Bible Stories for Adults

Jesus Appears to Women & Two Disciples

Matthew 28:1-15; Luke 24:13-35

Next Week - Jesus Appears to the Twelve and to Thomas (John 20:19-31)
Bible Words to Remember:
I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Matthew 28:5-6

Caves, both natural and man-made, were used as family tombs
Shelves or niches in large caves would hold individual bodies, sealed by flat stones
Criminals could not be buried in family tombs - guilty could not be buried with the just
Criminal bodies either burned in Valley of Gehenna
or thrown on temple ash heap in Valley of Hinnom (Valley of Corpses)
Bodies were wrapped in strips of linen with various spices to keep odor down
Jews did not use any of the embalming techniques of the Egyptians
John 11:38-40, 43-44
After a body was placed in a tomb, a large stone would be rolled in front of entrance
Stones were often whitewashed by the family
Matthew 23:27-28

How was Jesus' body kept from being burned or thrown away as for other criminals?
Luke 23:50-52
What did he do with Jesus' body?
Luke 23:53
Did Joseph get any help?
John 19:39-40
Why was Joseph in such a rush and unable to fully wash and rub Jesus' body?
Luke 23:54

If Joseph and Nicodemus were alone, how did the disciples know where Jesus was buried?
Luke 23:55
Why didn't the women wait until Joseph was done and add their own spices to Jesus' body?
Luke 23:56

How did the chief priests disobey their own traditions against working on the Sabbath?
Matthew 27:62-64
Did the leaders ask Pilate to do it so they wouldn't have to work on the Sabbath?
Matthew 27:65-66
The seal was a cord stretched across the stone & secured with clay on each side

What did the women do their first chance after obediently observing the Passover Sabbath?
Matthew 28:1
How anxious were they to get to the tomb?
John 20:1a
What concerned them as they walked?
Mark 16:1-3

How did God's creation respond to Jesus' death?
Matthew 27:50-51
How did God's creation respond to Jesus' resurrection?
Matthew 28:2

How did the women's concern over the stone change when they reached the tomb?
Luke 24:2-3
How did Mary of Magdala (town in Galilee) react to what she saw?
John 20:1-2
What did the other women do?
Luke 24:4

How does Matthew describe the appearance of the angels?
Matthew 28:3
What does this appearance mean?
Exodus 34:29, 34-35

What did the angels say to the women?
Luke 24:5-8
Had Jesus clearly explained that He would rise or had He said so in a parable?
Luke 18:31-34
On the Third Day - Not after three days
Any part of a day counted as a day (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Did the angels give the women any instructions?
Matthew 28:5-7
Four messages: Don't be afraid; He is not here; Come and see; Go quickly and tell.
Did the women immediately go tell the disciples?
Mark 16:8

How did Peter and John react when Mary Magdalene told them Jesus' body was gone?
John 20:3-5
What did Peter see that showed Jesus' body had not been hastily stolen?
John 20:6-7
After seeing the empty tomb, did Peter & John believe and understand that Jesus had risen?
John 20:8-9
How does Luke record Peter's reaction?
Luke 24:12

After following Peter & John to the tomb, what did Mary Magdalene do after they left?
John 20:10-11
What did she see in the tomb and why was she crying?
John 20:12-13

Who did she think may have moved Jesus' body?
John 20:14-15
How did Jesus let her know who He really was?
John 20:16
What did Jesus say when Mary tried to hug Him in her excitement?
John 20:17
What did Mary do in response?
John 20:18

Had Jesus appeared to anyone else before Mary saw Him?
Mark 16:9-11
Who did He appear to next?
Matthew 28:8-9
What did Jesus say to them?
Matthew 28:10

What had happened to the guards when the angel came and rolled back the stone?
Matthew 28:2-4
What happened to the guards while all of these people were visiting the tomb?
Matthew 28:11
With this proof, did the chief priests come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah?
Matthew 28:12-15

After what had happened in the early morning, did the disciples believe and understand?
Luke 24:11
What happened as a couple of believers walked back home to Emmaus that afternoon?
Luke 24:13-17
Common for travelers to join up and walk & talk together to pass the time (3-4 hrs)
How did they indicate that Jesus' death & empty tomb were the topic of Jerusalem?
Luke 24:18

How did they explain Jesus' story to this stranger?
Luke 24:19
Luke 24:20
Luke 24:21
Luke 24:22-23
Luke 24:24
How did Jesus answer their confusion?
Luke 24:25-27

How interested were these disciples in listening to this stranger?
Luke 24:28-29
What caused them to recognize who this stranger really was?
Luke 24:30-31
After recognizing Jesus, did they feel they should have recognized Him earlier?
Luke 24:32

Although it was dark and dangerous outside, what did these disciples do?
Luke 24:33
Had anything else happened since these men had left Jerusalem?
Luke 24:34
After hearing this update from the apostles, what did the two do?
Luke 24:35
After a full day of events, did the apostles finally believe and understand?
Mark 16:12-13
What amazing thing then happened that helped them believe? (Next Week's Lesson)
Luke 24:36