The Marys at Jesus’ Tomb

Q: Why did Mary on Easter day go to see Jesus’ body? The guards were there and nobody would be allowed to see his body. Were the soldiers there at that time?

A: Actually, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James both “went to see the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)” They went hoping that the guards or someone else would allow them to finish the preparations of the body for proper Jewish burial. Evidently, by the time they arrived, the guards had fled at the time of the resurrection and all they found was the open tomb. It must have been fairly close in time between Christ’s leaving the tomb and the women arriving, judging by the text of Matthew 28.

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.

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Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.