The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. (2) Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them. They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. (3) Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. (4) So they ran both together; and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. (5) And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. (6) Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, (7) And the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (8) Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and believed. (9) For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. (10) Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
Part of three days, agreeably to scripture prediction, the Lord lay in the grave. On the third day he arose, and the events induced by it in the minds of his people, are first recorded. The sepulchres among the Jews were roomy places, so as to admit of the entrance of several at a time, being as some are described, four cubits by six. This explains what is said by Mark, that they entered into it, Mark 16:5. But what is most to our purpose, is to consider the very great backwardness in the whole of our Lord's company of disciples, both men and women, to the belief of Christ's resurrection. Nothing can be more certain, than that they had no apprehension what the resurrection from the dead should mean. They knew not the scripture it is said, that is, they had never considered the subject. And although the Old Testament scriptures had in a great variety of places spoken of it, both by prophecy and by figure, and Jesus himself had more than once taught it, yet their only views of Christ had respect to a kingdom of this world, and not the smallest apprehension of another. So that the surprize of Mary Magdalene, and Peter, and John, going to the sepulchre at her wonderful account was evident, yet we find it excited consternation for the present only, and all except Mary soon returned again unto their own home. See Hosea 6:2; James 2:17; Matthew 22:23-32; Matthew 22:23-32.