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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. |
Sabbath was past – Early on Sunday morning. R4212:5*
The wave of sheaf, and its antitype, the resurrection of Christ, were "when the Sabbath was past"--the eighth day, or first day of a new week. (Lev. 23:11) R108:3*
Mary Magdalene – How great was the reward of these devoted women--last at the cross and first at the sepulchre. R1816:6
Salome – Also Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward; according to Luke 24:10. R4176:3
Sweet spices – To show sympathy and love for the deceased. R2317:3
If our Lord had been crucified on Thursday there would have been all day Friday in which they could have completed the work of embalming. R1816:6
His friends believed that he was dead and wrapped him in spices for burial: indeed in their grief they seem to have forgotten his promise of a resurrection--so much so that even after he had risen it was with difficulty that they were convinced. R3903:3
Anoint him – Anxious to bestow the last tokens of their esteem and love. R1816:6
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| 2 And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen. |
And very early – "The Lord shall help her early in the morning." (Psa. 46:5) R3375:3
In the morning – The entire Body of Christ will be raised on the third thousand-year day, early in the morning. R3375:3
The Lord was a part of the three days dead and rose on the third day, early in the morning, and that likewise the first resurrection will be complete--the entire Body of Christ will be raised on the third day, early in the morning. R3375:2
When our Lord spoke, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up"--"he spake of the temple of his body" (John 2:19, 21) which is the Church. R3375:2
First day of the week – The "third day" after his death (Luke 24:21, 46; 1 Cor. 15:4; Lev. 23:11) R3574:5*
The resurrection of Christ, the antitype of the wave of sheaf, was the eighth day, or first day of a new week. (Lev. 23:11) R108:3*
Sunday, 16th Nisan. R4212:5*
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| 3 And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb? |
Roll us away – In their eagerness they forgot the great obstacle of the stone; but the sweet incense of their devotion arose to heaven, and God sent his angel to remove the obstacle. R1816:6
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| 4 and looking up, they see that the stone is rolled back: for it was exceeding great. |
Was rolled away – The sweet incense of the women's devotion arose to heaven and God sent his angel to remove the obstacle. R1816:6
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| 5 And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe; and they were amazed. |
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| 6 And he saith unto them, Be not amazed: ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who hath been crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold, the place where they laid him! |
He is risen – The birth, death and resurrection of our Lord are the three circumstances of his first advent which should be remembered by every child of God. His birth was the dawn of hope for our race; his death was the seal of pardon and peace; and his resurrection was the assurance which God gave of the efficacy of his blood. R1631:3, 5579:3
Jesus, the human soul, died; but he was raised from the dead a soul of a higher order. He that ascended was the same as he that had previously descended from the heavenly to the earthly condition. R5578:6
The resurrection of our Lord is the assurance of the resurrection of mankind. R1816:2, 1631:4
His resurrection was the assurance which God gave to all men of the efficacy of his precious blood. R1631:3, 5579:3
The doctrine of the resurrection is peculiar to the Jewish and Christian religions. R3903:5
To presume that Christ's glorious body is but the reanimated body of his humiliation is to deny the assertion of the Apostle that "it doth not yet appear" what a spiritual body is. (1 John 3:2) R1817:4
He is not here – The removal of the crucified body from the tomb was necessary to establish in the minds of the disciples the fact of his resurrection. If it had remained there it would have been an insurmountable barrier to their faith. R1817:4
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| 7 But go, tell his disciples, even Peter, He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. |
Go your way – It seems that Mary Magdalene separated from the other women and ran to tell Peter and John. (John 20:1, 2) B112
Tell his disciples – Carefully looking up each one of "the eleven," sending the women who were first to the sepulcher to communicate the fact of his resurrection to each of them. R1522:4
And Peter – Specially mentioned lest he should be overcome with discouragement on account of his previous unfaithfulness. R1522:4, 5053:5, 4714:1
Setting us an example of benevolence and forgiveness without request. R5053:5
Mary hastened to the home of John, where Peter was lodging. R4176:3
He goeth before you – Because in his resurrection Jesus was so different, we are prepared to understand why he conducted himself so differently from that which he had done before. R5578:6
Into Galilee – Their home. B112
Shall ye see him – After his resurrection we find our Lord promptly taking up his work just where it had been broken off by his death--the work of still further preparing the apostles to bear reliable testimony to the whole Church. R1522:4
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| 8 And they went out, and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them: and they said nothing to any one; for they were afraid. |
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