Mary Magdalene the first herald of the risen Lord.
The two apostles withdrew, but Mary remained at the tomb. "A stronger affection riveted to the spot one of a weaker nature".
I. MARY'S LOVE TO HER LORD. It was manifested:
1. By her persistent watching of the tomb.
2. By her passionate weeping.
3. By her anxiety to discover some trace of her Lord. "She stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher." Her love is as strong as death.
II. THE SUCCESSFUL RESULT OF HER LOVE.
1. She first comes into communication with the two angels in the sepulcher. They may have suggested by the direction of their looks that Jesus was near at hand.
2. She next sees Jesus, but does not know him.
3. Her glad recognition of her loving Lord. "She turned herself, and saith to him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master." The sound of her name repeated by those loving lips ended all doubt better than the words of a more common interest, "Woman."
III. OUR LORD'S CHECK TO HER PASSIONATE ARDOUR. "Touch me not; for I ant not yet ascended to my Father."
1. Perhaps she had thrown herself down at his feet, and had attempted to clasp them in her enthusiastic devotion.
2. His words imply that the old forms of familiar intercourse were past. He had entered upon a new mode of existence.
3. They imply that he could not renew the tie that death had severed till he had ascended on high. His ascension would be the condition of a new union fraught with all blessing and consolation.
4. It is better to know Jesus in his glorified humanity than to "know him after the flesh." The Roman theology sees him as a babe in his mother's arms or as the Crucified One; but true theology must behold him in the light of his resurrection as well as his death.
IV. OUR LORD'S MESSAGE TO THE APOSTLES. "GO to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God."
1. A woman is honored as making the first communication between Jesus and his apostles.
2. The name by which our Lord describes them. "My brethren" marks the new relationship into which they are introduced by his resurrection.
3. His ascension to heaven, was just at hand.
(a) Jesus marks the distinction that existed between himself and his apostles in their relation to God. God is Father of Christ by nature, of men by grace. His Sonship is not their sonship.
(b) Jesus, in calling God "his God," does not disclaim Deity, for it is in his perfect humanity that he sees the Father as his God.
V. MARY FULFILS HER GLAD ERRAND. "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her." Her story would cause