The Resurrection of Jesus - Luke 24: 1-12

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Commentary

If we want to know who the they are whom Luke is referring to, we have to go back to the end of Chapter 23. The last seven versus there read as follows: “And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.” So, Jesus was crucified on Friday. Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath on which no work can be done. So Joseph of Arimathaea begs Pilate to release the body to him late Friday evening so he can place him in the sepulchre. He does this followed by the women. They all return to their homes to observe the Sabbath, and the first thing Sunday morning, the women return to anoint his body with the required spices and ointments. But when they return to the supulchre, they find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. It is then that the angels appear and ask the all important question: “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” It seems to me this a pretty low key announcement of the really big news that “Christ the lord is risen today!” Or is it? Is the real point of Easter that Christ arose 2000 years ago, or that Christ is among the living today? And if Christ is among the living today, are we making a good faith effort to find him here? Every week we gather faithfully together for church. We read the scriptures and ponder them in our hearts. This is all good. But if Easter is to have its real meaning we must remember the angels' question. “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” Church and the scriptures are no more than reminders for us to be about the work of the Lord. That work is among the living. If we wish to seek Christ today, we must do so today, among the living. We must seek Christ among our neighbors, our friends, and even our enemies. They are the body we must anoint with our love. If we fail to take this step, then we are really just seeking Christ among the dead. But there is no need to stop on that low note. “This is the day which the Lord hath made;” a day which has changed forever our relationship with God. This is the day on which our Lord arises from the dead body to live among us eternally. Always present to us whenever we take the time to look and listen. So let us meet this day with joy, and take that joy out into the world in Christ's name. Christ is Risen! Alleluia!