Him where He was. They were shown that this earth is not the sanctuary but that He must enter the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to make an atonement for His people and to receive the kingdom from His Father before returning to earth to take them to dwell with Him forever. The disappointed believers of 1844 shared Mary's sense of having lost sight of their Lord. When they understood Christ's ministry in the heavenly holy of holies they again saw Him as their compassionate high priest soon to come as king and deliverer, which restored their hope and joy.

Comfort and Present Application

Mary's grief at believing her Lord taken and laid she knows not where pictures the church when it is unaware of its need for the Holy Spirit, for without the Spirit's influence it is as though the Lord has been taken away. That same grief of losing the Lord and not knowing where to find Him is the condition of the church when the promise of the Comforter remains unexperienced and unfulfilled. Without that blessing, which would bring all other blessings in its train, the church stops short of its privileges, is not personally alive to its need of the Spirit's influence, and suffers spiritual drought while content with meager dew.

The scene reflects the sorrow and uncertainty that come when Jesus seems absent, yet the resurrection means He is not buried but is the living Savior and Head of the church, so His people need not lose heart or give way to doubt. There is now no cause to weep as Mary wept, going in gloom and condemnation as if suspicious of God's love, for Jesus is not dead in Joseph's new tomb behind the stone. He has risen and ascended on high into the Father's presence where He lives to make atonement and intercession, making it possible by earnest living faith to keep God's law, to be one with the Father, and to have peace, hope, fullness of joy and perfect confidence of eternal life.

Her weeping came from love for the Master because He had forgiven her sins and connected her soul with heaven, while He Himself was already standing beside her unrecognized as her heart cried out after her Savior. That love and devotion kept Jesus on earth after His resurrection until He made Himself known to her, showing He is willing to reveal Himself to those devoted to Him and His service who desire above all else to maintain a living connection with heaven. As Jesus died and rose again, even so those who sleep in Jesus will be brought with Him. As Mary recognized her risen Lord, so faithful believers will recognize their loved ones who now sleep when they hear their voices again in the resurrection morning, for the living connection between heaven and earth still remains and every promise of God will be fulfilled.