"wliich was not, and Him to be dead whicli was alive. She weeps, because she finds the grave empty, which, God forbid she should have found full, for then Christ must have been dead Btill, and there would be no resurrection. And this case of Mary Magdalene is our case oftentimes. It is the error of our conceit to weep when we have no cause, and to joy when we have as little. False joys and false sorrows, false hopes and false fears, this life of ours is full of. God help us ! "
14. — [And w7ien.. .turned. ..hack. ..saw Jesus standing.'] Why Mary turned back at this moment we are not told. I feel no doubt there was some reason. The Greek words are very emphati- cal : " She turned to the things or places behind her." (a) It may be that she turned away from the questioners, as not car- ing to continue conversation with them, {b) It may be that she heard a footstep behind her, and turned to see who it was. (c) It may be that the shadow of some one behind her fell on the en- trance to the tomb. The sun would be in the east, and if the tomb faced that way, its horizontal rays would throw the shadow of any person behind her on the tomb. (cZ) It may be that she observed some gesture or motion on the part of the angels with whom she was talking, which told her that some one was behind her. Who can tell but these holy spirits, who doubtless recognized the Lord, rose respectfully from their sit- ting position, as soon as they saw Jesus appear. I like this last solution best, for my own part. I cannot for a moment suppose that the angels would remain sitting motionless, when Jesus appeared. And I believe that Mary, as she talked with them, detected at once by their altered manner, that there was some one behind her. This it was that made her " turn herself back." Such little touches give a wonderful life and reality to the whole narrative, in my j udgment.
Chrysostom observes, " While Mary was speaking, Christ suddenly appearing behind her, struck the angels with awe ; and they, beholding their Ruler, showed immediately by their bearing, their look, their movements, that they saw the Lord. This drew the woman's attention, and caused her to turn."
The same view is taken by Athanasius, Theophylact,Brentiua, Gerhard, and Andrews.
[And knew not that it was Jesus.] There are but three ways in whicli we can explain Mary not recognizing Christ at once. {a) She was weeping bitterly, and her eyes were dim with tears. This, however, seems very improbable, (b) It was not broad day-light yet, and it was too dusky to distinguish any one. This is Cyril's view; but it can hardly be correct, considering all that had already occurred this. Sunday morning, (e) Her eyes were liolden supcrnaturally, like those of the disciples walking to Emmaus, so that she did not distinguish the figure before her to be that of our Lord. This appears to me by far the most likely solution, miraculous as the circumstance cer