This Week with the Word

The Uniform Lesson for April 12
Background & Commentary by Sam E. Stone

“The Dawn of New Life” is the theme for this month’s lessons about Christ and creation. Our focus is on Luke’s Gospel. Last week’s lesson concluded with the death of Jesus on the cross at Calvary. The forlorn disciples remained at a distance to see where his body would be taken. Joseph of Arimathea, one of the few Sanhedrin members who did not support the execution, went to Pilate requesting permission to bury Jesus.

His body was taken down from the cross and placed in a rock-hewn tomb, one in which no body had ever been laid (Luke 23:53). The women followed to be sure of the location. Since the Sabbath was about to begin, the formal preparation of the body for burial was put off until the next day—Sunday.

The Empty Tomb/Luke 24:1-3

The early morning visit to Christ’s tomb by the women is reported in all four Gospels. Our study considers Luke’s description of the event. The group of women included Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, and Joanna. When they started out early Sunday morning from Bethany, it was still dark (John 20:1). By the time they arrived at the tomb, it was evidently about sunrise (Mathew 28:1; Mark 16:2).

The cave-like tomb had been cut out of the side of a hill. Normally such a tomb would be used only by a rich person (Isaiah 53:9). The entrance had been covered by a large stone to keep animals out. After the stone had been rolled into place, an additional effort was taken to make sure no one could enter. At the request of Jesus’ enemies Roman guards were stationed there to make sure no one could remove the body (Matthew 27:62-66). The Roman seal had been placed on the stone.

En route to the tomb that Sunday morning, the women were wondering how they could manage to get the stone rolled back so that they could enter (Mark 16:3). When they arrived, to their surprise they found the stone moved and the entrance open. When they stepped inside, the tomb was empty!

The Angels’ Message/Luke 24:4-8

Two angels then appeared in human form, but with a bright shining appearance, in clothes that gleamed like lightning. The usual reaction to the presence of an angel is fear, and the women were no exception. They bowed down in fright with their faces toward the ground. The angels asked them simply, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Everything had changed, for they now had divine assurance that “death could not keep his prey.”

The angel called to mind what Jesus had told them: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again” (Luke 24:7). Now it all made sense! This was what he meant!

The Women’s Report/Luke 24:9-12

The first two appearances of the risen Christ were to women. Henry Halley observed, “Through woman came sin, and through woman, without the aid of man, came the Savior, and to woman the victorious Redeemer first appeared after his victory over sin.”

After the women heard the angel’s message, they promptly returned to the Eleven and to all the others. “The Eleven” refers to the apostles. What had been “the Twelve” was now a group of only 11, since the traitorous Judas had taken his own life (see Matthew 27:3-10; compare Acts 1:15-19).

With excitement the women reported the wonderful news. But to the Eleven, their story seemed like nonsense. A. T. Robertson explains that the expression “idle talk” (King James Version) described by Dr. Luke meant literally the “wild talk of those in delirium or hysteria.”

Peter decided to check it out for himself, however. He got up and ran to the tomb. In his Gospel, John adds that he also went to the garden tomb with Peter (John 20:3-9). What they saw corroborated the women’s report: the grave was empty and the strips of linen were lying by themselves. Peter left the tomb, still wondering what could have happened.

The Resurrection’s Significance

Those who doubt the fact of Christ’s resurrection must face a serious question: What accounts for the empty tomb? Jesus’ disciples did not come expecting to find his body gone. When the women reported what they discovered, the disciples didn’t believe them. Later Jesus appeared to two on the road to Emmaus. When they told the disciples about seeing the risen Christ, the Scripture reports, “Neither believed they them” (Mark 16:13, King James Version).

The only thing that convinced these doubters was seeing the risen Lord themselves. The testimony of the apostles leaves only one reasonable conclusion: Jesus arose from the dead. Our faith in the risen Lord is based on fully reliable testimony. We can sing with Matthew Bridges, “Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed o’er the grave!” |L

Sam E. Stone is the former editor of Christian Standard. He continues his writing and speaking ministry from his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.