Mark 16:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After the third divine appearance, being fully convinced of the Lord’s resurrection, and having boldly declared to the disciples that she had encountered the Lord and conveyed His messages, Mary Magdalene, as previously mentioned, no longer held any doubts. However, upon seeing Mary, the mother of James the Less and Josiah, and Salome alongside the other women making their way to the tomb with spices, and upon learning that they intended to go at dawn, she joined them, not out of doubt but as a guiding figure, filled with the joy of having witnessed the empty tomb on multiple occasions and the absence of spoils in hell.

The most challenging aspect to reconcile is John's account, where Mary Magdalene is told, ‘Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father’ (John 20:17), contrasting with Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus meeting Mary Magdalene and another Mary, who then clasped His feet and worshipped Him.

How can we resolve this apparent contradiction? Perhaps the Gospel writers are referencing four distinct visits involving different women and varying encounters. Some brought spices on that first day of the week (Mark 16:1, Luke 24:1), while others came without them on the evening of the Sabbath. Some women are named, whereas others are noted only as those who followed the Lord from Galilee (Luke 23:55).

I worry that some might feel overwhelmed by the complexity of interpretations, particularly those desiring a straightforward resolution. Picture this: we are almost docking our ship after a swift voyage, but as we reach the shore, it encounters unexpected submerged obstacles that slow its approach. I must also proceed cautiously to navigate past these hidden dangers, for a hasty attempt could lead my sermon to falter or run aground.

The initial step is to thoroughly examine the text. On the evening of the Sabbath, at the dawn of the first day of the week (Matthew 28:1), our Lord rose. The scripture states: On the evening of the Sabbath came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to observe the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake (Matthew 28:1-2). It is essential to note that He did not rise on the Sabbath itself—during that day, they rested in accordance with the commandment (Luke 23:56)—but rather after that night had ended; thus, the women who came early in the morning already knew of His resurrection.

Upon careful examination of all accounts, we must conclude that the resurrection did not occur on Sunday morning (known as the first day of the week) or on the Sabbath (as this would negate the third day). He was not raised at sundown but at the end of the night, with the Greek word ‘late’ signifying όψέ. This term may denote the conclusion of the day or anything that occurs after a specified moment. For instance, one might say, ‘It was offered to me late,’ implying a delay, or ‘He arrived late,’ meaning after the appointed time. Thus, even if something transpired early the following morning, it may still be considered late if it exceeds the allotted timeframe. It can also refer to occasions late at night, as in, ‘I woke up too late for evening work,’ meaning it happened not in the evening but during the night.

Therefore, it is essential for us to will the good, relying on God’s assistance for its realization. The courage to speak is inspired by the magnificent triumph of the Lord's resurrection, for it is inappropriate for our mortal tongues to remain silent in honoring Him on the day His flesh was raised. You, cherished brethren, have heard how the holy women who followed the Lord came to His tomb bearing spices, serving the One whom they loved while alive, even in death. This event serves as an example of what we must do within the sacred Church. It is vital for us to reflect on these actions so that we may consider what, in following their example, we too ought to accomplish. If we earnestly believe in Him who sacrificed Himself, and are filled with the sweet aroma of virtues and a fervent desire for good deeds, we shall indeed arrive at His tomb carrying our offerings of love.

The Gospel reveals that righteous women came to observe the tomb during the evening, with dawn breaking on the first day of the week. This indicates that they made their preparations in the evening and arrived at daybreak on the first day; specifically, they mixed the incense intended to anoint the Lord's body in the evening but brought these prepared fragrances to the tomb in the morning. While Matthew's concise account does not clarify this timeline, the other Evangelists provide a clearer sequence of events. Following the burial of the Lord on the sixth day, the women, having returned from the tomb, prepared the incense and spices until the time for labor had ended. During the Sabbath, they rested in obedience to the commandment, which Luke explicitly references. Once the Sabbath had concluded and evening fell, they resumed working and, in their devotion, procured the necessary perfumes, as noted by Mark, to go and anoint His body. At the break of dawn on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb.

All the Evangelists affirm that the Passover occurred on the first day following the Sabbath. Regarding the timing, they say it was “on the Sabbath evening,” “early in the morning,” and “very early, while it was still dark,” during that moment when light began to blend with darkness—specifically, as dawn was breaking on the horizon, signaling the approaching day. If one were to specify the timing, the sky begins to lighten around the ninth hour of the night, which means there were approximately three hours before daylight. However, it seems the Evangelists differ not so much regarding the time of the myrrh-bearing women’s visit to the tomb but rather the number of women present. As noted, the myrrh-bearers were many, arriving not all at once but in intervals of two and three, comprising different individuals in each group. They all came at dawn, but not necessarily at the same moment. Of them all, Mary Magdalene returned alone and lingered longer at Christ’s tomb. Some Evangelists mention only her while omitting the others who accompanied her. Yet, from my synthesis of the accounts provided by all the Evangelists, I conclude that the first to arrive at the tomb of the Son and God— the Theotokos alongside Mary Magdalene—was as Matthew highlights: “Come,” he says, “Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the tomb.”

