Scripture Reading:

Mark 16:1-8

Key Verse:

But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” (Mark 16:6-7)

What does this passage teach us?

Let us observe, in this passage, the power of strong love to Christ. We have a forcible illustration of this it the conduct of Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, which Mark here records. He tells us that they had “bought spices” to anoint our Lord, and that “very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.”

We may well believe that it required great courage to do this. To visit the grave in the dim twilight of an eastern daybreak, would try most women, under any circumstances. But to visit the grave of one who had been put to death as a common criminal, and to rise early to show honor to one whom their nation had despised, this was a mighty boldness indeed. Yet these are the kind of acts which show the difference between weak faith and strong faith—between weak feeling and strong feeling towards Christ. These holy women had tasted of our Lord’s pardoning mercies. Their hearts were full of gratitude to Him for light, and hope, and comfort, and peace. They were willing to risk all consequences in testifying their affection to their Savior. So true are the words of Song of Solomon—“Love is as strong as death—many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it” (Song of Sol. 8:6-7).

Why is it that we see so little of this strong love to Jesus among Christians of the present day? How is it that we so seldom meet with saints who will face any danger, and go through fire and water for Christ’s sake? There is only one answer. It is the weak faith, and the low sense of obligation to Christ, which so widely prevail. A low and feeble sense of sin will always produce a low and feeble sense of the value of salvation. A slight sense of our debt to God will always be attended by a slight sense of what we owe for our redemption. It is the man who feels much forgiven who loves much. “To whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47).

Let us observe, secondly, in this passage, how the difficulties which Christians fear, will sometimes disappear as they approach them. These holy women, as they walked to our Lord’s grave, were full of fears about the stone at the door. “They said among themselves, ‘Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?’” But their fears were needless. Their expected trouble was found not to exist. “When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away.”

What a striking emblem we have in this simple narrative, of the experience of many Christians! How often believers are oppressed and cast down by anticipation of evils, and yet, in the time of need, find the thing they feared removed, and the “stone rolled away.” A large proportion of a saint’s anxieties arise from things which never really happen. We look ahead to all the possibilities of the journey towards heaven. We conjure up in our imagination all kind of crosses and obstacles. We mentally carry tomorrow’s troubles, as well as today’s. And often, very often, we find at the end, that our doubts and alarms were groundless, and that the thing we dreaded most has never come to pass at all. Let us pray for more practical faith. Let us believe that in the path of duty, we shall never be entirely forsaken. Let us go forward boldly, and we shall often find that the lion in the way is chained, and what appears to be a hedge of thorns, is only a shadow.

Let us observe, thirdly, in this passage, that the friends of Christ have no cause to be afraid of angels. We are told, that when Mary Magdalene and her companion saw an angel sitting in the tomb, “they were alarmed.” But they were at once reassured by his words—“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here.”

The lesson at first sight, may seem of little importance. We see no visions of angels in the present day. We do not expect to see them. But the lesson is one which we may find useful at some future time. The day is drawing near when the Lord Jesus shall come again to judge the world, with all the angels round Him. The angels in that day shall gather together His elect from the four winds. The angels shall gather the tares into bundles to burn them. The angels shall gather the wheat of God into His barn. Those whom the angels take they shall carry to glory, honor, and immortality. Those whom they leave behind shall be left to shame and everlasting contempt.

Let us strive so to live, that when we die we may be carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom. Let us endeavor to be known of angels as those who seek Jesus, and love Him in this world, and so are heirs of salvation. Let us give diligence to make our repentance sure, and so to cause joy in the presence of the angels of God. Then, whether we wake or sleep, when the archangel’s voice is heard, we shall have no cause to be afraid. We shall rise from our grave and see in the angels our friends and fellow servants, in whose company we shall spend a blessed eternity.

Let us observe, lastly, in this passage, the exceeding kindness of God towards his backsliding servants. The message which the angel conveys is a striking illustration of this truth. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were commanded to tell the disciples that “He goes before you into Galilee,” and that “there you will see Him.” But the message is not directed generally to the eleven apostles. This alone, after their late desertion of their master, would have been a most gracious action. Yet Peter who had denied his Lord three times, is specially mentioned by name. Peter, who had sinned particularly, is singled out and noticed particularly. There were to be no exceptions in the deed of grace. All were to be pardoned. All were to be restored to favor—and Peter as well as the rest.

We may well say when we read words like these, “this is not the manner of man.” On no point perhaps are our views of religion so narrow, low, and contracted, as on the point of God’s exceeding willingness to pardon penitent sinners. We think of Him as such a one as ourselves. We forget that “he delights in mercy” (Mic. 7:18).

Let us leave the passage with a determination to open the door of mercy very wide to sinners, in all our speaking and teaching about religion. Not least, let us leave it with a resolution never to be unforgiving towards our fellow men. If Christ is so ready to forgive us, we ought to be very ready to forgive others.

Questions:

1. What are the themes of chapters 1-16?
2. What concern did the woman have as they approached the tomb? How was this concern resolved?
3. How do we see the Lord’s mercy to his erring disciples in the words of the angel?

Family Application Questions:

1. What are some current anxieties that are weighing us down that we can bring to the Lord in prayer, with thanksgiving (see Phil. 4:6-7)?
2. What do the Scriptures teach about what angels do for God’s people? Read Ps. 91:11-12, Matt. 18:10-11, Luke 16:22-23, Heb. 1:14.