a Sad Interior and a Cheery Messenger

Mark is graphic: he paints an interior like a Dutch artist.

We see a choice company,—“them that had been with him.”

We know many of the individuals, and are interested to note what they are doing, and how they bear their bereavement.

We see—

I. A SORROWING ASSEMBLY. “As they mourned and wept.”

What a scene! We behold a common mourning, abundantly expressed by tears and lamentations.

They mourned—

1. Because they had believed in Jesus, and loved him; and therefore they were concerned at what had happened.

2. Because they felt their great loss in losing him.

3. Because they had seen his sufferings and death.

4. Because they remembered their ill-conduct towards him.

5. Because their hopes concerning him were disappointed.

6. Because they were utterly bewildered as to what was now to be done, seeing their Leader was gone.

   • In considering the death of Jesus, there is just cause for mourning.

Let us intelligently mourn for him, since our sins occasioned his woes and death.

II. A CONSOLING MESSENGER. Mary Magdalene came and told them that Jesus had risen, and had appeared unto her.

Concerning this ministry, we note—

1. She was one of themselves. The witnesses to our Lord’s resurrection were such as his disciples, and, indeed, all the world, might safely trust. They were not strangers, but individuals well known to those who heard them.

2. She came with the best of news. She declared that Jesus was indeed risen. The resurrection of our divine Lord—

   • Removes the cause of our sorrow.
   • Assures us of the help of a living Redeemer. John 14:19.
   • Secures our own personal resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:23.
   • Brings us personal justification. Romans 4:25.

3. She was not believed.

   • Unbelief is apt to become chronic: they had not believed the Lord when he foretold his own resurrection, and so they do not believe an eye-witness who reported it.
   • Unbelief is cruelly unjust: they made Mary Magdalene a liar, and yet all of them esteemed her.

III. A REASSURING REFLECTION.

1. We are not the only persons who have mourned an absent Lord.

2. We are not the only messengers who have been rejected.

3. We are sure beyond all doubt of the resurrection of Christ.

   • The evidence is more abundant than that which testifies to any other great historical event.
   • The apostles so believed it as to die as witnesses of it.
   • They were very slow to be convinced, and therefore that which forced them to believe should have the like effect upon the most careful of us.

4. We have thus the most ample reason for joy concerning our Lord.

Let us not think too mournfully of our Lord’s passion.

Let us not be too mournful about anything, now that we know that we have a living Savior for our Friend.

Memoranda

In the famous picture-gallery of Bologna, there is a striking picture by Domenichino, representing an angel standing beside the empty cross, from which the body of Christ has just been removed. He holds in his hand the crown of thorns, that had just fallen from the august Sufferer’s brow; and the expression that passes over his face, as he feels with his finger the sharpness of one of the protruding thorns, is full of meaning. It is a look of wonder and surprise. To the pure, unstained, immortal nature of the angel, all that suffering is a profound mystery. The death of Christ was equally a mystery to his disciples.—Hugh Macmillan.

A sorrow is none the less sharp because it is founded upon a mistake. Jacob mourned very bitterly for Joseph, though his darling was not torn in pieces, but on the way to be lord over all Egypt. Yet while there is of necessity so much well-founded sorrow in the world, it is a pity that one unnecessary pang should be endured, and endured by those who have the best possible grounds for joy. The case in the text before us is a typical one. Thousands are at this day mourning and weeping who ought to be rejoicing. Oh, the mass of needless grief! Unbelief works for the father of lies in this matter, and works misery out of falsehood among those who are not in truth children of sadness, but heirs of light and joy. Rise, faith, and with your light chase away this darkness! And if even you must have your lamp trimmed by a humble Mary, do not despise her kindly aid.