On the first day of the week after Jesus’ crucifixion, following the sabbath rest for the first day of Unleavened Bread on Friday and then the seventh day Sabbath on Saturday (cf. Mat 28:1, where the Greek literally reads, “after the Sabbaths”), the tomb where Jesus was interred was discovered to be empty. A number of women who had followed Jesus to the Passover from Galilee had arranged to meet there to complete their burial custom for His body. Two Mary’s arrived first, having seen the exact location where the body was laid Thursday evening, and had a vision of an angel saying He had risen. They ran from the tomb to report what they had found, but by the time Mary Magdalene arrived to tell Peter and John, the spiritual reality of the vision of the angel had faded like a dream. Thus she reported the only thing her mind could rationalize had happened, that Jesus’ body had been removed from the tomb and they didn’t know where it had been taken. In the meantime the other women arrived at the tomb, perhaps having met the other Mary, and had a similar experience. They too found the tomb empty, and while at a loss to understand what had happened, were terrified by the sudden appearance of two angels in dazzling attire, who scolded them for seeking the living among the dead, and reminded them of Jesus’ words that He would be crucified and rise again on the third day. In this way the news immediately went forth that the tomb was empty, but just as quickly it became clear that what had happened to Jesus’ body was a matter of faith. For while the physical reality of the empty tomb remained, the spiritual reality of the angelic encounters were more ephemeral. It didn’t help that the women’s words seemed like nonsense to those they told, for as yet no one understood the nature of Jesus’ resurrection and couldn’t imagine how physical life could be restored to a body that had had the life tortured out of and drained from it.
Nevertheless, after being informed by Mary Magdalene of what they had discovered, Peter, having languished several days for his failure to stand up for Jesus, impulsively raced off to the tomb together with John; Luk 24:12, Joh 20:2-9. He perhaps had a tiny glimmer of hope that by some miracle Jesus might actually be alive, but more likely wanted to salvage what he could of his commitment to Him, if only to do what he could for His dead body. What does his example teach us our own action should be when we similarly fail in our commitment to Jesus? Should we count all as lost, as Judas did? Or should we cling to even the most infinitesimal amount of hope we might have to pick up the broken pieces of our lives and do what we can, however small and insignificant it may be, to keep moving forward? Would Peter at that time have imagined things could ever be the same, much less that everything that Jesus had taught them was true and He would still establish him as a rock upon which He would build His Church? In what way was the apostle Paul’s example similar? Having persecuted the Church as a violent aggressor, might he have supposed all he had built his life upon was lost after having his eyes opened on the way to Damascus, that he was too stained to ever be used again in the Lord’s service? Cf. 1Ti 1:12-16. No matter how badly we have failed, should we ever imagine we are unsalvageable? On the other hand, should we vainly imagine that somehow everything will magically work out for us if we do nothing and don’t follow the example of Peter and Paul to act on whatever glimmer of faith we might have? Cf. Jam 2:17-18.
After racing to the tomb, what does Luke note that Peter did, that John notes that he also did before actually entering the tomb? See Luke 24:12, Joh 20:5. Although the physical construction of the tomb required it, what is the great spiritual significance that they had to stoop down to see that the tomb was empty? Whereas the proud have no reason to humble themselves by stooping down to see inside the tomb—for they already know that the dead cannot live again and if the tomb is empty there must be some other rational reason for it—what two important requirements for salvation does actually stooping down to look into the tomb to see if there is perhaps something we might be missing demonstrate? See Luk 7:50, 14:11, Eph 2:8, Jam 4:6,10. Are we willing to humble ourselves and stoop down in faith to see spiritual truths we would otherwise miss from our lofty position? Cf. 1Co 1:18-29. What connection does James make using this same word to stoop down for how we humble ourselves today to look into the tomb to see by faith that it is empty because Jesus has risen? See Jam 1:25 (NAS looks intently), cf. Act 17:11. Is it only people who must stoop down in humility to see the central gospel truth that eternal life comes only through death to our self-will, for whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will save it? See 1Pe 1:12 for the only other New Testament occurrence of the word to stoop down; cf. Joh 12:24-26, Eph 1:10, 3:10, Phil 2:10, Col 1:16,20.