Day 66: Jesus comes back to life—it’s wonderful, terrifying news!
At the beginning of Act 6, we saw a woman who loved Jesus very much pouring ointment on His body. We read that Jesus said she had prepared His body for burial. In our final study today, we’ll see three women coming to anoint Jesus’ dead body but finding that it’s not there anymore.
Who brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body when the Sabbath was over (v. 1)?
Look back again at Mark’s list of three women who witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion (Mark 15:40). What do you notice?
What time of day was it when these women went to Jesus’ tomb (v. 2)?
This is the morning of the third day after Jesus was crucified. Jesus predicted three times that He would rise again on the third day (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34).
What question did they ask themselves as they went (v. 3)?
What did the women discover when they got to the tomb (v. 4)?
When they went into Jesus’ tomb, what did they see (v. 5)?
How did they feel (v. 5)?
Matthew’s gospel tells us that this man in white is an angel of the Lord and that he has rolled the stone away from Jesus’ tomb (Matthew 28:2–3). John’s gospel tells us there are two angels (John 20:12). This is not a contradiction, as the gospel authors often simplify their stories—just like you might tell your parents about a conversation you had with a friend at school and not mention another friend who was also in that conversation.
What does the angel tell the women about Jesus (v. 6)?
What does the angel show the women (v. 6)?
Who does the angel send the women to talk to (v. 7)?
What message does the angel tell the women to give Peter and the others (v. 7)?
Mark’s gospel is based on Peter’s testimony, so we know Mark cannot mean here that the women didn’t tell anyone at all. Instead, according to the other Gospels, the women did tell Peter and the rest of the disciples. But they didn’t tell people in general what they’d seen. In the “Last Words” at the end of this study, we’ll see that the women being afraid isn’t evidence that they were cowards, but that they recognized how awe-inspiring Jesus’ resurrection is! In Mark 14:9, Jesus said that wherever the gospel is proclaimed in all the world, the story of the woman who anointed Him for burial would be told in memory of her. At the end of Mark, the women who came to anoint Jesus’ body for burial are remembered too.
Why do you think the angel mentioned Peter in particular?
How did the women respond (v. 8)?
Praise Jesus that He came back from the dead, just like He said He would and that He’s beaten death for us! Pray that He would give you courage to tell others about His life-saving death and amazing resurrection!