Bible Commentaries

1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Ver. 1. And when the sabbath was past] As God on the first day of the week drew the world out of that abhorred estate of nothing, and brought light out of darkness, so did Christ, on that day, draw his people out of an estate worse than nothing, and "brought life and immortality to light by the gospel," 2 Timothy 1:10.

2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Ver. 2. The first day of the week] της μιας σαββατων, one of the sabbaths. So the first day of the world is called, Jom echad, one day; that is, the first day, Genesis 1:5. For as that day was initial to the world, so the day of our Lord’s resurrection is the beginning of our glorification; as in that day light was produced, so Christ rising, the light of righteousness and joy is risen to us. (Gerb. in Harm. Evang.)

3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?

Ver. 3. {See Trapp on "Matthew 28:5"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 28:6"}

4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

Ver. 4. And when they looked] Or, as some read it, when they looked up; for till now they may seem either to have gone plodding on with their eyes downward, or else to have looked on one another, as people use to do when they are conferring.

5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.

7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

Ver. 7. Tell his disciples, and Peter] q.d. Tell him howsoever, for he is in great heaviness; and this will be very good news to him. Tell him that Christ is risen again for his justification, Romans 4:25. Or, tell his disciples and Peter, quia ille se prae aliis incredulum ostenderat, as Tolet hath it, because he hath expressed so much unbelief above the rest, and is, therefore, it may be, set here behind all the disciples, as inferior to them.

8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

Ver. 8. Anything to any man] Whom they met with, but hastened to the disciples.

9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

Ver. 9. He appeared first] This honour done to Mary Magdalene, Mark relateth more at large than the rest, though otherwise mostly he be more brief than the rest.

10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

Ver. 10. See Matthew 28:8. {See Trapp on "Matthew 28:8"}

11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

Ver. 11. {See Trapp on "Matthew 28:8"} {See Trapp on "Matthew 28:9"}

12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Ver. 14. See Luke 24:36; John 20:19.

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Ver. 15. Preach the gospel] Eckius hence blasphemously inferreth that Christ did never command his apostles to write, but to preach only.

To evey creature] That Isaiah 1:1-31. To man, who is a little world, an epitome of every creature. 2. To the Gentiles also, who had been denied this favour of the gospel, as if they had been none of God’s creatures.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Ver. 16. He that belleveth] That which you preach.

And is baptized] As content to give up himself to Christ, and to receive his mark, making a public profession of the faith.

He that believeth not] He saith not, or is not baptized; for it is not the lack, but the contempt of baptism that damneth. Unbelief is a bloody sin, Hebrews 10:26; a heavy sin, John 3:19; a most ungrateful, inexcusable sin, such as shuts a man up close prisoner in the dark dungeon of the law, unto unavoidable destruction, Galatians 3:23.

Shall be damned] Here is quick work. God will not stay so long now with people as he did of old, when there was not so much mercy offered. {See Trapp on "Hebrews 2:3"}

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Ver. 17. In my name they shall, &c.] This promise was peculiar to the primitive Christians and to such as lived immediately after Christ’s ascension. That was an extraordinary providence, that when Squier, that traitor, A. D. 1597, had poisoned the pummel of Queen Elizabeth’s saddle when she was to take horse; albeit the season were hot, and the veins open to receive any malignant tainture, yet her body thereupon felt no distemperature, her hand felt no more hurt than Paul’s did when he shook off the viper into the fire. (Speed’s Hist.)

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Ver. 18. It shall not hurt them] No more shall the deadly poison of sin hurt those that have drunk it, if they belong to God, provided that they cast it up again quickly by confession, and meddle no more with such a mischief.

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Ver. 19. He was received up, &c.] This St Luke more fully sets forth, Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9.

20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Ver. 20. And they went forth] viz. From Jerusalem, according to Isaiah 2:3; Psalms 110:2.