He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
He is not here means the crucified Jesus who had been laid in Joseph's new tomb was no longer there because His body was gone, for He was bodily risen from the dead exactly as He had promised beforehand. Come, see the place where the Lord lay was the angel's invitation to examine the empty tomb as open proof, given amid earthquake when a mighty angel descended, rolled back the sealed stone as a pebble and sat upon it while the guard became as dead men. His coming forth at the Father's call on the morning of the third day proclaimed Him a triumphant conqueror over death, the grave and Satan, whom death could not hold, and His victory was won for humanity to open salvation and restore the race to favor with God. Because He is risen He is not a Saviour still in the tomb but a living Saviour ascended to heaven, where He intercedes for His people by name, rules amid the tumult of nations, and stands at His followers' right hand to help them overcome. Therefore it is no time to linger about the tomb in mourning and unbelief, but to receive the word with awe and great joy, put away sorrow, and go quickly to tell others that He goes before them into Galilee where they shall see Him.
Setting at the Tomb
The words were spoken to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the holy women who came with sweet spices to anoint and embalm Jesus in the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, early on the first day before light. They came to anoint His body but found the heavy stone rolled away, the Roman guard gone, and the tomb empty, His body gone, so that at first they feared enemies had taken it. The empty place where He had lain showed them they no longer needed their spices.
The announcement came amid a great earthquake when a mighty angel commissioned from heaven descended to the grave. Clothed with the panoply of heaven and parting darkness from his track, he rolled away the great stone sealed with the Roman seal from the mouth of the cave as though it were a pebble and then sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow, while the Roman soldiers keeping their weary watch shook with fear and became as dead men.
Other angels who had been guarding the resting place then came to the grave, and when the Son of God came forth from His prison house they bowed in adoration before Him. The announcing angel is sometimes described as two angels in white apparel with bright shining faces. He veiled his brightness and sat by the sepulcher so as not to terrify the friends of Christ, yet the glory encircling him filled the women with awe and amazement so that they turned to flee. He understood their errand to seek the crucified Jesus, calmed them, and told them not to fear.
The place where the Lord lay was Joseph's tomb, Joseph's new tomb, a cave closed with a great stone and sealed with the Roman seal, where Jesus had been laid after crucifixion. He had risen from the dead and was no longer there, and the tomb was empty.
The angel invited the women to look at and examine the empty place for themselves, to see where the Lord had lain and behold the place where He had lain. He charged them to go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead and goes before them into Galilee where they shall see Him. That promise belongs to the distinct history of the appointed time and place where Christ met His disciples in Galilee just before His ascension, and it answered the sorrowing disciples' fear that their Lord was lost.
Meaning of Announcement
“He is not here” means that Jesus, who had been crucified and laid in the tomb, was no longer there because His body was gone. The tomb stood empty, the stone rolled away and the Roman guard gone, when the women came to anoint Him. The angel’s announcement declared this absence to be resurrection, not removal.
“For he is risen, as he said” means He was bodily and truly risen from the dead exactly as He had promised beforehand. In Galilee He had said the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and rise the third day. His resurrection fulfilled that prediction and confirmed His claim to be the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world. Remembering those words helped the women understand His teaching and glory more fully, giving them fresh hope and courage and the understanding that He was living, not dead.
“Come, see the place where the Lord lay” is an invitation to look at and examine the empty tomb for themselves as open proof of the resurrection. The empty place where He had lain confirmed the angel’s announcement. It showed the women no longer needed their spices to anoint His body.
Evidence and Fulfilment
The tomb was empty, the great stone removed and the body gone, and this was open proof that Jesus had risen exactly as He had promised beforehand. The Roman guards themselves witnessed the angel descend and roll the stone away and saw Jesus come forth, and they heard the announcement that He was no longer there because He was risen. Their report of the angel, the earthquake, and the disappearance of the body was evidence so strong that even the priests, scribes, and rulers could not deny it, though they feared what might follow. The sealed tomb, the guard, and every precaution taken against deception only made the truth more fully established and His triumph more complete.
His rising fulfilled what He had said and fulfilled prophecy concerning the Messiah, two-thirds of that prophecy. It rested and confirmed His claims to be the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, and the living one rather than the dead. Remembering His words helped those who heard them understand His teaching and glory more fully.
