The women approach the tomb with their burial perfumes and ointments in hand. They find Roman soldiers guarding the entrance to Jesus’ tomb. They ask the guards for permission to anoint Jesus’ corpse with burial perfumes. The guards agree, so long as they can monitor the situation to make sure nothing suspicious happens.
They open the tomb and carefully watch the women as they anoint the lifeless body of Jesus as part of the burial process. The women are crushed. They thought Jesus really was the Messiah, but here He lies dead.
Their tears mix with their burial ointments as they reverently perform this act of kindness for Jesus of Nazareth’s corpse. When they finish, the soldiers escort them out. The guards seal the tomb and stand watch. They have been warned to watch out for Jesus’ disciples.
The Roman guards should not worry about Jesus’ disciples. They have been hiding in fear, thinking what just happened to Jesus is about to happen to them. Walking slowly, the women go to deliver their eyewitness report to a few disciples. They explain all they saw at Jesus’ tomb and how they cared for His corpse. Dejection permeates the room. Suddenly, their future is bleak and identities are crushed.
Peter can’t stop thinking about his last exchange with Jesus. Before he went to the cross, Jesus warned Peter that he would deny him. Peter was headstrong. He could not imagine a scenario where he would deny Jesus. He confidently told Jesus he would not deny Him. Yet he did. With the words of his third and final denial still fresh off his lips, Peter locked eyes with Jesus. Peter’s heart and soul is crushed as he begins to weep uncontrollably. He runs away from Jesus in the darkest hour of their lives (see Luke 22:60-62).
On that somber Sunday, the women give their report and the tears stream down Peter’s cheeks. His identity fell like a house of cards. How can he move forward in life? He thought Jesus was going to make him a fisher of men, but all he can do now is return to being a fisherman.
As the sun sets on that day, Thomas, with his head and face concealed, quietly slips into the house where the other disciples are hiding. He wasn’t with them when the women gave their report. Whispering, he asks if there is any news. He can tell from the looks on their faces that the news isn’t going to be good. The disciples confirm his doubts. Jesus is still dead and in the grave. There was no Resurrection after all.
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