Ryle on Mark 16:1-8

Imported boundary: J. C. Ryle's Expository Thoughts on Mark from the Internet Archive DjVu OCR for the 1858 Robert Carter St. Mark volume. Title pages, preface, contents, running heads, page numbers, OCR boilerplate, and indexes are not mirrored. The source includes Ryle's printed Scripture text and exposition; this scan-derived text remains needs-verification.

Primary passage: Mark 16:1-8.

Source Text

1 And when the sahbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mo- ther of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very ureat. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment ; and they were affrighted. 6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Naza- reth, which was crucified : he is risen ; he is not here : behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell his disci- ples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre ; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man ; for they were afraid. they saw a young man snuug ou uie

Let us observe, in this passage, the power of strong love to Christ. We have a forcible illustration of this in the conduct of Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, which St. Mark here records. He tells us that they had u bought sweet spices" to anoint our Lord, and that " very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sun."

We may well believe that it required no small courage to do this. To visit the grave in the dim twilight of an eastern day-break, would try most women, under any circumstances. But to visit the grave of one who had been put to death as a common malefactor, and to rise early to show honor to one whom their nation had despised, this was a mighty boldness indeed. Yet these are the kind of acts which show the difference between wreak faith and strong faith - between weak feeling and strong feeling towards Christ. These holy women had tasted of our Lord's pardoning mercies. Their hearts were full of gratitude to Him for light, and hope, and comfort, and peace. They were willing to risk all conse- quences in testifying their affection to their Saviour. So true are the words of Canticles : " Love is strong as death - many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." (Cant. viii. 6, 7.) Why is it that we see so little of this strong love to Jesus among Christians of the present day ? How is it that we so seldom meet with saints who will face any clanger, and go through fire and water for Christ's sake ? There is only one answer. It is the weak faith, and the low sense of obligation to Christ, which so widely pre- vail. A low and feeble sense of sin will always produce a low and feeble sense of the value of salvation. A slight sense of our debt to God will always be attended by a slight sense of what we owe for our redemption. It is the man who feels much forgiven who loves much. " To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." (Luke vii. 47.)

Let us observe, secondly, in this passage, bow the difficulties which Christians fear, will sometimes disappear as they approach them. These holy women, as they walked to our Lord's grave, were full of fears about the stone at the door. " They said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre " But their fears were needless. Their expected trouble was found not to exist. " When tbey looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away." What a striking emblem we have in this simple narra- tive, of the experience of many Christians! How often believers are oppressed and cast down by anticipation of evils, and yet, in the time of need, find the tbing they feared removed, and the " stone rolled away." A large proportion of a saint's anxieties arise from things wbich never really happen. We look forward to all the possi- bilities of the journey towards heaven. We conjure up in our imagination all kind of crosses and obstacles. We carry mentally to-morrow's troubles, as well as to-day's. And often, very often, we find at tbe end, that our doubts and alarms were groundless, and that the thing we dreaded most has never come to pass at all.

Let us pray for more practical faith. Let us believe that in the path of duty, we shall never be entirely for- saken. Let us go forward boldly, and we shall often find that the lion in the way is chained, and the seeming hedge of thorns is only a shadow.

Let us observe, thirdly, in this passage, that the friends of Christ have no cause to be afraid of angels. We are told, that when Mary Magdalene and her companion saw an angel sitting in the sepulchre, " they were affrighted." But they were at once reassured by his words : " Be not affrighted : ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified." The lesson at first sight, may seem of little import- ance.

We see no visions of angels in the present day. We do not expect to see them. But the lesson is one which we may find useful at some future time. The day is drawing near when the Lord Jesus shall come again to judge the world, with all the angels round Him. The angels in that day shall gather together His elect from the four winds. The angels shall gather the tares into bundles to burn them. The angels shall gather the wheat of God into His barn. Those whom the angels take they shall carry to glory, honor, and immortality. Those whom they leave behind shall be left to shame and everlasting contempt. Let us strive so to live, that when we die we may be carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. Let us en- deavor to be known of angels as those who seek Jesus, and love Him in this world, and so are heirs of salva- tion. Let us give diligence to make our repentance sure, and so to cause joy in the presence of the angels of God. Then, whether we wake or sleep, when the archangel's voice is heard, we shall have no cause to be afraid. We shall rise from our grave, and see in the angels our friends and fellow-servants, in whose company we shall spend a blessed eternity. 35T

Let us observe, lastly, in this passage, the exceeding kindness of God towards his backsliding servants. The message which the angel conveys is a striking illustration of this truth. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were bid to tell the disciples that " Jesus goeth before them into Galilee/' and that " there they shall see him." But the message is not directed generally to the eleven apostles. This alone, after their late desertion of their master, would have been a most gracious action. Yet Simon Peter who had denied his Lord three times, is specially mentioned by name. Peter, who had sinned particularly, is singled out and noticed particularly. There were to be no exceptions in the deed of grace. All were to be pardoned. All were to be restored to favor - and Simon Peter as well as the rest.

We may well say when we read words like these, " this is not the manner of man." On no point perhaps are our views of religion so narrow, low, and contracted, as on the point of God's exceeding willingness to pardon penitent sinners. We think of Him as such an one as ourselves. We forget that " he delighteth in mercy." (Micah vii. 18.)

Let us leave the passage with a determination to open the door of mercy very wide to sinners, in all our speak- ing and teaching about religion. Not least, let us leave it with a resolution never to be unforgiving towards our fellow men. If Christ is so ready to forgive us, we ought to be very ready to forgive others.