Mark 16:2
- The women could not take care of Jesus’ body on Saturday because it was forbidden to work on the Sabbath. But as soon as they had the chance, they went to the tomb.
Mark 16:3-4
- According to Matthew, there was a guard guarding the tomb (Matthew 27:65-66) and there was an angel who rolled away the stone (Matthew 28:2).
- The stone was not rolled away so that Jesus could come out, for he could walk through walls (John 20:19). The stone was rolled away so that the women could look into the tomb.
Mark 16:5
- The young man the women see is an angel.
- The white robe is reminiscent of Jesus’ white robes on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:3).
Mark 16:6
- The angel points out that Jesus was crucified but that he has now risen. Both of these messages are equally important, one does not work without the other.
- Nazareth was a despised city (John 1:46) and crucifixion was a despised method of execution. Jesus has no problem identifying with that which is despised; on the contrary, he makes it his title.
- In the same way, we Christians today are to identify with the despised and the least in society (Matthew 25:35-40).
- There are several people in the Bible who had their lives restored after they died, but they eventually died again (1 Kings 17:17-24, John 11:38-44).
- The resurrection of Jesus is to the new eternal life in which all who believe in him will share (John 3:16).
- Thanks to the resurrection of Jesus, everyone who believes in Jesus will be resurrected when Jesus returns to earth (1 Thess 4:14-17) and will receive a new resurrection body (1 Cor 15:51-52, Phil 3:21).
Mark 16:7
- The women are asked to testify to the other disciples about Jesus’ resurrection. Unfortunately, the women’s testimony is not properly received because women’s testimonies were not considered credible. But even if the disciples did not believe the women, Jesus believed in them and entrusted them with this important mission.