1550. The Women Assured

The Women Assured

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Mat_28:5-6).

The angels of God hold a very prominent place in the annunciations of our Lord's birth, resurrection, and Second Coming.

1. The angel and the announcement of Christ's birth.

(1) An angel said to Mary: "Thou shalt * * bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name Jesus" (Luk_1:31).

(2) An angel afterward said to Joseph: "She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins" (Mat_1:21).

(3) An angel said to the shepherds: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Luk_2:11, \1911 Bible).

2. The angel and the announcement of the resurrection.

An angel said unto the women: "He is not here: for He is risen" (Mat_28:6).

3. The angel and the Second Coming.

(1) Two shining ones spoke of His return: "This same Jesus shall so come in like manner" (Act_1:11).

(2) An angel will announce the rapture of the saints:

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" (1Th_4:16).

(3) Angels will accompany the Lord to the earth.

"The Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him" (Mat_25:31).

Let us give our attention to the resurrection of Christ, and to the words the angel spoke unto the women. Let us notice the tenderness–and the significance of the angel's words.

1. The angel said: "Fear not ye:" The angel showed utter indifference to the soldiers; he showed tender concern toward the women.

The soldiers did exceedingly quake, but to the women, the angel said, "Fear not ye."

The soldiers became as dead men, the women were alive with joy.

To the soldiers, the resurrection meant consternation and judgment; to the women it meant comfort and peace.

2. The angel said: "I know that ye seek Jesus, who was crucified" (Mat_28:5, \1911 Bible). The angel comprehended the heart purpose of the noble women, who, filled with grief, had come to the tomb bringing spices in memory of their crucified Lord. The angel understood, and he bore witness to the appreciation which he felt toward their ministrations.

3. The angel said: "He is not here: for He is risen." The angel did not say, "He is not here, because the gardner has robbed His grave." He did not say, "He is not here, because God has taken away His body to keep it as a memento of the earth life of His Son."

The angel did say: "He is not here: for He is risen, as He said."

4. The angel said: "Come, see the place where the Lord lay." The words suggest that the stone was rolled away, to let the women and the disciples look in.

God wanted the disciples assured that the resurrection of Christ had truly occurred.

Had the stone been left at the grave, there would have been more than one doubting Thomas.

We read that when John went into that empty tomb, "he saw, and believed" (Joh_20:8).

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR