Mark 16:1-11 | Session 66 | Mark Rightly Divided
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Mark 15:42-47, 16:1-8 | At the Sepulchre

For 15:42-47 see session 65.

Mark 16:1-8 | The Resurrection

Note from the author: For those interested in a harmony of the events following the Lord's resurrection, I recommend Appendix 166 of The Companion Bible by E.W. Bullinger. These appendices are available free of charge online and in printed editions of The Companion Bible.

Verses 1-2 -

The Gospels each emphasize that "the Sabbath was past." Luke 23:56 specifically notes that they "rested the sabbath day according to the commandment."

This demonstrates their ongoing devotion to the Law. No one at the time saw Jesus's death as a sacrifice that freed them from the Law. While Romans 10:4 refers to Christ as the "end of the Law," this means that the Law points to Christ, not that His arrival or departure ended the Law's authority. It would be years before Jesus would set aside the Law for the parenthetical and mystery age of grace.

Verse 2 indicates it was "at the rising of the sun," suggesting around 6:00 AM.

Verses 3-4 -

Mark had previously mentioned the customary stone at the door (Mk. 15:46). The Gospel of Matthew uniquely records that Pilate ordered a guard and seal for Jesus' tomb (Matthew 27:62-66). The chief priests and Pharisees, fearing that Jesus' disciples might steal His body and claim He had risen, asked Pilate to secure the tomb. After Pilate granted their request, they sealed the stone and posted guards. Matthew alone describes the earthquake and the heavenly angel who rolled away the stone (Matthew 28:2-4). Matthew also reveals that the religious leaders later bribed the guards to spread a false story claiming the disciples had stolen the body (Matthew 28:11-13).

When the women arrived, "they looked, they saw" (v. 4). The Gospels remain silent about their conversation or reaction, as they emphasize a far greater marvel—the resurrection.

Verse 5 -

Entering the tomb, "they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment." This is presumably an angel, and gives us some understanding of angels' appearance—there seems to be nothing astonishing in his characteristics, other than the specifically noted long white garment.

Verse 6 -

The young man knew exactly why the women were there and wasted no time proclaiming those famous words: " he is risen; he is not here." The angel not only provided evidence that "he is not here" but also gave the explanation: "he is risen."

Verses 7-8 -

With little further information, the women were told to go "tell his disciples and Peter." There is no explicit indication of why Peter is set apart from the other disciples. Perhaps it is because he denied the Lord, but this is speculation. It could just as easily be speculated that it is because Peter is the one who will be given the keys to the Kingdom. Any further explanation—such as that Peter needed special reassurance because of his denial (Mark 14:66–72), or that Peter functioned as a prominent leader among the disciples—arises from inference and traditional interpretation, not from any direct remark in Mark's Gospel.

They were told to go to Galilee, "as he said unto you" (see Mark 14:28). However, for reasons unknown, the Lord gave a special and early appearance in Jerusalem that night, as seen in Luke 24:33-36. They would have their "kingdom education" meetings (Acts 1:3) in Galilee, but were blessed by early encouragement from the Lord, for reasons of which we are unaware.

The women, naturally afraid, ran, silently, in fear for their lives (v. 8).

Mark 16:9-14 | Appearances of the Resurrected Lord

Mark 16:9-11 | Appearance to Mary

Verse 9 -

The events of that first morning can be challenging to arrange chronologically, so we must carefully note the known facts. The text clearly states that "he appeared first to Mary Magdalene," and we must rely on this clear Biblical testimony to help understand other less explicit passages. For a detailed review and explanation of these events, see "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah" by Alfred Edersheim, or The Companion Bible, Appendix 166 for a chart of events.

We do not know whether Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene by divine choice, so we should avoid reading theological or relational significance into this. It seems more likely that Mark and the other gospel writers are simply recording the sequence of events, not suggesting deeper meaning.

We learn here, as in Luke 8:2, that Mary had seven demons cast from her.

In the 3rd Century, two Gnostic writings, The Gospel of Philip and The Gospel of Mary (Magdalene), portrayed Mary as having a romantic relationship with Jesus, with the latter claiming she was married to him. No group of believers has ever accepted these documents as historically valid.

The idea of Jesus marrying Mary Magdalene resurfaced as a modern conspiracy theory in the 1982 book Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. This work claimed Jesus married Mary Magdalene, had descendants, and established a secret bloodline in France, protected by secret societies like the Priory of Sion. Though presented as historical research, it relied on unproven claims and forgeries.

The theory gained widespread attention through Dan Brown's bestselling novel, The Da Vinci Code (2003), which turned these ideas into fiction. Though entirely fictional, Brown's story significantly influenced popular culture, leading many to question whether the theory had historical basis.

Verses 10-11 -

Here we are told that the disciples did not believe Mary when she told them of the resurrection. This stands as clear proof against the oft-repeated claim that "before the cross people put their faith in the future work on the cross"—a line of reasoning often given to explain how people were saved pre-resurrection.

For example, Dr. Robert Cara of the Reformed Theological Seminary answers the question by saying, “Now, the merit of their salvation? Exactly the same: the work of Christ. The work of Christ, his life, death, and we look back in faith to that. They looked forward in faith, even though they didn’t understand it as well.” [FN1]

But I would argue that both here in Mark 16:10-11 and in all prevouls passages, “they didn’t understand it as well” is simply wrong. The truth is clear: they didn’t understand it nor believe it in any manner at all!

Consider, for example:

Matthew 16:21–23 / Mark 8:31–33

• Jesus explicitly foretells his death and resurrection. Peter openly rejects this prediction, rebuking Jesus and thus displaying disbelief.

  Matthew 17:22–23 / Mark 9:31–32 / Luke 9:43–45

• Jesus again plainly predicts his betrayal, death, and resurrection. The disciples are described explicitly as not understanding and afraid to inquire further, showing continued disbelief and confusion.

Matthew 20:17–19 / Mark 10:32–34 / Luke 18:31–34

• Jesus provides another clear, detailed prediction of his death and resurrection. The disciples fail to understand and immediately turn their attention to matters of personal ambition and honor, demonstrating ignorance or disbelief.

Mark 9:9–10

• After the Transfiguration, Jesus instructs disciples to keep the vision secret until his resurrection. The disciples privately wonder among themselves what “rising from the dead” might mean, highlighting their lack of comprehension or belief.

Luke 24:11

• When women report that Jesus has risen, the disciples dismiss their testimony as “idle tales,” showing they were completely unprepared to believe that Jesus had risen.

Luke 24:21–24 (Road to Emmaus)

• Two disciples express disappointment and confusion, stating that their hope had ended with Jesus’ death. Their attitude clearly indicates no belief or expectation of his resurrection.

John 2:18–22

• Jesus metaphorically refers to his death and resurrection (“destroy this temple…”). John notes explicitly that the disciples understood this only after his resurrection, indicating no prior comprehension or belief.

John 16:16–18

• Jesus speaks cryptically about leaving and returning. The disciples openly admit they do not understand, signaling no meaningful expectation or belief in his resurrection.

John 20:9

• Even after discovering the empty tomb, John explicitly states that the disciples did not yet understand from Scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead, demonstrating ongoing disbelief up to this point.

In the end, we must reject this idea that the disciples had any manner of faith in a future resurrection of the Messiah. Rather, the death of Jesus left them bewildered, as we see further illustrated in verses 12-13.

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1 - “How Were People Saved in the Old Testament?” Reformed Theological Seminary, 29 Mar. 2023, rts.edu/resources/how-were-people-saved-in-the-old-testament/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.