Matthew mentions it was the evening of the Sabbath, implying the beginning of Sunday’s bright light; Luke describes it as very early; and John emphasizes the darkness.

Mark’s account seems contradictory as he first indicates it was morning, then states the sun had risen. This could raise questions about whether these three Evangelists refer to different times the women approached the tomb or are simply capturing the moment they intended to go. Mark also describes two distinct moments: the early hour of their departure, and later, when they arrived at the tomb under the rays of the risen sun. A careful examination can harmonize these narratives, aligning Mark’s testimony with that of the others.

Scripture speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Sun. The bride of the Song of Songs laments her darkened state, saying, "See me not, for I am blackened, as the sun hath fallen upon me" (Song of Songs 1:5). The prophet Malachi proclaims, "The sun of righteousness shall shine on those who fear My name" (Mal. 4:2). John, too, in his Revelation, describes a vision of a woman, symbolizing the Church, clothed with the sun, representing Christ (Rev. 12:1). After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb, where an angel proclaimed, "He is not here" (Matthew 28:6). Thus, the essence of the Gospel message is crystal clear: on Sunday morning, when the Sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ, had risen from the dead and emerged from the tomb, the Myrrh-bearing women arrived to witness the miraculous event.

Both dawn and sunrise indicate the early part of the day, and using these terms interchangeably is justifiable, as the dawn in southern regions is shorter than that in the middle and northern parts of Russia, where it can linger. After sunset, darkness descends quickly, and at dawn, the sun rises shortly thereafter. Therefore, these references can accurately describe the true dawn of the day and the onset of sunrise.

However, John's account of Mary Magdalene arriving at the tomb while it was still dark presents an apparent contradiction. This inconsistency might be troubling if he were referring to all the Myrrh-bearing women; yet, since John focuses solely on Mary Magdalene, it can be inferred that she ventured ahead of the others and reached the tomb before dawn, while the others arrived later, shortly thereafter. John, writing his Gospel last and adding details omitted by the earlier Evangelists, chose not to mention the other women because their accounts sufficiently covered the topic. He would not have implied that Mary Magdalene was accompanied by the others if they had not previously neglected to note that she was the first to arrive while it was still dark. The earlier Evangelists—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—did not emphasize that Mary Magdalene was the first to reach the tomb; thus, when they listed some of the women who came, it appears as though she arrived alongside them.

John, while completing their narratives, corrects this view by affirming that Mary Magdalene arrived first, doing so because he recounts Christ's appearance to her, an event about which the other Evangelists remain silent. This correction holds particular weight as it comes from an eyewitness. When she discovered the stone rolled away from the entrance, she promptly ran to inform Peter and John of her distress. Afterward, she returned to the tomb with John. Clearly, the information John narrates derives directly from Mary, as he both heard her account and witnessed the evidence of the rolled-away stone and the empty tomb himself.

Importantly, none of the Evangelists aimed to detail every single event of the Gospel narrative comprehensively; in fact, such an undertaking would be impossible, as John states that the entire world could not contain the books that could be written about Jesus. Therefore, the absence of mention by any Evangelist regarding a particular event should not be construed as a denial. For believers to affirm the reality of Christ's Resurrection, it was sufficient for the initial Evangelists to convey that the women found the tomb empty and that Christ later revealed Himself to them and the disciples. The precise timing of the women's arrival, who arrived early and who came later, as well as the frequency of Christ's appearances, did not seem to hold great importance to them. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that on the day following the Sabbath, now known as the first day of the week, John's description of it being dark (John 20:1) can be interpreted as still being nighttime; dawn had not yet arrived. The moon was still shining, as this was the second night after the full moon, when it remains visible until dawn.

The sorrowful women proceeded quietly, intending only to reach the tomb by morning; however, driven by her deep love for Jesus, Mary Magdalene moved ahead and perhaps unintentionally distanced herself from the others, walking briskly. Yet, it is plausible that she was not entirely alone, as when she relayed to Peter and John that the Lord's body had been taken, she included the phrase: 'We do not know where they laid Him' (John 20:2). Might Mary, the wife of Cleopas, have accompanied her?

Upon approaching the tomb, Mary Magdalene discovered that the stone had been displaced (John 20:1). Without entering, she presumed that Jesus’ body had been relocated elsewhere; yet, she was uncertain as to who had done this or where it had gone. In her fear and confusion, she hurried back to Jerusalem to report to the apostles Peter and John. By the time Mary returned with Peter and John, the other women had already arrived at the tomb, having come at dawn as the sun began to rise.

Any slight discrepancies vanish when acknowledging that the Myrrh-bearers spent a significant time at the tomb. They could have arrived while light was present, but before the full sun had risen, which aligns with Matthew's account, and it was only once they were at the tomb that the sun's first rays began to illuminate the eastern sky, as indicated by Mark.