The other women[5] entered into the sepulchre, and found not the body of Jesus, but saw two angels, one of whom said to them, “He is not here, he is risen; but go your way and tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him as he said unto you.” (Why should the Apostles be told that Jesus would go before them into Galilee, if he was to show himself to them that very day at Jerusalem? Both to prepare them for the interview at Jerusalem, and in order that the tidings might be carried to all the disciples, the most of whom were in Galilee.)
They departed quickly with fear and great joy, and told these things unto such of the Apostles as they found in the city; but “these words appeared in their sight as idle talk; and they disbelieved them.” (Luke xxiv. 11.)
As soon as Peter and John knew from Mary Magdalene, of the open sepulchre, they ran both together, but John outran Peter and came first to the tomb; “and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen clothes lying; yet entered he not in. Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and enters into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen clothes lying and the napkin that was upon his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, which came first to the tomb, and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again unto their own home.” (John xx. 1-10.)
Such is the circumstantial account given by John of the state of things at the tomb, as they found it before Jesus appeared to any one, and before they had received any information that he had risen from the dead. The body was not there. It could hardly have been removed by friends, and they both be ignorant of it. Had it been taken by enemies? There were the linen clothes, and there, rolled up in a place by itself, was the napkin. Who had arranged them thus? “All had been done calmly, collectedly. Neither earthly friends nor earthly foes had done it; the one would not have stripped the garments from the body, the other would have been at no pains so carefully to arrange[6] and deposit them.” So John must have reasoned and, perhaps recalling what Jesus had said, he believed. He believed from what he saw, and not from the Scriptures, for as yet he knew not from them, that the Christ “must rise again from the dead.” It is not probable that he then avowed his conviction. He trusted that Jesus would, in due time, reveal himself to them all.
The particulars of his appearance to Mary Magdalene appear in the Fourth Gospel. She was not expecting to see him, and, blinded by her tears, she knew not that it was Jesus until he spoke her name, doubtless in a familiar tone. She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. She would have clung to him. Jesus had told his disciples before his crucifixion that he was to go to the Father. But this event was yet in the future; and when she would detain him, Jesus saith to her, Touch me not (or Take not hold on me) for I am not yet ascended unto the Father: but go unto my brethren and say to them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and my God, and your God. This would remind them of what he had told them; and would remind her, as Peter afterwards was reminded, that she would best manifest her love by willing service. She obeyed. But those to whom she told it, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved. (Mark xvi. 17.)
The other women after delivering the message of the angels, returned. And behold Jesus met them saying “All Hail.” And they came and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then saith Jesus unto them, Fear not: go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there shall they see me. (Matthew xxviii. 9, 10.) Matthew, speaking in a general way, does not distinguish this appearance from that to Mary Magdalene, but blends the two together. The salutation was different, and the message and the circumstances were different. Nor is it, as Strauss (p. 813) vainly imagines, any objection to the hypothesis of separate appearances, that it involves “a restless running to and fro of the disciples and the women;” for under the intense excitement it could hardly have been otherwise.[7]
Jesus joined himself to two of the disciples on their journey to Emmaus, discoursed to them by the way, and made himself known in the breaking of bread. One of them was Cleopas, the other (his name not given) is supposed[8] to have been Luke. When they left Jerusalem, the woman had reported the message from the angel. Peter and John had returned from the tomb, but no one had seen the Risen Lord. The time of their leaving was before Mary Magdalene had told that she had seen the Lord. The day therefore must have been considerably advanced before Jesus appeared to her.
It was toward evening, when Jesus sat down with them to meat. Their eyes were opened and they knew him, and he “vanished out of their sight.”
And they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together and them that were with them, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.”