Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Mark 16:3

"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.