Mark 16:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.

NIV: Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb

NASB: And very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

CSB: Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise.

NLT: Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.

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

NKJV: Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

We know that Jesus was crucified on the day before the Sabbath (Mark 15:42). What we don't know is which Sabbath it was. Jesus was crucified on Passover (Mark 14:12). The day after Passover is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is a holiday-Sabbath (Leviticus 23:5–7). John says the Sabbath after Jesus' death was a "high day" (John 19:31). So it may be that the day after Jesus' death was a holiday-Sabbath and the day before His resurrection was a normal, Friday-evening-to-Saturday-evening Sabbath.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses watched Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus bury Jesus (Mark 15:42–47; John 19:39). Nicodemus had brought seventy-five pounds of myrrh and aloes, but when the women returned to where they were staying, they prepared more spices to complete the burial custom (Luke 23:56).

John says the women come "while it was still dark" (John 20:1); Luke says, "at early dawn" (Luke 24:1); Matthew says, "toward the dawn" (Matthew 28:1). The light would have just started to creep into the sky around 5:00 a.m. and be fully above the horizon around 6:30 a.m. The women literally could not have come any earlier, without dragging along extensive lighting.

Mark 16:1–8 proclaims that Jesus is alive! After telling the disciples, several times over three years,that He will die and rise again, Jesus' work is finally done. But the disciples are in hiding. Only the women come to the tomb, carrying burial spices instead of hope. Among them are Mary Magdalene, the ''other'' Mary, and Salome, along with Joanna and some of the other women who have supported Jesus' ministry (Luke 8:3; 24:10). They have come to care for Him one last time, but He is not there. He is risen! This account is also found in Matthew 28:1–8, Luke 24:1–8, and John 20:1.

After the mandatory time of rest, several of Jesus' female followers approach His tomb intending to anoint the body. Their primary concern is who will open the tomb for them so they can honor Jesus' remains. They arrive to find the tomb open, empty, and watched over by angels. After hearing from these beings (Luke 24:4–7), the women leave in fear, speaking only to the disciples. This ends the original, God-inspired text of the Gospel of Mark. Verses 9–20 are mostly corroborated by other Scripture, but were not part of the initial writing.

Leading up to chapter 16, Jesus has been unfairly tried and executed by crucifixion. Starting in this passage, Jesus' women followers find an empty tomb, but don't know what it means. Jesus' work for our salvation is done, but explaining that to His disciples will take another forty days (Acts 1:3). And telling the world is a work that will continue until His return. The resurrection and events after are also covered in Matthew 28, Luke 24, John 20—21, and Acts 1:1–11. The most reliable copies of the Gospel of Mark leave the disciples where they have spent much of the story: confused and afraid. Jesus is risen, but they haven't yet accepted that. Everything after verse 9 is most likely a later scribal addition.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.