He has Risen, He has risen, He is risen!

Article for April 5, 2026 Easter

John 20:1–2   1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

A political plot of the Pharisees or a plot of the Apostles; the body of Jesus is missing.  Reading all of the accounts written about the resurrection of Jesus, these thoughts came to each side respectively.  Did they all listen and did they all understand what Jesus said many times that He would be put to death and raised again.  Jesus says you may destroy this temple, and He would raise it back up in three days.  The Pharisees thought it was a plot of the Apostles to show Jesus had risen from the dead as He said.  No plot, this is real, Jesus was resurrected from the dead and walked among the living.

There is a problem that plagues us all as we try to make sense of God.  We want to humanize everything and judge everything God does in the limits of human capabilities.  Most think if it is impossible or improbable for man to do then it is impossible or improbable for God to do as well. 

The audacity of man to think we have anything over God or that we try to bring God down to our level.  We don’t at times understand our own limits.  How do we think we can understand that which is omniscient and omnipotent.  That is all knowing, all wise, and all powerful.  These are traits that do not belong to mankind, but they do belong to our God of which most don’t understand fully, and others think they are the expert on.

The fact is that mankind tries to evade the truth of God.  We fail to see God can do anything in His will and has without us believing or having faith in Him as He existed before we did.  We exist because of God as He created all things including the science we discover every so often.  God is and always has been!  A concept far beyond our knowledge and understanding.   Jesus’ body missing from the grave is God’s doing and not of men.

John 20:3–5   3So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

We assume this is John who runs ahead of Peter towards the grave of Jesus.  John being close to Jesus probably wanted to see for himself that Jesus was missing.  But arriving and looking in confirmed Jesus was missing and this might have scared John from entering the tomb as he stood there in disbelief.  How could this happen and what group of people would come and steal the body of Jesus?

John 20:6–7   6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.

Peter catches up to John and seems to not hesitate but enters the tomb of Jesus.  It might be that Peter’s entrance to the tomb made it feel safe for John to enter as they both now looked at the place where Jesus had been laid to rest.  The grave laid open and empty almost as if it was prepared to wait for its occupant.

Jesus was gone and the linen that covered Jesus was neatly folded.  Not only was the linen folded but the face cloth too and laid opposite and away from the linen, maybe the linen at the foot and the face cloth at the head of where Jesus had lain.  When a face cover is folded it was a sign to the servants of the house that the master was up from his rest and has started his day. 

John 20:8–10  8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus is resurrected; He started His day and will not rest again in the grave.  Rather, Jesus will take His place at the right hand of God.  Yes, Jesus has risen, Jesus has risen, Jesus is risen, Jesus is the risen Lord. We worship a living God and Jesus Christ proved it to over four hundred amazed and unsuspecting witnesses. 

Peter and John saw what they were supposed to see, what else could they do?  Jesus was not there; no thief or political plan would fold the linens and place them where they were seen.  Peter and John went home amazed, probably shaking their heads in wonder, probably wondering what is next.

John 20:11–12     11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.

Mary Magdalene wept, we know that Jesus wept when Lazarus had died; Mary wept for her Lord’s body was missing.  Jesus resurrected Lazarus from His four day rest in the grave.  Jesus was resurrected after three days in the grave.  Lazarus would see two resurrections and Jesus saw one resurrection for Himself and millions upon millions of those believers being saved.  We have a living Lord who loves us to life and will resurrect all who believe and have faith in Him and in His resurrection. 

John 20:13–14     13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.

Mary looked into the grave and alarmingly sees two angels sitting on the death bed of Jesus.  Mary did not ask these men (angels) where they had taken Jesus.  But here Mary seems to know or is so disarrayed in her grief to notice why these two would be sitting in the grave of her Lord Jesus and our Lord Jesus. 

Mary is even more confused, turns around and sees what she takes as the gardener of this cemetery.   Mary did not recognize who she was talking to as her tears most likely continued in her sadness and obscured her sight.  All Mary knew was Jesus was gone and she had to find Him. 

They all, that is the Apostles, Mary Magdoline, and Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as many disciples had already gone through a very traumatic and dramatic experience.  This wrenched their hearts to the very core of sadness.  Now?  Jesus is missing and they are all going to go through many more dramatics that will lead them from sadness to joy beyond their imagination.  Jesus has risen, Jesus has risen, Jesus is risen.

John 20:15–16     15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

Jesus knew who Mary was seeking more than Mary knew herself.  Mary is certainly wondering where the body of Jesus was, but she was also seeking Jesus as the living God as the promised Messiah.  In all her grief and the woes of the Apostles, Mary might have been trying to put things together in the back of her mind but couldn’t quite get there.  Jesus spoke of these things and they did not fully understand that Jesus would raise this temple in three days. 

John 20:17–18     17Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Do not cling to me; Jesus says.  Mary’s mind and sight are opened and made clear.  This is Jesus! This is the risen Lord.  This is a promise made and a promise kept.  This is the Temple of Jesus Christ standing right in front of her.  And no doubt Mary probably wanted to hug Jesus and may have hugged Him.  But Jesus says, “Do not cling to me, for I have not ascended to my Father. 

The time to cling to our Lord is now as He has ascended to His Father and our Father, His God and to our God.  The time is now that we should at all times and in all places announce the salvation of our Lord to everyone.  Our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and was resurrected for our eternal life with Him.  Jesus has risen, Jesus has risen, Jesus is risen, Jesus Christ is our risen Lord. 

Amen.

Written By Pastor Curtis A. May