By Pastor Van Welton
Read
The women who had come with Him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how His body was placed. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. – Luke 23:55-56 (HCSB)
Reflect
Verses 55-56 of Luke 23 provide additional evidence to support our faith in the resurrected Lord. At first glance, these verses appear out of place, superfluous to the overall narrative. Why not simply say that when Jesus died, He was buried? Why did Luke intentionally mention that the women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee also journeyed with the crucified Jesus to His tomb?
The included information makes sense only when coupled with the post resurrection experience of these same women. Scripture tells us that on the third day, they came back to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with burial spices. When they arrived at the same tomb where they last saw the lifeless body of Jesus two days before, they discovered that Jesus had risen!
Without their prior visit to his tomb, critics may question if the women were at the right tomb. It would be easy to speculate that Jesus was still buried in another tomb. Yet, the evidence of their multiple trips to His tomb dispels the misnomer that the women mistakenly visited an unused tomb. Without a doubt, the women visited the empty tomb of the resurrected Lord.
Apply
Despite their urgency in preparing the spices and perfumes, the women paused their work to observe the Sabbath. This teaches us the importance of rest and honoring God’s commandments. In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to neglect rest, but observing Sabbath rest allows us to recharge physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
And despite the uncertainty and sorrow surrounding Jesus’s death, the women trusted in God’s sovereignty. They continued to follow Jesus and obey His teachings, even in the midst of difficulty. Similarly, we can trust in God’s plan for our lives, even when circumstances seem bleak or confusing.
Pray
Thank you, Father, for providing this narrative nugget to bolster our faith.
In Jesus’s holy name, we pray. Amen.
