Women at the Empty Tomb Below Three CrossesBible World

Mark 16:5

And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

Very early on the first day of the week at the rising of the sun, after the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome, the three Marys with certain other women, came with sweet spices prepared the day before the Sabbath to anoint Jesus and finish embalming His body. He had received no other anointing after Mary's anointing for His burial, because the Sabbath was near and His followers kept the Sabbath according to the commandment. As they neared the garden the heavens were beautifully lighted up and the earth trembled beneath their feet. Hastening to the sepulchre they found the very great stone already rolled away from the door, the Roman guard gone, a light shining about the tomb, and on looking in the tomb empty.

On entering and looking inside, seated on the right side beside the place where Jesus had been laid, they saw an angelic messenger from heaven in the form of a young man in human form. He was clothed in a long white garment of shining garments white as snow, with a face bright as lightning and exceeding great heavenly glory marking him as a messenger from heaven. He was the angel who had laid hold of the immense stone at the door and rolled it away as if it had been a pebble. His coming shook the earth and struck the Roman guards powerless, and his glory then faded while a form of great glory emerged from the sepulchre amid a chorus of voices making heaven and earth vocal with songs of victory and joy. When the light faded and the music ceased the guards recovered strength to find the great stone removed, the tomb empty, and the body of Jesus gone and nowhere to be found.

He had veiled his brightness and taken human appearance so as not to frighten or alarm Jesus' friends, yet the light of heavenly glory still shone around him and amazed them. So they were affrighted and terrified and turned to flee. His presence belongs to the announcement that Jesus has risen from death and come forth from the tomb in triumph as a mighty Conqueror not left in the grave. This proves that Christ whom they crucified is risen and establishes His resurrection as a fact. The fuller account adds the question why they sought the living among the dead and the reminder of what Jesus had said in Galilee that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and rise the third day, and directs the women to tell His disciples.