Mary Magdalene

October 25

Matthew 28:1-8

The empty tomb

The day after the Sabbath, before the sun came up, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to Jesus’ tomb. It was Sunday morning, the third day after Jesus had been crucified.

Suddenly, there was a great earthquake and an angel of the Lord rolled away the stone from the entrance of the tomb. The angel was as bright as lightning, and his clothes were dazzling white. The soldiers who were guarding the tomb were so afraid that they fell to the ground like dead men.

When the two women arrived at the tomb, the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! You are looking for Jesus who was crucified, but He is not here. He is risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Now, go quickly and tell the disciples that He is alive!”

So the women left the tomb; afraid, yet filled with joy.

Did Jesus raise Himself from the dead?

Jesus had brought a young girl back to life (Luke 8:53-54). He also raised His friend Lazarus, who had been dead for four days (John 11:43-44). And now, Jesus Himself was dead. He had been beaten, nailed to a cross and pierced in the side. His friends wrapped Him tightly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a tomb. They had even rolled a heavy stone in front of the entrance. How would Jesus be able to rise from the dead as He said He would?

The Bible tells us that God raised Jesus from the dead. By raising Him, God showed that the death of His Son was entirely enough to pay for every sin in the whole world. Jesus had taken the punishment for every sin and so God was now able to take it away forever (Romans 6:9-10).

In this way, Jesus became the first sinless man to rise from the dead. And when we put our faith in Him, He also makes us sinless; and God will raise us to eternal life with the same power that raised Jesus.

Verse for today

By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 1 Corinthians 6:14