The Resurrection : The First Apparitions

Chapter VIII: The Resurrection

I: The First Apparitions

Matt. xxviii. 1-15; Mark xvi. 1-11; Luke xxiv. 1-12; John xx. 1-18.

The Resurrection. J-J Tissot.

While the Sanhedrin party were busied in taking precautions against Jesus, the great middle-class of Jews had deserted Calvary to devote themselves to preparations for the Paschal ceremonies.  Throughout this day what feelings swept over the hearts of the disciples?  Was it not the end of everything for them,— their dreams all shattered, their discouragement and grief more overpowering in the measure that their expectations had been so full of life and righteous hopes?  We might justly confess to a great longing to know something of the conversation of these men, after having been so bitterly undeceived, to hear their complaints and sympathise with their passionate regrets.  But the Gospel is silent concerning the exceeding wretchedness they must have felt that day; and we are told simply of their fidelity to the Law: "According to the commandment," it reads, " the Sabbath Rest was observed."

But then no one expected aught thereafter from their buried Master, still they loved Him always.  The last to leave His grave, the women who had followed Him from Galilee were the first to return to the tomb, eagerly desirous to embalm the Saviour's body with greater care than Nicodemus had been able to do.  Most of them had had time to prepare myrrh and sweet spices, after the Crucifixion; but having returned from Calvary later, Mary Magdalene, with Mary the mother of James, and Salome, were unable to purchase their perfumes till the evening of the morrow, after the hallowed season of rest; but by midnight after next day everything was in readiness, whereupon they arose and set forth, to fulfill their last pious duty to the dead.

It was still dim and misty when, fairly anticipating the First Day of the new week, they passed without the city walls.

Mary Magdalene and the Holy Women at the tomb. J-J Tissot

"Who will help us to remove the stone from the mouth of the Sepulchre?" they kept murmuring to each other as they hastened along.

Listening to these words, we may presume that Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, and Salome (whom Saint Mark mentions) were at this juncture still alone; for with the united strength the holy women together would have foreseen no difficulty in pushing away the heavy door of the tomb.  Doubtless their companions were following them in the meanwhile, though they were as yet some way behind them.

The three women of Galilee were at some distance from the garden, when of a sudden the darkened earth quivered beneath their feet.  An Angel of the Lords descended from Heaven, and drawing nigh rolled back the stone which blocked the mouth of the Sepulchre.  It was long since tenantless, for Jesus had risen before the dawn, in a great stillness and all unseen.  

The Angel on the Stone. J-J Tissot

And the Angel sat upon the stones; his countenance glowing brighter than the lightning, his garments all of a whiteness like the dazzling snow; whereupon the guards were struck with such fearfulness that they fell down like the dead men, and as soon as might be one and all fled back to town.

Too far away from the tomb to witness what had just happened, the holy women were fain to hesitate for an instant, but reassured by the ensuing quiet they pushed their way within the shadowy garden, and at last making bold to raise their eyes and look about, they beheld the stone drawn away, for it was very great.

At this sight the Magdalene made all haste back to Jerusalem.

"Past all question," she thought, "the Masters tomb has been violated and His body abandoned to His foes!"

So thinking she runs the faster, she calls with hurried words upon His friends; these friends were John the Beloved and Peter, who, finding his way before this to the latter's abode had fallen down at Mary's feet bewailing his own fault.  Thereupon together they mourned the death of Jesus.

They have taken away the Lord. J-J Tissot

"They have taken the Lord away, from out the Sepulchre," cried the Magdalen, "and we do not know what they had done with Him."

At once the disciples sped away to the tomb, but found no trace either of Mary, mother of James, or of Salome; they had indeed but just now hurried away, " transported with fear and great joy."

These two women, lingering there alone after Mary Magdalene's swift departure, had finally decided to enter within the tomb.  And Angel was seated at the right-hand side of the dark cave; he bore the outward aspect of a young man clothed with white raiment.

They trembled much at seeing him and fear enchained their tongues, but he reassured them:—

"Fear not ye!" He said, "I know you seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified.  He is risen, He is no longer here!  Come and see the place where they laid Him.  Go quickly and announced to Peter and the disciples that He is risen from the dead.  He will go before you into Galilee: it is there that you shall see Him, according as He foretold it to you.  Lo, I have warned you thereof beforehand."

The two women went forth from the Sepulchre, their hearts divided between happiness and terror; but soon their fear overpowered them, and they fled without daring to repeat what they had just now seen and heard.

Peter and John run to the sepulchre. J-J Tissot

Meanwhile the two Apostles were hastening on their way towards the garden.  Both of them were running, but John was first to reach the spot.  Dreading to push forward beneath the mouth of the cave, he stooped down to scan the inner gloom, but his eyes could only descry the linen cloth lying on the ground. Hereupon Peter joined him, entered unhesitatingly and noted, not only these swathing-bands, but also the napkin wherewith the Lord's head had been enwrapt, now folded and laid apart in a corner by itself.  Reassured, John followed his companion and shared his glad surprise.  Within the empty Sepulchre there were no traces of violence; the burial vestments had been neither snatched away nor hastily left behind, but folded with decent care.  At this token the eyes of the Apostles were opened; at last they believed what a profounder knowledge of the Scriptures would have revealed to them long before,— " that it was necessary that the Christ should rise again from the dead!" And they returned straightway to their homes, overflowing with gladness, marvelling among themselves over this which had now come to pass.

The holy women and the two Apostles had believed upon the Angels testimony, but to Mary of Magdala was reserved the privilege of first beholding the Risen Jesus.

Coming back to the tomb, she stayed without, while, ever and again through her tears she would peer through the dark mouth of the cave.  Suddenly she saw two Angels, all in white array, seated there where the body of Jesus had been laid, one at the head and the other at the feet.

"Woman," they say to her, " why weepest thou?"

Christ appears to Mary Magdalene. J-J Tissot

"It is the gardener," she thought; "perhaps he may have taken the body, to protect it from any insult."

"Sir," she made answer, "if you have taken Him hence, tell me where you have laid Him.  I will go and carry Him away."

Jesus spoke but one word in answer.

" Mary!"

And the Magdalene recognized the Voice which had so many times comforted her soul.  She threw herself at the feet of Jesus, crying:—

"Master!"

And in the greatness of her joy, she clung to that transfigured Body.

But Jesus, while reminding her that she was to behold Him again more than once before the Ascension, now bade her to return immediately to the Apostles.

Do not touch me. J-J Tissot

"Touch Me not," He said, "for I am not yet gone up unto My Father; but go, find My brethren and say to them:—

"'I go up unto My Father and your Father, to My God and to your God.'"

Sublime message, whereby the Saviour tells all those whom He came on earth to redeem that henceforth they have no other Father but His, and that one day they shall follow after Him, to His Home in the skies.

Mary Magdalene rose up and hastened to carry His words to the disciples.

"I have seen the Lord, and behold this which He hath said to me!"

But as yet neither Peter lord John had returned to find their comrades; Magdalene therefore found them overwhelmed with mourning and tears.  In vain did she proclaim that Jesus lived and had appeared to her; her thrilling tones, her glowing certainty and all the great rapture with which the sight of her God had stirred her soul, were powerless to touch them; they would not believe her.

Even while the messenger chosen by the Christ was meeting with such a doleful greeting in Jerusalem, there were other women of Galilee approaching the tomb.  They came thither, after the example of the two Mary's and Salome, to anoint the body of the Lord, and numbered among them, besides certain of the disciples, Joanna, wife of Chuza, the Intendant of Herod Antipas.

At sight of the open Sepulchre, they quickened their steps, but, when they pressed forward within the narrow tomb, they looked about in vain for the body of Jesus.  And as they stood spell-bound with consternation, all at once, two Angels stood by them, in shining garments.  Seized with a great fright, their eyes fell before the glory of the heavenly Visitants.

"Why seek ye among the dead for Him Who liveth?  He is no longer here.  He is risen!  Remember that which He said unto you when He was yet in Galilee:'The Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinners and crucified, and the third day rise again.'"

Christ appears to the Holy Women. J-J Tissot

Recalling those words of the Master at last, they sped back to bear these tidings to the eleven and to all the disciples; but even while they were hastening along the garden path Jesus Himself appeared to them.

"Hail!" He said.

They drew nigh, all trembling, and kissed His feet and worshipped Him.

"Fear not," pursued the Lord, "go, tell My brethren that they departing to Galilee; it is there they shall see Me."

The holy women obeyed and declared before the Apostles that they had seen and touched the risen  body of Jesus; but they credited their words no more than those of Mary Magdalen.  All that they said seemed but wild fancy, and they obstinately refused to believe.

Hatred, however, had given the enemies of Jesus a clearer insight than theirs.  Warned by some of the guards as to what had occurred, the High-Priests called together the Ancients of Israel, and took counsel as to what it behoved them to do, in order to avert any popular belief in this new prodigy.  But there was no time left to concoct any clever explanation; they must content themselves with collecting a considerable sum of money and giving it to the soldiers, telling them:—

"You will testify that his disciples came by night and stole away the body, while you were asleep; and if the Governor comes to know of it, we will appease him and secure you."

The soldiers, taking the money, did as they had been bid, and from mouth to mouth, adds Saint Matthew, this story has been spread among the Jews, even to the present day.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.