Luke 24:1-12

24:1-3 | The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of Christianity and the touchstone of all that He is. It validates His work as Savior, and it verifies His worth as Lord. Horatius Bonar wrote: “As the cross is the payment, so the resurrection is God’s receipt… for the whole sum, signed with His own hand.”

24:1 | While the Gospel of John focuses on Mary Magdalene, the other Gospels follow the actions of the other women. The women did not have sufficient time to attend properly to Jesus’ burial, and they wanted to finish the task. Having seen where His body was placed, they began to arrive separately for their work.

24:2 | The stone was not rolled away so that Jesus could get out; He did not need the help. The stone was rolled away so that people could see in. The tomb was empty – the Christian gospel rests squarely on this truth.

24:4-5 | Luke does not immediately identify the two figures at the tomb as angels, but the women recognized them as such. Their white and shining clothes were like those of Jesus at the Transfiguration (9:29). The fright of the women was not an unusual reaction; nevertheless, the angels responded with a gentle rebuke, implying the women should have known they would not find the body at the tomb.

24:6-9 | Christ’s resurrection vindicates His word (9:22; John 2:19-22). After the angels reminded the women of Jesus’ words, everything He taught them started to make sense.

24:10-12 | Christ first appeared to Mary Magdalene – not to an apostle, society’s upper crust, or the religious leaders, but to a woman with a demonic past (8:2). Mary had known great sorrow and oppression – she represented the poor in spirit for whom Christ came (Matt. 5:3). One church father referred to her as “the apostle to the apostles.” An apostle is a “sent one.” God sent Mary to the apostles to tell them about the Resurrection.