Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 16
Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary
Mark 16
Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary
Mark 16
"And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him." — Mark 16:1 (ASV)
When the Sabbath was over (about 6:00 P. M. Saturday evening), the three women mentioned at the Crucifixion (15:40), two of whom were also present at Jesus’ burial (15:47), brought aromatic oils to anoint the body of Jesus. The anointing was not for the purpose of preserving the body (embalming was not practiced by the Jews) but was an act of love and devotion, probably meant to reduce the stench of the decomposing body. Palestine’s hot climate causes corpses to decay rapidly.
"And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen." — Mark 16:2 (ASV)
Since it would have been too dark after the end of the Sabbath to go to the tomb, the women waited till Sunday morning, the period of time immediately after the sun rose.
"And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb?" — Mark 16:3 (ASV)
As the women walked to the tomb, their chief concern was with the heavy stone they knew had been rolled in front of the opening of the tomb (cf. 15:46– 47). Of the sealing of the tomb or the posting of the guard, they knew nothing (cf. Matthew 27:62–66). Their concern with moving the stone was a real one because, no matter what kind of stone it was, it would have been difficult to move. A circular stone, though relatively easy to put in place since it was usually set in a sloped track, was very difficult to remove once established in place. It would either have to be rolled back up the incline or lifted out of the groove and then removed.
"and looking up, they see that the stone is rolled back: for it was exceeding great." — Mark 16:4 (ASV)
Mark makes no attempt to explain how the stone was removed. Once inside the tomb the women saw a young man dressed in a white robe; his dress suggests an angel (cf. Matthew 28:2). No human eyes saw the resurrection, but angels, as witnesses of God’s actions, could report what happened. The reaction of the women to the angel was what one would expect: “They were alarmed.”
"And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe; and they were amazed." — Mark 16:5 (ASV)
Mark makes no attempt to explain how the stone was removed. Once inside the tomb the women saw a young man dressed in a white robe; his dress suggests an angel (cf. Matthew 28:2). No human eyes saw the resurrection, but angels, as witnesses of God’s actions, could report what happened. The reaction of the women to the angel was what one would expect: “They were alarmed.”
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