Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!

 

 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.  But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.  Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.  Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen!  Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'"  And they remembered His words.  Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.  And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

 

- Luke 23:56—24:11 

 

Yesterday we read that it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.'"  Having said this, He breathed His last.  So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.  Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

 

Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.   These are "the women who had come with Him from Galilee," as indicated in yesterday's text, above.  The spices and fragrant oils are preparations for the corruption of Christ's body, intended to delay and disguise decay.  The first day of the week was the day after the Sabbath -- in other words, Sunday -- which in the Christian tradition is called the Lord's Day, the day of worship (Acts 20:7).  

But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.  See also Matthew 28:2.  My study Bible comments that the stone is rolled away not to let the all-powerful Lord out, but to allow us to witness His Resurrection.  

Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. The men in shining garments were angels.  

Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen!  Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'"  And they remembered His words.  My study Bible comments that in order to dispel any doubt, the angel confirms his message by recalling Christ's own words.  In calculating the third day, we understand the first day to be Friday, the day on which Christ died before sundown.  The second day is Saturday, the Sabbath on which Christ rested in the tomb.  The third day -- which begins after sundown on Saturday -- is the day of Resurrection, Sunday.

 

 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.  And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.  My study Bible says that certain patristic writers teach that Mary the mother of James was the wife of Alphaeus and this James was one of the Twelve (Luke 6:15).  Most, however, hold that this is the Virgin Mary, being in fact the stepmother of a different James, who is "the Lord's brother" (see Matthew 13:55; compare to Mark 15:40, 47).  

What does the empty tomb signify?  How strange that an empty tomb, with the stone rolled away from it, signifies the greatest "contents" anyone could ever imagine.  The Venerable Bede writes on this passage that, having kept the Sabbath in accordance with the commandment, the women come to the tomb to anoint Christ's body because they think He is dead.  To find the tomb empty gives the appearance of finding nothing, but in effect, they make the greatest find of all:  that Christ is risen and will in fact now be present in the sacraments.  The rolled away stone, as my study Bible comments, leaves the tomb open precisely so that human beings can discover this truth.  (Christ did not need the stone to be rolled away!)  It is akin to the tearing of the veil of the temple (see yesterday's reading, above), which enables human beings to come closer to God, to commune with the presence of God which was once hidden behind the temple veil.  This discovery -- although not at first believed by the Twelve -- enables the comprehension of Christ's repeated prophecies of His death and Resurrection, which was hidden from the disciples when Jesus taught them these things.  The proclamation of the angels begins to make sense out of His death.  Both St. Chrysostom and the Venerable Bede comment that the angels affirm that the sufferings and resurrection of Jesus are part of the divine plan as foretold by the ancient Scriptures and by Jesus himself.  The words of the angels will call to the minds of the apostles the remembrance of these prophecies, and gain their understanding.  Moreover, in the spiritual history of Israel, Genesis tells us that it was a woman who caused corruption to be brought into the world through temptation and lies; but here it is women who are the first to be told the truth of the Resurrection, and who spread that news to the disbelieving men.  St. Cyril of Alexandria teaches us that just as angels appeared at His birth, so they now appear in the empty tomb.  But they are not there to announce death; they are once again present to announce life itself (John 14:6).  St. Cyril writes, "Let no one seek among the dead him who ever lives."  In yesterday's commentary, we noted St. Cyril of Alexandria's commentary:  "Observe that no sooner had Christ endured the Passion on the Cross for our sakes than He began to win many unto knowledge of the truth."  This quick resolution of so many open questions continues especially in today's reading, in the image of the empty tomb, the presence of the angels, and the women who are the first to hear and to relay the good news.  The empty tomb confirms the presence of life itself, the opening of communion with God in the sacraments, the presence of the angels immediately teaches us the reality of the good news, making full sense of Christ's teachings and predictions of His death and Resurrection.  There is, of course, more to come, but the immediate effects are palpable and enlightening, as if something that one day seemed entirely undone is suddenly wrapped up as a beautiful gift.  We should always remember this in our own lives also, on an intimate scale, that where there is a crucifixion, with Christ there will always be a Resurrection, for He is the way, the truth, and the life.  The angels ask, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"  In Luke 9:60, Jesus taught one who would be His disciple, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."  To "follow Him" is the way of life and the good news is in the empty tomb.