6 Don‘t be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesusthe Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is nothere. See the place where they laid him. - P113
What a message there is for us in this story of the women who soughtto anoint the body of Jesus! They know what needs to be done, andthey are intent on doing it. The problem is the stone. - P114
They do not havethe strength or resources to move it from the mouth of the tomb, butthey go anyway. They are more concerned about what they must dofor Jesus rather than worrying about the obstacles they will face. Whenthe women arrive, they discover that what they thought to be a majorobstacle to their mission is no longer an obstacle at all. This reminds usthat God‘s power is often revealed when we choose to live by faith andbring glory to our Lord. - P114
Alarmed and afraid trembling and bewildered: these four words de-scribe the emotions the women experience as they enter the emptytomb. They are encountering the unknown. No wonder they are expe-riencing these feelings! More than simply encountering the unknown,
they are experiencing mystery the mystery of the divine. - P114
Today‘s passage is an account of the first witnesses to the resurrectionof Jesus and the conversations that took place following the discov-ery of His empty tomb. Of the many details embedded in Mark‘snarrative, commentators over the years have often focused on twoparticular words: "and Peter" (Mark 16:7).
- P115
Peter was the disciple who denied personal association with Jesusat the time of His arrest and trial. Upon hearing a rooster crow andremembering Jesus‘ prediction that he would deny Him three times,
Peter broke down and wept bitterly. Now, Jesus‘ followers receive theastonishing news of the empty tomb and the angel‘s charge deliveredto them through Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, andSalome: "But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of youinto Galilee" (v. 7). Peter in particular needed to be told that Jesushad risen and that He wanted to meet with His disciples especiallywith Peter. - P115
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