AFTER THE SABBATH DAY WAS OVER. See notes _on_ Matthew 28:1-17, Mark adds a few details. By the Jewish way of counting time, the Sabbath ended at 6 P.M. (sunset) on the day we call Saturday [the first day of the new week began at this point]. The women began their preparations then, planning to go t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WILL ROLL AWAY? They did not know about the guard and the seal on the stone (Matthew 27:62-66). The grave was a cave cut out of the rock, closed by a huge stone rolled against the entrance. Their worry is about how they will get in to the grave.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY LOOKED UP. They may have been looking down before, talking about all that had happened, as they walked toward the grave. The grave was probably above them, cut back into the face of the rock.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY ENTERED THE GRAVE. Mary Magdalene sees the stone rolled back, thinks the Jewish leaders have taken the body, and runs to find Peter and John (John 20:1-2). The other women enter the grave. SAW A YOUNG MAN. Matthew identifies him as an angel of the Lord. Luke says there were two of them, and... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HAS BEEN RAISED! See Romans 6:4; Romans 6:9. Sin" and death came into the world through a women (Genesis 3:6; 1 Timothy 2:14). It is only right, then, that the Savior would come into the world through a woman (Luke 1:26-38), and that the Good News of the Resurrection should be first announced to... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW GO AND GIVE THIS MESSAGE. The angel tells them this. Note Peter is included specifically. [Peter might have thought his "denial of Jesus" had disqualified him as an apostle.] The first one to see the Risen Lord was Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18) [he had driven seven evil spirits out of her]; and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SAID NOTHING TO ANYONE, BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID. They were terrified and dumfounded by all that had taken place. This day was unique in all of time and eternity! They run! away from the grave, to tell the disciples that JESUS HAS RISEN FROM DEATH! AN OLD ENDING TO THE GOSPEL. Facts are stubbor... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER JESUS ROSE FROM DEATH. The Jews counted their Sunday from 6 P.M. Saturday (_our time - see note on_ Acts 20:7); but they counted night first, then day [_"A day has twelve hours, has it not?"_ (John 11:9)]. What Mark says identifies Jesus rising from death just at sunrise (as darkness becomes l... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE WENT AND TOLD IT. While she was on her way to tell the others, Jesus appeared to the other women, who also had started on their way to tell the others Jesus had raised from death. See notes on Matthew 28:9-10. ANOTHER OLD ENDING. See comment at the end of Mark 16:8 on the two endings. 10. JES... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DID NOT BELIEVE HER. The fact of their disbelief is proof they did not _invent_ the account of the Resurrection.... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS APPEARED IN A DIFFERENT MANNER. [He appeared to Peter alone before this. See note on Matthew 28:9 for a list of recorded appearances.] This took place on Sunday afternoon (Luke 24:13-35). Luke says they _"somehow did not recognize him._ "If their eyes were clouded, Jesus would seem to them to... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY RETURNED. To the upstairs room. They found the eleven disciples there, with the others (Luke 24:33). AND TOLD IT. They explained about all that had happened to them on the road to Emmaus.... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS APPEARED TO THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES. This was the last time, just before he was taken up to heaven. There are four accounts of this. It is amazing that they are still too stubborn to really believe he is alive, even at the end of forty days time after the Resurrection. See note on Acts 1:6-8.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAID TO THEM. Jesus was seen many times during the forty days, and he may have spoken these words many times also. Matthew's Gospel gives the Great Commission as Jesus gave it to the "more than five hundred" (1 Corinthians 15:6) at the meeting in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20). What Mark records, may... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER BELIEVES. Who believes the Good News, and trusts Christ. [On "faith," see note on James 2:19.] AND IS BAPTIZED. Faith is _obediential_ One who does not have enough faith in Christ to obey him does not have enough faith to be saved. Compare Acts 22:16. WHOEVER DOES NOT BELIEVE. Some will reje... [ Continue Reading ]
BELIEVERS WILL BE GIVEN. It is generally thought that this is a promise limited to the apostolic age [some think these signs of power ended when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 A.D.]. The primary force of this promise is clearly to the eleven in Mark 16:14, who were specifically given the command to ... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THE LORD JESUS HAD TALKED WITH THEM. After he has placed upon both them and the messianic community [church], the _obligation_ of preaching the Good News to the whole world. HE WAS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN. Acts tells that a cloud hid him from their sight. Jesus now sits at the "right side of God,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCIPLES WENT AND PREACHED EVERYWHERE. The book of Acts shows the disciples _transformed_ as they receive power and understand all that Jesus had taught them (John 16:12-15). The purposes of the messianic community is to make disciples for Christ [not just to save souls]. The requirement for sa... [ Continue Reading ]