Though the proof was open and known, the soldiers carried their startling message of truth into the city, and the priests who had cried for His death were terrified and speechless before this testimony. Then the chief priests and elders paid the soldiers large money with promise of safety to silence the truth and to say His disciples stole Him by night while they slept, and that lying report spread among the Jews. Satan had expected the guard to report the resurrection and urged that it be treated as proof of murder of an innocent man, fearing the people would stone them. The denial was not from lack of evidence or ignorance of the truth but to keep the people from knowing the truth, lest its deniers stand exposed as murderers of an innocent man, for false teachers are always afraid to trust the people with knowledge and hide the facts that would show their error.
His resurrection joined His deity and humanity in power and glory, and His life-giving work reclaimed the world Satan claimed and restored the human race to favor with God in a triumph celebrated by angels and heavenly beings. Together with His crucifixion it testified that God's law is unchangeable, and human guards could not prevent God from raising His Son. His sinless character was essential to this victory, for if even one sin had tainted Him the stone would not have been rolled away and the world would have perished, though He seemed defeated death could not hold Him and He came forth from Joseph's tomb as a triumphant conqueror.
Triumph Over Death
The announcement declares that Jesus was no longer in Joseph's tomb because He had risen from the dead, alive as the triumphant conqueror over death and the risen Saviour and hope of the world. His death was only temporary, for though He seemed defeated and was laid in the grave, death could not hold Him and He came forth from Joseph's tomb as a triumphant conqueror. Satan's triumph in laying Him in the grave was short-lived, because no power could keep the Saviour there and Satan has not triumphed over Him. That victory rested on His sinless character, for if even one sin had tainted Him the stone would not have been rolled away and the world would have perished. The Roman guard keeping weary watch saw Him come to life, confirming that death had not defeated Him.
At the Father's call an angel descended, rolled away the sealed stone and called Him forth crying Son of God, come forth, Thy Father calls Thee. Jesus then came forth from the rent sepulcher on the morning of the third day after resting in the tomb on the Sabbath, walking forth in triumph. Over the grave He proclaimed as a triumph song of victory that He is the resurrection and the life, coming forth with life from heaven and power over death and the grave. No earthly barrier could stop Him, not even mountains piled on the sepulcher. After ascending to His Father He revealed Himself again to His disciples.
His resurrection was a victory won for humanity and the basis of the gift of life given in Him. It opened a way of salvation that anyone may choose and receive, emerging victorious over Satan's power. His life-giving work joined His deity and humanity in power and glory, reclaimed the world Satan claimed, and restored the human race to favor with God. The salvation His resurrection brings means a life that measures with the life of God.
Angels acted a part in the resurrection as part of the devised plan of salvation carried out by One who had taken man's fallen nature with strength not even equal to theirs. They had been with Him as guardian angels through His life, to strengthen Him at different times and to witness His humiliation, great sufferings, trial, crucifixion and the hatred of men toward Him. Seeing His sufferings stirred them with deepest emotion and love that wished to rescue and deliver Him from His murderers, yet they were forbidden to interfere to prevent anything they beheld. When the Son of God came forth from His prison house as a triumphant conqueror, the angels who had guarded His resting place came to the grave and bowed in adoration before Him, and the angel host worshiped the risen Redeemer with heavenly voices in a triumph celebrated by angels and heavenly beings.
He came forth glorified as the same person who had stood before Pilate and Herod lacerated by scourging, clothed in purple, crowned with thorns, nailed to the cross and mocked. He was now loosed as a captive by the decree of heaven with power no earthly barrier could stop, not even mountains piled on His sepulcher. His glorified appearance was seen by the Roman guard who had mocked Him.
Living Interceding Saviour
He is not in Joseph's tomb with the great stone rolled before its entrance, and not in Joseph's new tomb closed with a great stone and sealed, but risen and no longer lying there as one dead. He is a risen, living Saviour who has ascended to heaven, where He lives to make intercession for His people and bears individual cases by name before the Father. His resurrection and continuing help give hope and strength and courage to those facing trials, and call believers to cling to Him as their source of light and to look up and hang their helpless souls upon God. Religious life is therefore to be peace and happiness and joy rather than rigorous gloom, with joy cultivated and attractiveness brought in so that everything testifies to a risen, living Jesus.
Because He is risen He is the King, the Lord of hosts, sitting between the cherubim and ruling in the heavens. Amid the strife and tumult of nations He still guards His people, measuring every trial and watching the furnace fire that must test every soul. When the strongholds of kings shall be overthrown and the arrows of wrath strike through the hearts of His enemies, His people shall be safe in His hands, so it is no time for mourning and despair and no time to yield to doubt and unbelief.
