Tim Keller | April 6, 1997
We’re going through the life of Jesus, and now we’re coming to all of the appearances Jesus made after he was risen from the dead. This is the first of the accounts, the account of Mary Magdalene meeting Jesus. She’s the first person the risen Jesus meets.
Now we know that she goes on Easter morning to the tomb. She sees the grave is open, the tomb empty, and she runs to speak to Peter and John. Peter and John run to see that it’s empty, and she comes behind, and then they look in and see that the grave clothes are still there, and they begin to think. We’re told in verse 10, “Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside…”
Now, when we read the passage, there are three great things I think we see about this, three great things about Mary. She missed him, then she heard him, and then she held him. She missed Jesus, then she heard Jesus, and then she held Jesus.