Mark 16:1-4 - The Rolled-Back Stone

Mark 16:1-4
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 Looking up, they *saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.

Message: The Rolled-Back Stone

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Preface - Jesus has been crucified. On the cross there was a point that darkness fell over the face of the earth, from 12pm to 3pm. Mark does not record what occurred then but after this Jesus felt rejected and exclaimed "My God, why have you forsaken me?" Shortly thereafter he cried out and then breathed his last. The centurion guard there to watch to make sure he was crucified and now dead said, "This is the Son of God." Joseph of Arimathea, a Sanhedrin, asked Pilate if he could take the Body of Jesus and wrap it in linen and to a tomb he had prepared for Jesus. It was a special burial in which he rolled a stone in front of the tomb. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Salome were watching from afar.

The custom at this time was o anoint Jesus for burial. He was placed in the tomb on Friday, but no work could be done on Saturday, so instead they came to him on Sunday. Jewish custom was that this had been 3 days when probably it was more like 48 hours, but the Jews counted a partial day Friday as a full day, then Saturday, then Sunday, even though it was also just a partial day. When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. Here they are finishing the burial customs.

Very early on the first day of the week (Sunday morning), they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. Thus it was the light of day, not in the darkness, but in the light. And there was no expectation on their part that He would rise again (despite Him saying 3 times previously that He would). As they arrived, They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” Men had rolled the stone and they obviously did not think they had the strength to roll it.

Looking up, they *saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. So as they were asking who should roll the stone away, they looked up and saw that it had been rolled away already.

Mark provides not much of a description of the events, as compared with more detail that Matthew provides. Mark's explanations are sort of 'matter of fact.' It is interesting over the course of the past year in studying this book of the way in which Jesus is presented. Even as I look at commentaries of these passages, the commentaries can't seem to help but offer more details of these events based upon the words spoken by the other authors. I've been trying to evaluate the text based only on Mark's words. I must admit that it is a challenge to not bring in the other information that I know. I suppose my reason for not bringing in the other author's comments is because Mark must have said what he had for a reason so I wanted to judge it just based upon what He said and who he thought Jesus was.

Overall, I'm still coming to that conclusion myself. There really is just one time that the word of "repent" is recorded by Jesus and that was at the very beginning of this book (1:15). After that there is no mention of that again. And now even in the study of Jesus on the cross, what he writes is not so much what is recorded by Jesus but the response of those around Him.

Summary - Today's summary is not real exciting on some level. 3 women head to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body. It is Sunday morning, at the dawn of light, after the sun has come up. As they approach the tomb they wonder who is going to roll the stone away and see that it is already rolled away. That's it. They arrive and the stone is not obstructing the tomb.

Promise: Unexpected things happen when following God. In some ways, we need to prepare for the unexpected.

Prayer: Lord, continue to help me understand the truth of Your word from this gospel writer. I want to see what He saw and experience what He experienced through Peter. It amazes me what is written, especially because writing things down was not easy in those times. But, your words have been inspired. Lord, you do unexpected things in my life and I need to not be surprised by these events. Help me to discover you as You are.