As the living risen Christ He stands at the head of His church, watching over the loyalty of His followers and standing at their right hand to help souls who need Him. He is ready to bless those who look to Him for His presence and light and love, having died that they might be blessed and that His joy might remain in them, giving reason for thankfulness morning by morning. He can bear their weight and carry all their burdens with strength and comfort, so they may rely on God to bear them. Satan has not triumphed over Him, and by His merits and the virtue of His atoning blood believers are not left to overcome without help but can be helped to overcome their faults at every step.
Response and Application
The word was received with awe and fear and with great joy, and the women hurried back to the sorrowing disciples with what they had seen and heard. At first the disciples could not believe that Christ had risen, though He was not found in the tomb. Remembering His prediction that He would rise on the third day helped the women understand His teaching and glory more fully and gave them fresh hope and courage to know that He was living and not dead. After His resurrection He appeared to the weeping women and made them His messengers, and their message revived the hopes of disciples who had seen Him die and be laid in the tomb and who had lost their Saviour but found Him again.
Because He is risen it is no time for mourning and despair and no time to yield to doubt and unbelief. Believers are not to linger about the tomb in sorrow as though He were still there, but to put away sorrow and tears and constant complaint and to walk before God in obedience with grateful thanksgiving. His resurrection is reason for joy, and His love and power to save from sin are to be celebrated. Religious life is therefore to be peace, happiness and joy rather than rigorous gloom, with joy cultivated and attractiveness brought into religious life so that everything testifies to a risen, living Jesus.
The risen Lord made infinite sacrifices to open a way whereby sinners might be saved, and His suffering is greater than any suffering His followers bear for faith. Therefore no one pays too high a price for salvation, and only those willing to make special sacrifices to save souls that are ready to perish can be counted worthy to enter the city of God.
The direction to the disciples to go to where Jesus had gone answers grief and confusion at the tomb with renewed hope, for the angels told them that He had risen and would go ahead of them to Galilee. That disappointment and renewed hope represent the disappointment of those who expected Jesus to return in 1844. As the disciples were directed to where Jesus had gone, the disappointed believers were directed to follow Him into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where He makes atonement for His people and receives the kingdom from His Father before returning to take them to live with Him forever.
The verse belongs to the Christian experience to be gained from the ministration of the Holy Spirit promised in the chapter. That ministration is the earnest of the spirit of life through Christ that every soul needs now. It leaves no excuse for departing from the faith for seducing spirits, and it calls for sincere belief in His unseen personality viewed by the eye of faith.
He is not here means the crucified Jesus who had been laid in Joseph's new tomb was no longer there because His body was gone, for He was bodily risen from the dead exactly as He had promised beforehand.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay was the angel's invitation to examine the empty tomb as open proof, given amid earthquake when a mighty angel descended, rolled back the sealed stone as a pebble and sat upon it while the guard became as dead men.
His coming forth at the Father's call on the morning of the third day proclaimed Him a triumphant conqueror over death, the grave and Satan, whom death could not hold, and His victory was won for humanity to open salvation and restore the race to favor with God.
Because He is risen He is not a Saviour still in the tomb but a living Saviour ascended to heaven, where He intercedes for His people by name, rules amid the tumult of nations, and stands at His followers' right hand to help them overcome.
Therefore it is no time to linger about the tomb in mourning and unbelief, but to receive the word with awe and great joy, put away sorrow, and go quickly to tell others that He goes before them into Galilee where they shall see Him.
Setting at the Tomb
The words were spoken to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the holy women who came with sweet spices to anoint and embalm Jesus in the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, early on the first day before light. They came to anoint His body but found the heavy stone rolled away, the Roman guard gone, and the tomb empty, His body gone, so that at first they feared enemies had taken it. The empty place where He had lain showed them they no longer needed their spices.
The announcement came amid a great earthquake when a mighty angel commissioned from heaven descended to the grave. Clothed with the panoply of heaven and parting darkness from his track, he rolled away the great stone sealed with the Roman seal from the mouth of the cave as though it were a pebble and then sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning and his raiment white as snow, while the Roman soldiers keeping their weary watch shook with fear and became as dead men.
Other angels who had been guarding the resting place then came to the grave, and when the Son of God came forth from His prison house they bowed in adoration before Him. The announcing angel is sometimes described as two angels in white apparel with bright shining faces. He veiled his brightness and sat by the sepulcher so as not to terrify the friends of Christ, yet the glory encircling him filled the women with awe and amazement so that they turned to flee. He understood their errand to seek the crucified Jesus, calmed them, and told them not to fear.
The place where the Lord lay was Joseph's tomb, Joseph's new tomb, a cave closed with a great stone and sealed with the Roman seal, where Jesus had been laid after crucifixion. He had risen from the dead and was no longer there, and the tomb was empty.
