And they went out quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, running to tell his disciples.
και εξελθουσαι ταχυ απο του μνημειου μετα φοβου και χαρας μεγαλης εδραμον απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου
14 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Among these women, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene approached the apostles with a mixture of reverence and joy, proclaiming the resurrection of the Lord as the angel had instructed. They conveyed that the apostles should journey to Galilee, where they would encounter Him.
The Lord was raised from the dead while the stone still sealed the tomb. Following His resurrection, an angel arrived to roll away the stone, allowing the women to enter. The earthquake served to awaken the guards, making them aware of the momentous events that had taken place. Thus, the Lord remained in the grave for three days. How is this count determined? He was crucified at the eighth hour, and darkness prevailed until the ninth hour; this period is counted as night. From the ninth hour onward, light returned; this constitutes day and completes one twenty-four-hour cycle of night and day. Then we observe the night following His crucifixion and the day of the Sabbath—this adds a second full twenty-four-hour cycle.
Again, we have the night of the Sabbath and the dawn of the Lord’s Day, as noted in Matthew: “on one Sabbath, at daybreak,” where morning is included in the count of the entire day, leading to the third twenty-four-hour period. Alternatively, the three days can be calculated in another manner: on Friday, the Lord surrendered His spirit, counting as the first day; on Saturday, He rested in the tomb, marking the second day; on the night of the Lord's Day, He rose again, which counts as a third day, thus totaling three days. Even concerning those who have passed, if one dies around the tenth hour and another around the first hour on the same day, it is said they both died that day.
Let me also explain the counting of three days and three nights. Listen! On Thursday evening, the Lord shared a meal with His disciples and said, “Receive, eat My body.” Given His authority to lay down His soul at will, it is evident that He also surrendered Himself while imparting the significance of His body, for no one consumes anything unless it has first been slain. Consider this: on that evening, He initiated the teaching regarding His body, continuing through the night and into Friday until the sixth hour—this counts as one twenty-four-hour cycle. From the sixth hour to the ninth hour, darkness prevailed, and from the ninth hour until evening, light returned—this constitutes the second twenty-four-hour period. Again, we account for the night following His crucifixion and the day of the Sabbath—this makes the third twenty-four hours. On the Sabbath night, the Lord resurrected, completing three full cycles of twenty-four hours. Regarding the angel, Matthew describes him as sitting on the stone, while Mark portrays him as having rolled away the stone and sitting within the tomb on the right side. Is there a contradiction here? Not at all! The angel first appeared seated on the stone and, when the women approached, he guided them and then appeared again inside the tomb, positioned on the right. He addressed the women, telling them not to fear; they, as the Lord's disciples, should not be afraid, while the guards have good reason to fear. After calming their fears, he proclaimed the joyous news of the resurrection, as it was necessary first to dispel dread before sharing the glad tidings. He is unashamed to reference the Lord's crucifixion, as he takes pride in the cross—an emblem of victorious triumph that has granted us all blessings.
Consequently, following the rejection of Israel, you wise women, go forth and boldly proclaim the glad tidings of Him who vanquished death, eradicated corruption, and through faith grants justification to those who have sinned. He liberates those ensnared by their impurities and offers new life to all who approach Him. He has revealed a new existence, the gospel life, to those who inhabit the earth, nullified the administration of the law, illuminated the path of truth, and shown to His faithful followers the clear way of worshiping in spirit and truth. Therefore, proceed, for Israel has abandoned hope.
