Mark 16:7 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Tell his disciples, and Peter, &c.— St. Peter is particularly mentioned, because hehad most need of comfort, under the anguish of his mind on account of his late denial.—As this gospel is supposed to have been dictated, or at least revised by him, the addition of this circumstance implies the deep sense he had of the divine benevolence in sending this comfortable message to him, which gave him to understand, that though he had so basely denied his Lord, he had not entirely lost his favour; and that as he had let in a gleam of light upon the darkness of his affliction, so he would for the future help and succour those who fell like him, if, like him, they deeplyand thoroughly repented of their former sins. It might have served another end, and been intended by St. Peter to shew us, that though he had recovered his faith, and was re-instated in the favour of his Master; yet he had not forgotten how basely he had forfeited it, and how generously his Master had restored him. Our Lord's promise of appearing to the disciples in Galilee, referred to in the words as he said unto you, was given to the twelve apostles, Matthew 26:32 yet the angel speaks of it as made to the women, and to all the disciples. Hence we learn, that every promise made to the apostles which had not an immediate relation to their office and character, was really made to all the disciples, and was intended to be made known to them. This message, as well as that from Jesus himself, Matthew 28:10 was sent to all the disciples, and not to the apostles in particular. The reason may have been this: our Lord intending to visit his apostles that very evening, there was no occasion to order them into Galilee to see him; but as most of his disciples were in Jerusalem, celebrating the passover, it may easily be imagined that on receiving the news of their Master's resurrection, many of them would resolve to continue there, in expectation of meeting with him—athing which must have been very inconvenient for them at that time of the year, when the harvest was about to begin, the sheaf of the first fruits being always offered on the second day of the passover week. Wherefore to prevent their being so long from home, the messages mentioned were sent, directing them to return into Galilee, well assured that they should have the pleasure of seeing their Lord there, and by that means be happily relieved from the suspicion of his being an impostor, which probably might arise in the minds of many of them, when they saw him expire upon the cross. Accordingly, he appeared to more than five hundred of them at once, who, in consequence of his appointment, gathered together to see him.