The First Eye Witness of the Resurrected Jesus Christ.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”
Word Study: Stooping means leaning over
Comment: Mary who was weeping outside the tomb, leaned over to look into the tomb, she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus laid. One at the head and one at the feet. This relates to the how the angels stood on each side of the mercy seat in the ark of the covenant. Exodus 25:17-22 tells us about this mercy seat:
Exodus 25:17-22 (ESV Strong’s)
17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. 20 The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. 21 And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. 22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel.
A cherubim means an angel. So, as you can see, there were also two angels on each side of the mercy seat and the mercy seat according to verse 22, was were God would meet with Moses. Not only was the mercy seat a place where God met with Moses but it was also a place where the blood of animals that were used as sacrifice for sins was also sprinkled.
Leviticus 16:15-16 (ESV Strong’s)
15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16 Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins. And so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.
Now here is the place where the sacrificed body of jesus laid, who has also been sacrificed for our sins, whose blood was spilled, in exactly the same position, which is between two angels, just like the mercy seat. Jesus’s death and resurrection is also a place where God meets with us, reconciles with us, justifies us, forgives ours sins and gives us salvation. Amen.
Mary is weeping because according to the answer she gives the angles, she still does not believe that Jesus has risen but instead, she still believes that His body has been taken.
14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
Word Study: cling means to hold tightly
Comment: After speaking to the angels, Mary turned around and saw Jesus but did not recognise Him and thought He was the gardener. Jesus asked Him the same question that the angels asked her and to show that she did not recognise Jesus, she asked if Jesus knew where they have taken Jesus’s body. Now, I don’t know why she did not recognise Jesus since John does not tell us. When Jesus called her by name, she immediately knew that it was Jesus and called Him Teacher and she clinged on Him. Why I say she clinged to Jesus, it is because Jesus told here not to cling to Him for He had not yet ascended to God His Father. When Jesus called her by name, Mary responded and immediately knew that it was Jesus. Jesus did indicate that He is a good shepherd and His sheep hear His voice and He calls His sheep by name (John 10:3).
And after this Jesus commands her to go to the disciples but now for the first time, Jesus refers to the disciples as brothers, amen! Not only that but Jesus commands Mary to tell His brothers that He is ascending to His Father and their Father as well, His God and their God as well. This is so wonderful. Jesus had referred to His disciples as slaves, then friends and now brothers with the same Father and God as Himself. This is now possible because of Jesus’s death and resurrection. Amen!
Mary Magdalene then went out to announce to the disciples that she has seen the Lord and what Jesus said to her. Here we have the first eye witness of Jesus who is now alive, not only alive but she was able not only to touch Him but she was able to hold on to Jesus very tightly. This was not an imaginary Jesus. This was Jesus that was truly alive. Amen
Message: Jesus is alive and He is calling, do you hear his voice?