While it was still dark, early on a Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. She met Salome and Mary, the mother of James and John there just as the sun was rising (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; John 20:1). Both Mary's had been there when Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had wrapped Jesus' body in a hundred ponds of spices (Matthew 27:61). But the love they felt for Jesus compelled them to bring spices for his body, to honor him in his death.
They had no idea who would remove the great stone that blocked the entrance of the tomb. But when they got there, not only was the stone rolled away, but the tomb was empty. Mary Magdalene was in a panic and immediately ran to get Peter and John to tell them someone had stolen the body (John 20:1-2).
John out ran Peter in his haste to see what in the world Mary Magdalene was talking about. Both John and Peter went into the tomb, were stunned to see the burial linen lying there and the head clothe neatly wrapped and laid to one side. The two men went home in grief and Mary Magdalene was left at the tomb weeping uncontrollably. It was difficult enough to face his death, but to have his body stollen was unbearable.
But things are not as hopeless as our understanding make them out to be.
