Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 20:11-12

"But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping: so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain." — John 20:11-12 (ASV)

into the sepulcher, and seeth two angels in white—

The resurrection color, the color of joy and gladness: "two angels in white"—

But Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher, 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.

You see, dear friends, love is very patient and persevering. The other disciples had gone away home, but not so Mary; she stands outside the sepulcher and still waits, for she cannot go till she has seen her Lord.

Love, however, has many sorrows, for as Mary stood outside the sepulcher, she was weeping. Oftentimes your love to Christ will make you sorrowful when you for a while lose his presence; it will be a great sorrow to you if your Lord should seem to have hidden himself from you.

But see how quick-sighted love is; Mary saw the angels, whom the other disciples might have seen if they had not gone home. One of the beatitudes is, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God; and love is one of the most eminent signs of purity. I do not wonder, therefore, that love saw angels, since love sees God himself.