Resurrected Unto New Life
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Key Verse: “As they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?” Selected Scripture: |
A NUMBER OF WOMEN who had followed and believed on Jesus desired to anoint his body with spices but, due to his dying just before the Sabbath, by Jewish law they had to wait until the day after, or the first day of the week. “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them.”—Luke 24:1,10
Upon their arrival at the tomb, the women found that the stone had been rolled away, so they entered in to the sepulchre. To their shock, the body of Jesus was gone. (Luke 24:2,3) They certainly must have wondered what happened. Their initial thought most likely was that his body had been stolen (see John 20:1,2), and in the least, confusion and great disappointment must have been upon them. The account states, “It came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.” (Luke 24:4) ‘Who were these two men?’ they must have wondered. ‘Did they take away Jesus’ body?’ ‘Have they now come to take us also?’ The women were afraid and, as the Key Verse says, ‘bowed their faces to the earth.’
The women did not realize that these two men were actually angels, sent from God to bring them the most wonderful truth concerning the one who they had come to anoint and mourn in death. The men said, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” (Luke 24:5-7) The women then remembered that Jesus himself had said he would die and rise again on the third day. (Matt 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:18,19) They returned from the sepulchre and told the eleven disciples what had happened. Initially, the disciples dismissed their words “as idle tales, and they believed them not.” (Luke 24:11) In verse 12, the account states that Peter, unable to contain his zeal and curiosity, arose and ran to the sepulchre, and confirmed what the women had reported.
We see that both the death as well as the resurrection of Jesus were required in God’s plan. His death as a corresponding price for Adam—a perfect life given up in place of Adam’s forfeited perfect life—provided the ransom price needed to eventually free father Adam and all the human race—contained in his loins—from the condemnation that rested upon them as a result of Adam’s sin. Jesus resurrection was also needed in order that the value, or merit, of his perfect human life could be ‘paid’ into the hands of God’s justice, thus making it possible for man’s release. Only Jesus could make this payment, because he had in his possession the payment price. If Jesus had remained dead, no payment to God’s justice could be made, and hence, the ransom price provided by his death would have been to no avail. Thus, both parts of the transaction were required—death as a perfect man, and a resurrection by the mighty power of God.—I Cor. 15:12-22