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The Gospel of John, The Period of Consummation, Part XIX, John 20:11-15 - Lesson 196
Read Verses John 20:11,12, But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
John and Peter's hurried departure caused them to miss this great event but it must have been meant for Mary alone.
They had left and Mary had returned after telling them of the missing Christ.
She did not know of the evidence of the burial clothes.
Mary loved the Lord and sought him early.
The Lord has said that: I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Mary was the one whom Christ appeared to first.
It is interesting to note that Mary was weeping because she loved Christ and wondered at his missing body.
In reality he had risen and this was cause for rejoicing but all she knew was that her Lord's body was missing.
She attributed the loss of the body to man made causes and therefore she wept.
But the body was not there because of God made causes and had she known she would have rejoiced.
So many times what we see over shadows our faith and causes us to be totally opposite in our emotions.
But her weeping showed her affection and great love for Christ but it also revealed her dullness toward his resurrection.
Most often the fears and sorrows of Christians are needless?
Most often the things we fear in life never happen at all.
Most often the tears we shed are shed in vain even though they are sincere.
So she stooped down and looked into the sepulcher again hoping that she was wrong and that somehow the body had returned.
But instead of seeing the body of Christ she saw two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet.
John 20:13, And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
In asking "Woman, why weepest thou" they desired Mary to examine herself.
What was the reason for weeping?
In asking the question they inferred that it was not necessary to be weeping.
Was there any reason for this sorrow?
There was no place for tears here!
Instead of weeping eyes this was the time for shouts of joy and praise.
Is not the fact that Christ is not here grounds for rejoicing?
But she did not know this.
All she knew was what she saw.
But what she concluded, from what she saw, was in error.
Someone has said, "It is the error of our conceit to weep when we have no cause, and to joy when we have as little.
False joys and false sorrows, false hopes and false fears, this life of ours is full of them."
False joys and false sorrows is the norm of the natural man.
Man weeps when a loved one dies but God rejoices in the death of his saints.
John 20:14, And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
We are not told why she turned away from the angels.
Perhaps it was a reaction of grief or perhaps she heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
But she turned and her turning is rewarded by being the first one to see the resurrected Christ.
Mary loved Jesus Christ greatly.
She had lingered at the tomb while others left.
Christ appeared to her first but she knew not that it was Jesus.
She had talked to angels, she now is the first to hear Christ speak.
He had come to comfort her in her sorrow and to turn her sorrow into joy.
He had heard her weeping and he responded to her love and affection.
But she was so distraught as she continued weeping she knew him not.
John 20:15, Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Her tears and sobs had touched his heart.
He loved this woman who came to seek him early.
He knew her heart of gratitude to him for what he had done for her.
Christ asked the same thing as the angels but adds the words "whom seekest thou?"
He knows her grief is attached to him and his missing body.
He has come to wipe away her tears and bring her to a place of rejoicing.
Why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?
Both penetrating questions!
Who is it that ye are seeking among the dead?
Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Have you forgotten that the crucified one is the Lord of life, the resurrection and the life, the one who laid down his life that he may take it again?
Mary was devoted to Christ but in her sorrow she had forgotten the words of Christ that he had often spoken to his disciples.
How often we, when we are in a dilemma of life, forget the word of God and we operate on our emotions. We forget life in the Spirit of God! |