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 = Jesus raises Lazarus after 4 days, Mary afraid of odor
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 = Pharisees as ww tombs, clean outside but dead inside

How was Jesus' body kept from being burned or thrown away as for other criminals?
Luke 23:50-52 = Secret disciple, Joseph of A, asked for Jesus' body
What did he do with Jesus' body? = Parentheses below are from other gospels
Luke 23:53 = Wrapped it (with spices) in (new) linen & put in (his own) new tomb
Did Joseph get any help? = 75 lbs. of myrrh & aloes
John 19:39-40 = Nicodemus - a Pharisee on Sanhedrin (John 3)
Why was Joseph in such a rush and unable to fully wash and rub Jesus' body?
Luke 23:54 = Late afternoon & Sabbath was about to begin (sundown-sundown)

If Joseph and Nicodemus were alone, how did the disciples know where Jesus was buried?
Luke 23:55 = The women had followed Joseph and seen the tomb
Why didn't the women wait until Joseph was done and add their own spices to Jesus' body?
Luke 23:56 = They rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment

How did the chief priests disobey their own traditions against working on the Sabbath?
Matthew 27:62-64 = They went to Pilate and asked him to secure the tomb
Did the leaders ask Pilate to do it so they wouldn't have to work on the Sabbath?
Matthew 27:65-66 = Did it themselves to protect their positions at any cost
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 = They went to look at the tomb
How anxious were they to get to the tomb?
John 20:1a = While it was still dark
What concerned them as they walked? = Didn't know about the guards
Mark 16:1-3 = How were they going to roll the stone away (100s-1000s of lbs)

How did God's creation respond to Jesus' death?
Matthew 27:50-51 = The earth shook and the rocks split
How did God's creation respond to Jesus' resurrection?
Matthew 28:2 = There was a violent earthquake

How did the women's concern over the stone change when they reached the tomb?
Luke 24:2-3 = They found the stone rolled away, but Jesus' body missing
How did Mary of Magdala (town in Galilee) react to what she saw?
John 20:1-2 = She ran to Peter & John and said that Jesus' body had been moved
What did the other women do?
Luke 24:4 = They stood confused, and then noticed two men in bright robes

How does Matthew describe the appearance of the angels?
Matthew 28:3 = Like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow
What does this appearance mean? = The glory of the Lord
Exodus 34:29, 34-35 = Moses' face shone after being in the presence of the Lord

What did the angels say to the women?
Luke 24:5-8 = They proclaimed that Jesus had risen on the third day as He had said
Had Jesus clearly explained that He would rise or had He said so in a parable?
Luke 18:31-34 = He had explained it very clearly, but they still didn't understand
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 = Tell the disciples He has risen & will see them in Galilee
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 = No, they ran away afraid and said nothing

How did Peter and John react when Mary Magdalene told them Jesus' body was gone?
John 20:3-5 = They ran to the tomb, John arrived first & looked in, didn't enter
What did Peter see that showed Jesus' body had not been hastily stolen?
John 20:6-7 = The burial clothes were neatly & carefully folded
After seeing the empty tomb, did Peter & John believe and understand that Jesus had risen?
John 20:8-9 = The believed but didn't understand
How does Luke record Peter's reaction?
Luke 24:12 = He went away, wondering to himself what had happened

After following Peter & John to the tomb, what did Mary Magdalene do after they left?
John 20:10-11 = She stood outside the tomb crying & looked inside
What did she see in the tomb and why was she crying?
John 20:12-13 = She saw the 2 angels; Crying because Jesus' body was missing

Who did she think may have moved Jesus' body?
John 20:14-15 = The gardener - Who else would have been in the area this early?
How did Jesus let her know who He really was?
John 20:16 = He said her name, she recognized his voice
What did Jesus say when Mary tried to hug Him in her excitement?
John 20:17 = Don't hold me since I haven't yet ascended, Go tell the disciples
What did Mary do in response?
John 20:18 = She went and told the disciples she had seen Jesus

Had Jesus appeared to anyone else before Mary saw Him?
Mark 16:9-11 = No, Mary was the first, Disciples didn't believe her story
Who did He appear to next?
Matthew 28:8-9 = The women going back from the tomb
What did Jesus say to them?
Matthew 28:10 = Go tell my disciples to meet me in Galilee

What had happened to the guards when the angel came and rolled back the stone?
Matthew 28:2-4 = They were deeply scared and froze like dead men (fainted?)
What happened to the guards while all of these people were visiting the tomb?
Matthew 28:11 = They reported what had happened to the chief priests
With this proof, did the chief priests come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah?
Matthew 28:12-15 = No, bribed guards to say the body was stolen as they slept

After what had happened in the early morning, did the disciples believe and understand?
Luke 24:11 = No, it didn't make sense to them
What happened as a couple of believers walked back home to Emmaus that afternoon?
Luke 24:13-17 = Jesus caught up with them as they sadly discussed the events
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 = Asked how he could have been in Jerusalem & not heard the stories

How did they explain Jesus' story to this stranger? = Write on board
Luke 24:19 = Jesus was a prophet, powerful in word & deed
Luke 24:20 = Chief priests and rulers had Him killed
Luke 24:21 = Had hoped He was the Messiah
Luke 24:22-23 = Women found empty tomb & angels on 3rd day, said He was alive
Luke 24:24 = Some disciples also saw empty tomb, but didn't see Jesus
How did Jesus answer their confusion?
Luke 24:25-27 = He used the Scriptures to explain what had happened and why

How interested were these disciples in listening to this stranger?
Luke 24:28-29 = They urged Him to stay with them for the night
What caused them to recognize who this stranger really was?
Luke 24:30-31 = Jesus acted as host at dinner, gave thanks and gave them bread
After recognizing Jesus, did they feel they should have recognized Him earlier?
Luke 24:32 = Yes, only Jesus could have spoken to them as He had

Although it was dark and dangerous outside, what did these disciples do?
Luke 24:33 = They returned at once to Jerusalem and found the apostles
Had anything else happened since these men had left Jerusalem?
Luke 24:34 = Jesus had appeared to Peter (1 Cor 15:5)
After hearing this update from the apostles, what did the two do?
Luke 24:35 = They told their story
After a full day of events, did the apostles finally believe and understand?
Mark 16:12-13 = They did not believe them either
What amazing thing then happened that helped them believe? (Next Week's Lesson)
Luke 24:36 = Jesus appeared among them while they were still talking