They lack understanding; their hearts are hardened, and they remain in darkness, absorbed in the shadows of sin, refusing to heed Christ's call, who says, ‘Walk, until you have light, that the darkness may not have you’ (John 12:35). It is indeed remarkable to consider the Savior’s choice of these wise women, as some might question, “Were there no holy disciples among whom it would have been more fitting to announce the resurrection? Why were they not the first to witness Jesus, who conquered death, when He chose to reveal Himself to the women instead?” In response we affirm that the only begotten Word of the Father took on human form to heal the afflicted and to redeem humanity from its ancient transgressions. Thus, it was fitting for the women to be the first to share the joyful news of the resurrection. The first woman, having listened to the serpent, led Adam into sin and became the bearer of death. Could not the source of such dire consequence be rectified by their apostleship? Where sin abounded, grace superabounded (Romans 5:20). The message of salvation was entrusted to the woman who initiated death. Hence, it was appropriate to proclaim to them, “Rejoice in Him who placed a curse in the beginning: He said to her, ‘You shall bear children in sorrow’” (Genesis 3:16). Thus, the initial wrong is rectified by the latter, and healing is bestowed.
One might wonder why Mark recounts that the women left the tomb in haste, filled with trembling and awe, and said nothing to anyone because they were afraid (Mark 16:8), while Matthew shares that they hurried out of the tomb with both great fear and joy to inform His disciples. This difference in narratives can be reconciled when we consider that the women felt too intimidated to speak to the angels about what they had witnessed or to the guards they found on the ground. The joy described by Matthew aligns with the fear mentioned by Mark, suggesting that both emotions arose within them simultaneously, even if Matthew chose to emphasize joy first. The resolution lies in Matthew's account, which acknowledges that they departed the tomb experiencing both fear and joy.
The women were overwhelmed by a combination of fear and joy. Their fear stemmed from the overwhelming nature of the miracle, while their joy arose from their longing to behold the Risen Savior. Motivated by both emotions, they hurried to find the apostles, hoping that through their belief, the light of faith would begin to spread throughout the world.
While Matthew does not explicitly state that the women entered the tomb, his account of their departure makes it evident that they had. They left filled with both fear, due to the wondrous sights they encountered, and joy, for they received the glorious message. Mark (Mark 16:8) records: ‘And they that came out fled from the sepulchre: and their name was trembling and terror: and they said unto no man whatsoever, Fear ye.’ This illustrates how the accounts from both Matthew and Mark are harmonious. The women hurried from the tomb, as Matthew portrays, running to avoid being seen by the Jewish authorities who might assume they had taken the body of Jesus. Matthew highlights their fear and joy, while Mark emphasizes their trembling and terror; however, these are not contradictory.
Their trembling stemmed from their fear—Mark simply omits the element of joy or perhaps translates it to the concept of terror, which can arise from joy in overwhelming situations. They refrained from speaking to any bystanders they encountered, but shared all with the apostles upon reaching them, as noted in Luke (Luke 24:9). Their silence towards others was motivated by the fear of the Jewish leaders, who might threaten them if they were to learn of the women’s proclamation regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Ikos 22 Filled with a blend of joy and trepidation, along with happiness and sorrow, they made their way from the sepulchre, as Scripture recounts, to the disciples, delivering a message to the women: "Why are you disheartened? Why do you cover your faces? Let not your hearts be troubled! Christ has risen! Join us in a resounding chorus, 'The Lord is risen.' He who was born before the dawn has brought forth light; thus, do not remain in sadness, but flourish once more. Spring has come; branches bloom and bear fruit, so do not be dismayed. Let us raise our voices and proclaim, 'He who grants resurrection to those who have fallen has indeed risen.'"
It appears to me that Mary Magdalene and the other women who arrived at that moment were still filled with fear, as they struggled to grasp the significance of the Angel's message. They lacked the clarity to fully comprehend the illumination that was evident, while Our Lady experienced immense joy, recognizing the truth that the Angel proclaimed. All around her transformed into a state of light, as if they were purged and divinely exalted, firmly aware of the truth and believing in the Archangel, who, through his actions, appeared to her as someone deserving of profound faith. How could it be that the wise Virgin of God, present for these events, would fail to understand what was unfolding?
She witnessed the earthquake, the radiant Angel descending from heaven with an appearance like lightning, the immobilization of the guards, the rolling away of the stone, and the empty tomb. She also beheld the stunning miracle of the burial cloths, which were humbly arranged yet indestructible, and at the same time absent of the body, alongside the joyous announcement from the Angel. However, after this announcement, Mary Magdalene, as though she did not hear the Angel—who perhaps did not speak directly for her benefit—noted only the emptiness of the tomb, overlooking the significance of the burial cloths. She then hurried to Simon Peter and the other disciple, as John recounts, while the Mother of God, the Virgin, rejoined the other women and returned to the place from which she had come.
