Early on the first day of the week, it was still dark, and the light had not yet come up. Jesus lay where it was even darker and quieter than outside. Jesus’ body had known no physical decay (cf. Ps 16:10–11). Whether in the tomb or at His resurrection, He had been healed of all but His five wounds (cf. John 20:20, 27). Then, He arose!

Jesus somehow maneuvered out of His linen cloths and left them lying in the tomb. He removed His face cloth, folded it up, and set it in a place by itself. He likely smelled the many spices used to prepare Him for burial. 

He must have miraculously left through the wall just as later appeared to the disciples in a locked room (cf. John 20:19, 26), but He did not go very far. He may have watched, heard, and felt the earthquake from when the angel rolled away the stone. Perhaps He watched the guards fall as dead men when they saw the angel. 

Maybe then He saw the women come with their spices to finish His burial—Joanna, Mary (Salome), and other women with them as well. Maybe He watched their amazement as they walked by the fallen soldiers and saw the two angels invite them to see the place where He lay. 

Maybe He saw Mary Magdalene immediately run off to tell Peter and John the tomb was empty. He met the other women as they left, felt them grab His feet, and accepted their holy worship. He only told them to tell the disciples to meet Him in Galilee. 

With no one else around, the soldiers seized this moment to steal away. Some of them told the chief priests what took place and received a bribe to say that the disciples had stolen the body while they slept. 

Perhaps Jesus then saw John outpace Peter only to stop at the entrance of the tomb and watch Peter enter first. Perhaps He saw Peter examine the grave clothes and the face cloth. Perhaps he watched John find his own courage and enter to see for himself. Perhaps He watched them walk away.

Maybe their time in the tomb is when He saw Mary Magdalene arrive, only to stay after they had left, weeping while stooping in the entrance and explaining her tears to the angels as caused by not knowing where Jesus now lay. Jesus walked toward her and stood behind her as she spoke to the angels. Perhaps one of them motioned to turn around, or perhaps she sensed some movement. Turning around, she saw Jesus and mistook Him for the gardener. She asked Him where Jesus was, only to hear His “Mary” and recognize her Lord. She worshiped Him, clinging a bit too tightly, and was kindly asked tell the disciples what she had seen and heard. 

Jesus arose, and these are the amazing moments surrounding the new life of our Lord at the tomb.