The angel invited the women to look at and examine the empty place for themselves, to see where the Lord had lain and behold the place where He had lain. He charged them to go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead and goes before them into Galilee where they shall see Him. That promise belongs to the distinct history of the appointed time and place where Christ met His disciples in Galilee just before His ascension, and it answered the sorrowing disciples' fear that their Lord was lost.
Meaning of Announcement
“He is not here” means that Jesus, who had been crucified and laid in the tomb, was no longer there because His body was gone. The tomb stood empty, the stone rolled away and the Roman guard gone, when the women came to anoint Him. The angel’s announcement declared this absence to be resurrection, not removal.
“For he is risen, as he said” means He was bodily and truly risen from the dead exactly as He had promised beforehand. In Galilee He had said the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and rise the third day. His resurrection fulfilled that prediction and confirmed His claim to be the Son of God and the Redeemer of the world. Remembering those words helped the women understand His teaching and glory more fully, giving them fresh hope and courage and the understanding that He was living, not dead.
“Come, see the place where the Lord lay” is an invitation to look at and examine the empty tomb for themselves as open proof of the resurrection. The empty place where He had lain confirmed the angel’s announcement. It showed the women no longer needed their spices to anoint His body.
Evidence and Fulfilment
The tomb was empty, the great stone removed and the body gone, and this was open proof that Jesus had risen exactly as He had promised beforehand. The Roman guards themselves witnessed the angel descend and roll the stone away and saw Jesus come forth, and they heard the announcement that He was no longer there because He was risen. Their report of the angel, the earthquake, and the disappearance of the body was evidence so strong that even the priests, scribes, and rulers could not deny it, though they feared what might follow. The sealed tomb, the guard, and every precaution taken against deception only made the truth more fully established and His triumph more complete.
His rising fulfilled what He had said and fulfilled prophecy concerning the Messiah, two-thirds of that prophecy. It rested and confirmed His claims to be the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, and the living one rather than the dead. Remembering His words helped those who heard them understand His teaching and glory more fully.
Though the proof was open and known, the soldiers carried their startling message of truth into the city, and the priests who had cried for His death were terrified and speechless before this testimony. Then the chief priests and elders paid the soldiers large money with promise of safety to silence the truth and to say His disciples stole Him by night while they slept, and that lying report spread among the Jews. Satan had expected the guard to report the resurrection and urged that it be treated as proof of murder of an innocent man, fearing the people would stone them. The denial was not from lack of evidence or ignorance of the truth but to keep the people from knowing the truth, lest its deniers stand exposed as murderers of an innocent man, for false teachers are always afraid to trust the people with knowledge and hide the facts that would show their error.
His resurrection joined His deity and humanity in power and glory, and His life-giving work reclaimed the world Satan claimed and restored the human race to favor with God in a triumph celebrated by angels and heavenly beings. Together with His crucifixion it testified that God's law is unchangeable, and human guards could not prevent God from raising His Son. His sinless character was essential to this victory, for if even one sin had tainted Him the stone would not have been rolled away and the world would have perished, though He seemed defeated death could not hold Him and He came forth from Joseph's tomb as a triumphant conqueror.
Triumph Over Death
The announcement declares that Jesus was no longer in Joseph's tomb because He had risen from the dead, alive as the triumphant conqueror over death and the risen Saviour and hope of the world. His death was only temporary, for though He seemed defeated and was laid in the grave, death could not hold Him and He came forth from Joseph's tomb as a triumphant conqueror. Satan's triumph in laying Him in the grave was short-lived, because no power could keep the Saviour there and Satan has not triumphed over Him. That victory rested on His sinless character, for if even one sin had tainted Him the stone would not have been rolled away and the world would have perished. The Roman guard keeping weary watch saw Him come to life, confirming that death had not defeated Him.
At the Father's call an angel descended, rolled away the sealed stone and called Him forth crying Son of God, come forth, Thy Father calls Thee. Jesus then came forth from the rent sepulcher on the morning of the third day after resting in the tomb on the Sabbath, walking forth in triumph. Over the grave He proclaimed as a triumph song of victory that He is the resurrection and the life, coming forth with life from heaven and power over death and the grave. No earthly barrier could stop Him, not even mountains piled on the sepulcher. After ascending to His Father He revealed Himself again to His disciples.
His resurrection was a victory won for humanity and the basis of the gift of life given in Him. It opened a way of salvation that anyone may choose and receive, emerging victorious over Satan's power. His life-giving work joined His deity and humanity in power and glory, reclaimed the world Satan claimed, and restored the human race to favor with God. The salvation His resurrection brings means a life that measures with the life of God.