Emerging from the tomb with urgency, they were filled with fear due to the remarkable sights they had witnessed, yet they were also filled with great joy because of the glad tidings they had heard, and they hurried to inform His disciples. St. Chrysostom observes, "They beheld a terrifying and wondrous sight: an empty grave where a body had once rested before their eyes." This was revealed to them so that they could testify to both the sepulcher and the resurrection. Thus, they were filled with joy and awe, yet trembling with dread, to the extent that when they encountered others along the way, they felt unable to speak to anyone.
Hebrews does not detail the emotions the women felt as they left the tomb, instead focusing on the apostles' reaction to the women’s announcement regarding the Lord’s resurrection, which was one of disbelief. Matthew notes that the women experienced a mix of emotions upon encountering such extraordinary occurrences and receiving such bewildering news; they were filled with both fear and immense joy. Conversely, Mark indicates that fear was the predominant emotion, leading them to remain silent on their way, as they were afraid. However, upon joining Christ’s disciples, they found courage to speak, unhindered by previous fears, especially as they were tasked by the angel to inform the Lord's followers of His resurrection.
Upon receiving the joyful message, the women exited the tomb and hurried into the city to inform the apostles. At the same time, Mary Magdalene had already reached Peter and John, and upon entering, she cried out in anguish: “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid Him” (John 20:2).
Upon receiving the command, they fled from the tomb, filled with fear and dread. When they joined the disciples, they were initially unable to communicate their experience. However, joy then filled their hearts, and one by one, they began to recount what they had witnessed—the presence of the angels and their reassuring words. The disciples listened in disbelief. Angels at the Lord’s tomb? Claims that the Lord has risen? If only this revelation hadn’t occurred in broad daylight and come from the lips of enthusiastic and naive women! This was the thought that plagued the disciples, leading them to doubt and even resist their faith. "And the words of the women appeared to them," as the evangelist Luke noted, "like idle tales, and they did not believe them."
"Swiftly," in obedience to the angel's directive to go "quickly" (v. 7), in order to announce the joyful news to the disciples without delay. "With reverence and joy" signifies a combination of awe—stemming from their encounter with the extraordinary scene—and joy due to the proclamation of the glad tidings (Euph. Sig.). "They witnessed a frightful and astonishing sight—a vacant tomb, where a body had once rested before them. Consequently, the angel guided them to observe these events so that they could bear witness to both the burial place and the resurrection... Thus, they were filled with both joy and wonder" (Zlat.).
As Mary departed from the tomb and rushed into the city to join the apostles, other women arrived at the burial site with fragrant spices and found the stone rolled away. Confused by this sight, two men adorned in radiant clothing suddenly appeared before them. The Myrrh-bearing women were terrified by the encounter and turned away in fear. The angels inquired, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Remembering the Lord’s words, they returned from the tomb and shared the news with the eleven apostles and the others. At dawn, Mary of James, Salome, and other women proceeded to the tomb.
Aware that the entrance was sealed with a large stone, they discussed among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone for us?” As they neared the tomb, they discovered it was open, and an angel was seated on the stone that had been displaced. The sight of the heavenly messenger instilled fear in the holy women. The angel reassured them, saying, “Do not be afraid; I know you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay, and then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He promised.” Upon entering the cave, the holy myrrh-bearers saw a young man on the right, dressed in a white robe, and they were filled with dread. The angel told them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the Crucified One, but He is not here; this is where they laid Him. Go and tell His disciples and Peter that He is going ahead of you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He instructed you.” The awe and fear instilled by these visions and angelic messages overwhelmed the holy women, compelling them to leave the tomb quickly. They ran back to the city, saying nothing to anyone, as fear stifled the initial joyous stirrings of their believing and loving hearts.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS