It is Resurrection Sunday! The discovery of the empty tomb holds profound significance in Christianity. It is evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a moment that changed the course of history and transformed the lives of millions. Luke 24:1-12 captures this pivotal event, shedding light on the symbolism embedded within the emptiness of the tomb and the role of those who first encountered it.
Sunday morning after the Passover, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women “went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared” (Lk. 24:1; cf. 24:10) [1] Mark also names Salome among the women who went to the tomb (Mk. 16:1). To their surprise, “they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Lk. 24:2).
The empty tomb stands as a testament to the miraculous event of Christ’s resurrection. Not a stolen body. Not the wrong tomb. But what happened?
Luke tells us that “while they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground” (24:4-5a). Mark describes one as “a young man…dressed in a white robe” (Mk. 16:5). John lets us know the two were angels dressed in white (Jn. 20:12). Matthew notes that “there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow” (Matt. 28:2-3). Angels appeared as men dressed in white garments. Cyril of Alexandria (AD 375–444) wrote, “Angels also brought the joyful tidings of the nativity to the shepherds in Bethlehem. Now they tell of his resurrection. Heaven yields its service to proclaim him, and the hosts of the spirits which are above attend the Son as God, even though he is in the flesh (Commentary on Luke, Chapter 24).[2]
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (Lk. 24:5b-6a). Here we have a celestial proclamation about Christ’s resurrection. These heavenly beings declare Jesus had risen from the dead.
The messengers console the women, “Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise” (Lk. 24:6b-7). The women were then reminded of what they had been taught by Christ concerning His death upon the cross and resurrection on the third. They were eyewitnesses to a pivotal moment within God’s unfolding plan of redemption.
Upon hearing the messengers, the women “remembered [Jesus’] words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest” (Lk. 24:8-9). Note that the first witnesses to the empty tomb and the proclamation of Christ’s resurrection were women.
Now Luke indicates that when the disciples heard the women, their message “seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them (Lk. 24:11). The were still not quite certain of what to make of Jesus’ teachings about His own death and resurrection, and they disregarded the report of what happened at the tomb.[3]
Augustine (AD 354–430) ponders the first woman Eve listened to the serpent straightaway. Adam believed a lying woman and we all died, but the disciples disbelieved holy women telling the truth that we might live. There is irony in Adam trusting Eve but the disciples distrusting the holy women. Augustine further states, “So in this fact we have to reflect on the goodness of the Lord’s arrangements, because this, of course, was the doing of the Lord Jesus Christ that it should be the female sex which would be the first to report that he had risen again. Humanity fell through the female sex; humankind was restored through the female sex. A virgin gave birth to Christ; a woman proclaimed that he had risen again. Through a woman death, through a woman life. But the disciples didn’t believe what the women had said. They thought they were raving, when in fact they were reporting the truth” (Sermon 232.2).
Still we are told that “Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened” (Lk. 24:12). Not just taking the report of the women as matter of fact, Peter goes to the tomb to find it empty save the linen cloths for burial. This left old fisherman perplexed.
God nonetheless chose these faithful women to be the heralds of the greatest news humanity has ever received. Just as God announced the arrival of His Son through the virgin Mary, He now announces His resurrection through the women at the tomb. Their role underscores the inclusive nature of the gospel message, inviting all – regardless of gender or status – to participate in the redemptive narrative of God’s love and grace.
Resurrection best explains the whereabouts of the body of Jesus given the subsequent multiple attestations of those who witnessed Him risen from the dead. The empty tomb is evidence to the good news of Christ’s victory over death and sin. The grave could not contain the Author of Life, He had triumphed over the powers of darkness, and through His resurrection, eternal life was made accessible to all who believe.
He is risen…He is risen Indeed!
— WGN
[1] All Scripture cited from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016).
[2] Early church fathers cited from Arthur A. Just, ed., Luke: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005).
[3] Craig Keener indicates, “Part of the reason for the apostles’ unbelief is that a resurrection of this nature contradicted their messianic expectations; another reason may have been that Jewish officials considered the witness of women nearly worthless, because they regarded women as unstable and undependable” (Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993], Lk 24:6–12).
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