HE HAS RISEN!

Mark 16:1-8 / Keywords 16:6

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

 

16:1  When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.[a]

Footnotes

a. Mark 16:8 Some manuscripts have the following ending between verses 8 and 9, and one manuscript has it after verse 8 (omitting verses 9-20): Then they quickly reported all these instructions to those around Peter. After this, Jesus himself also sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation. Amen.

 

1. Many women had followed Jesus and taken care of his needs while he was alive. These included Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome. As soon as the Sabbath was over, they set out very early to anoint Jesus’ body. They loved Jesus so much. As they cared about him in life, so now they cared for him as best they could in his death. As they went toward the tomb, they wondered who might roll away the giant stone sealing the tomb. But when they arrived, the stone had already been rolled away. When they looked in the tomb, there sat a young man in a white robe, but Jesus was not there. It was very unexpected and alarming.

 

2. The young man spoke to them. He knew them, he knew why they were there, and he told them about Jesus, “He has risen! He is not here.” This is how the resurrection was first testified. There was an empty tomb and the message from this young man. He told the women to tell Peter and the other disciples that Jesus has risen and would go ahead of them into Galilee. Instead, the women fled and said nothing to anyone. In the same way, we are given the message, “He has risen. He is not here.” We testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with these words and an empty tomb.

 

Prayer Lord, Jesus has risen. I can never see this with my eyes, but it is your message. Help me to proclaim it today.

One Word Jesus has risen