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by Samuel E. Ward
Introduction
There have been many explanations offered to explain away the empty tomb into which the dead body of Jesus was placed by those who refuse to believe the eye witness testimony of those who claimed to have seen it. I have chosen to look into some of the "empty" claims concerning the empty tomb.
I. The First Empty Claim, Luke 24:1-10
A. Who the claimants were: Certain women who came to embalm Jesus' body, Luke 24:1
Luke 24:1 (NIV) 1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
They are identified more specifically in verse 10.
Luke 24:10 (NIV) 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them . . .
B. What they found, Luke 24:2
Luke 24:2 (NIV) 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb
C. What they did not find, Luke 24:3
Luke 24:3 (NIV) 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
D. Who they saw, Luke 24:4
Luke 24:4 (NIV) 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.
E. What the men (angels) said, Luke 24:5-7
Luke 24:5-7 (NIV) 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"
The angels were sent to convey the significance of the empty tomb:
1. Jesus was risen from the dead, Luke 24:5a.
Luke 24:5a (NIV) 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?
2. Jesus was validated about what He said, Luke 24:5b-7.
Luke 24:5b-7 (NIV) 5b "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is
not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"
F. What they remembered, Luke 24:8-10.
Luke 24:8-9 (NIV) 8Then they remembered his words. 9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
II. The Second "Empty" Claim, John 20:2-10.
A. Peter and John were curious concerning Mary's testimony, John 20:2-3.
John 20:2-3 (NIV) 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" 3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
B. They were dense concerning the meaning of the empty tomb, John 20:4-9.
John 20:4-9 (NIV) 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
C. They were unconvinced about what had taken place, John 20:10.
This was evidenced by the fact that they did not investigate further until some amazing news came later of an event that happened just after the Peter and John left the tomb.
John 20:10 (NIV) 10Then the disciples went back to their homes.
D. They were excluded from the first glorious revelation of the Risen Lord, John 20:11-18.
Mary was working on the same assumption as the others, that Jesus' body had been stolen, when John records her very privileged encounter.
John 20:11-18 (NIV) 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"
"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
16Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
III. The Third "Empty" Claim, Luke 24:13-35
A. The Emmaus Road encounter with a Stranger
1. The Stranger draws near to some disciples, Luke 24:13-16
Luke 24:13-16 (NIV) 13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles£ from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these
things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.
2. The Stranger draws out the feelings of these disciples, Luke 24:17a
Luke 24:17a (NIV) 17aHe asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
a. Their hope was deflated, Luke 24:17b-21a.
Luke 24:17b-21 (NIV) 17bThey stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21abut we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.
b. Their minds were doubtful, Luke 24:21b-24.
Luke 24:21b-24 (NIV) 21bbut we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
3. The Stranger draws from the Scriptures, Luke 24:25-27
Luke 24:25-27 (NIV) 25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
4. The Stranger draws open the curtains on His identity, Luke 24:28-35.
Luke 24:28-35 (NIV) 28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem.
There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
IV. The Confirmation of the "Empty" Claims to the Gathered Disciples, John 20:18-21
John 20:18-21 (NIV) 18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
Conclusion
A. All the "empty" claims were confirmed on the first day of Christ's resurrection as He appeared to various sets of disciples on at least five separate occasions:
1. First, to Mary Magdalene, John 20
2. Second ,to a group of women, Mat 28
3. Third, to two disciple on the Emmaus Road, Luke 24
4. Fourth, to Peter, Luke 24:34
5. Five, to the disciples in the Upper Room, Luke 24
B. Jesus continued to give proof of His resurrection:
1. By ministering to His disciples for forty days thereafter, Acts 1:3.
Acts 1:3 (NIV) 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
2. By showing Himself to over five hundred of His followers until He ascended to Heaven, 1 Cor 15:3-7.
1 Corinthians 15:3-7 (NIV) 3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
3. Appearing to Paul on the Damascus Road, Acts 9:3-6.
Acts 9:3-6 (NIV) 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
C. Jesus will give personal proof of His resurrection someday to all of us, but by what means and with what results is up to us, Rom 14:11-12; 1 Tim 4:1-2.
Romans 14:11-12 (NIV) 11It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" 12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 (NIV) 1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