Angels acted a part in the resurrection as part of the devised plan of salvation carried out by One who had taken man's fallen nature with strength not even equal to theirs. They had been with Him as guardian angels through His life, to strengthen Him at different times and to witness His humiliation, great sufferings, trial, crucifixion and the hatred of men toward Him. Seeing His sufferings stirred them with deepest emotion and love that wished to rescue and deliver Him from His murderers, yet they were forbidden to interfere to prevent anything they beheld. When the Son of God came forth from His prison house as a triumphant conqueror, the angels who had guarded His resting place came to the grave and bowed in adoration before Him, and the angel host worshiped the risen Redeemer with heavenly voices in a triumph celebrated by angels and heavenly beings.
He came forth glorified as the same person who had stood before Pilate and Herod lacerated by scourging, clothed in purple, crowned with thorns, nailed to the cross and mocked. He was now loosed as a captive by the decree of heaven with power no earthly barrier could stop, not even mountains piled on His sepulcher. His glorified appearance was seen by the Roman guard who had mocked Him.
Living Interceding Saviour
He is not in Joseph's tomb with the great stone rolled before its entrance, and not in Joseph's new tomb closed with a great stone and sealed, but risen and no longer lying there as one dead. He is a risen, living Saviour who has ascended to heaven, where He lives to make intercession for His people and bears individual cases by name before the Father. His resurrection and continuing help give hope and strength and courage to those facing trials, and call believers to cling to Him as their source of light and to look up and hang their helpless souls upon God. Religious life is therefore to be peace and happiness and joy rather than rigorous gloom, with joy cultivated and attractiveness brought in so that everything testifies to a risen, living Jesus.
Because He is risen He is the King, the Lord of hosts, sitting between the cherubim and ruling in the heavens. Amid the strife and tumult of nations He still guards His people, measuring every trial and watching the furnace fire that must test every soul. When the strongholds of kings shall be overthrown and the arrows of wrath strike through the hearts of His enemies, His people shall be safe in His hands, so it is no time for mourning and despair and no time to yield to doubt and unbelief.
As the living risen Christ He stands at the head of His church, watching over the loyalty of His followers and standing at their right hand to help souls who need Him. He is ready to bless those who look to Him for His presence and light and love, having died that they might be blessed and that His joy might remain in them, giving reason for thankfulness morning by morning. He can bear their weight and carry all their burdens with strength and comfort, so they may rely on God to bear them. Satan has not triumphed over Him, and by His merits and the virtue of His atoning blood believers are not left to overcome without help but can be helped to overcome their faults at every step.
Response and Application
The word was received with awe and fear and with great joy, and the women hurried back to the sorrowing disciples with what they had seen and heard. At first the disciples could not believe that Christ had risen, though He was not found in the tomb. Remembering His prediction that He would rise on the third day helped the women understand His teaching and glory more fully and gave them fresh hope and courage to know that He was living and not dead. After His resurrection He appeared to the weeping women and made them His messengers, and their message revived the hopes of disciples who had seen Him die and be laid in the tomb and who had lost their Saviour but found Him again.
Because He is risen it is no time for mourning and despair and no time to yield to doubt and unbelief. Believers are not to linger about the tomb in sorrow as though He were still there, but to put away sorrow and tears and constant complaint and to walk before God in obedience with grateful thanksgiving. His resurrection is reason for joy, and His love and power to save from sin are to be celebrated. Religious life is therefore to be peace, happiness and joy rather than rigorous gloom, with joy cultivated and attractiveness brought into religious life so that everything testifies to a risen, living Jesus.
The risen Lord made infinite sacrifices to open a way whereby sinners might be saved, and His suffering is greater than any suffering His followers bear for faith. Therefore no one pays too high a price for salvation, and only those willing to make special sacrifices to save souls that are ready to perish can be counted worthy to enter the city of God.
The direction to the disciples to go to where Jesus had gone answers grief and confusion at the tomb with renewed hope, for the angels told them that He had risen and would go ahead of them to Galilee. That disappointment and renewed hope represent the disappointment of those who expected Jesus to return in 1844. As the disciples were directed to where Jesus had gone, the disappointed believers were directed to follow Him into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, where He makes atonement for His people and receives the kingdom from His Father before returning to take them to live with Him forever.
The verse belongs to the Christian experience to be gained from the ministration of the Holy Spirit promised in the chapter. That ministration is the earnest of the spirit of life through Christ that every soul needs now. It leaves no excuse for departing from the faith for seducing spirits, and it calls for sincere belief in His unseen personality viewed by the eye of faith.