What abundant evidence was given to Mary that Jesus was risen, yet she found it so hard to believe, and still clung to her first thought that someone had stolen the body of Jesus. This reveals how difficult we find it is to believe at times, and shows that faith, when we have it, is given by our Lord who gently leads us into faith.

We read here that Mary stood outside the tomb crying, after the disciples had left. Mary’s grief was very great, so making her shut off from what was around her. This is common human failing which makes us refuse to take notice of evidence and facts around us which would alleviate our pain and sorrow. But in spite of her grief, it is still hardly conceivable that two men could have gone past her into the tomb without her seeing them. Yet when she looked into the tomb and saw two figures at the head and the feet where Jesus had lain, she refuses to believe the truth. The appearance of two firgures in the tomb must have been supernatural, and therefore they must have been angels. Mary could not see this, and so deduced the meaning of their presence and the empty tomb to be what it was not. How much more comfort in believing would we have if we attended more carefully to God’s word and also God’s providential working in our lives.

Jesus so wonderfully supplies Mary’s need for faith. Mary’s great love for Jesus, expressed in the fact she was first at the tomb and would not leave, was rewarded abundantly, for she was the first person to see Jesus alive, and recognise him after his resurrection.

After seeing the angel’s in the tomb, Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there. The condition of the life of Jesus and his body after the resurrection is special, and rewards careful consideration. He was not there, or at least not visible, and then he is there and visible. Like other appearances in his resurrection state, Jesus seemed to appear, to stay for a while, but then disappear rather than leave or walk away. Yet He was not a ghost, for he could be touched, and he spoke, and ate with the disciples. Here we have a brief glimpse at what our own resurrection body and state will be like.

Mary was still obsessed with the idea that someone had removed the dead body of Jesus, and she assumed this person, standing before her, was the one who could have moved the body, or at least knew something about the removal. She assumed this person standing there must be the gardener. Let us notice another interesting fact about Jesus now he had risen. Mary did not immediately recognise him. His outward appearance had changed in a significant way. When Mary did recognise him, it was not so much by physical appearance, but by speech, personality and character. One’s mind goes to Paul’s explanation of the resurrection of the body in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 where he uses the illustration of the seed and the plant. Paul uses the seed of a plant to describe the earthly body that we have, and the plant to represent the resurrection body we will receive at our resurrection, where the body of the seed is so different to the body of the plant, yet both are one living entity. Once recognised, there was no doubt in Mary’s mind that her Lord was standing before her and risen from the dead, but her certainty did not rest on his outward appearance. The two disciple on the road to Emmaus had the same experience (see Luke 24). Jesus replied to Mary’s request by one word. He called her by name “Mary”. What love and compassion must have been expressed in this one word “Mary”. The many previous times Jesus had called her by her name would have been bound up in this use of her name again. Jesus expressed in her name that Mary was his beloved and dear friend, and he was her Lord and Saviour.

Mary immediately knew him, and now saw in the changed countenance the same Lord she had always known, but more gloriously enhanced. Mary crys “Rabboni”, which means teacher, and then she must have embraced him, so expressing her desire that he would never leave her again. She wanted things to be as they had been, but this could not be so now. A deeper and better relationship was in store.

Firstly, Jesus could not stay on earth, for to complete his saving work he had to return to his Father, and claim, on behalf of his disciples and believing people, the salvation he had won for them on the cross. He had to return to reign until all his enemies were defeated. He had to return to God, the Father, so that he could send the Holy Spirit to bring his people into salvation and to make himself (Jesus) known spiritually to them.

Secondly, Jesus would now be known spiritually, and by the operation of the Holy Spirit. He was now to be known in the heart and mind, and through the Spirit dwelling with his people he would be known always and all the time. He could not be known physically, and such knowing was now inappropriate. Jesus has claimed our redemption on the grounds of his perfect work of atonement, and he now dwells within us by the Holy Spirit, but in his body he dwells in heaven at the right hand of God. Because of this we shall see him in glory one day with our eyes, and see him face-to-face, and behold his glory.

Now we come to the expression by Jesus of most wonderful blessing which is now the blessed privilege and experience of all who receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Notice how Jesus speaks. He tells Mary that he must return to the Father. He means God, the Father. Jesus says he returns to the Father because he is God, the Son, and in this Jesus expresses the unique relationship he has with the Father, as he, the Father and the Holy Spirit are one true God. But in this speaking there is something blessedly knew, for Jesus is expressing a widening of the Fatherhood of God which encompasses Mary and all the disciples. He tells Mary to go to his brothers -- not to his disciples, but to his brothers. A new and wonderful thing has come to pass, and it is that through the completed work of Christ in life and death, the disciples are family, and they are exhorted to be Christ’s brothers, and be beloved by Christ and God for evermore.

There is a difference, as it must be, between the sonship of Jesus with the Father, that is with God; from the sonship of the disciples. We can not be related to God has Jesus is related and one with God and God’s Son, because we are God,s creatures, but we are welcomed into God’s family, and God is Father to us for ever, and will never let us go.

This difference is expressed as Jesus tells Mary to tell the disciples “I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God”, but this does not lessen the wonder and eternal blessing of this privilege Christ has won for us. For now and for ever, those who believe on Jesus as God and Saviour, are children of God and God owns us and loves us as his children.

Praise and thanksgiving, wonder and joy, fills our hearts because we are so blessed, and God owns us and loves us as his dear children, unworthy though we are.