Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there on Sunday morning to complete the burial rites of their Master and Lord Jesus Christ. They were surprised to see the Empty Tomb. “So, they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.” (Matthew 28:8) Interestingly, joy and fear are both combined instead of cancelling each other. The truth of resurrection creates a sense of awe as well as great joy in believers.
Great Joy: They did not anticipate resurrection. They wanted to mourn and perform burial rites properly. Angel’s message was: “He is not here. He has risen from the dead.” Mourning has been transformed to rejoicing. Prophet Isaiah had indeed promised ‘the oil of joy’ instead of mourning. (Isaiah 61:3) The Miracle of Resurrection of the Lord surpassed all other miracles they had seen as they followed Lord Jesus Christ. They rejoiced for the privilege of knowing Him and experiencing an historical event that will bring joy to the whole world and hope for all humanity.
Fear: In resurrection, His deity was attested beyond any trace of doubt. They were afraid that they had seen, touched and experienced the Son of God. Will they die? Manoah and his wife were afraid that they would die as they had seen the Angel of the Lord. (Judges 13:22) They stood stunned in His presence. Lord Jesus had taught them, the purpose for which He came into this world. With fear and trembling they understood the purpose of incarnation and its implications.
Tell: Their joy and fear were expressed in words. The message of hope to disciples and to all humanity. They are not supposed to keep quiet but announce to one and all. Yes, they experienced the joy of sharing the message of the gospel.
The resurrection Sunday is the greatest day in the history of humanity. The death was brought into the world by the Fall of First Adam. Second Adam brings eternal life to humanity, as demonstrated by His resurrection.
Do I experience the Joy and Fear?