What Happened on That First Day of the Week?

1. "There was a great earthquake" (Matthew 28:2).
2. "The angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it" (Matthew 28:2).
3. "The keepers (the appointed guards - Matthew 27:62-66) did shake and became as dead men" (Matthew 28:4).
4. "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre" (Matthew 28:1). "When Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept, And they, when they had heard that he was alive; and had been seen of her, believed not" (Mark 16:9-11).
   John describes Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene. Read the account in John 20:11-18. Mark 16: "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome...brought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him." It was very early in the morning on the first day of the week at the rising of the sun.
   * They said among themselves, who shall roll away the stone, for it was very great. When they looked they saw it was already rolled away.
   * Luke reports that Joanna and other women were with them.
5. "The angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said, Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you" (Matthew 28:5-8).
   * "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. And he said unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here; behold the place where they laid him" (Mark 16:5).
   * Luke tells us that "two men stood by them in shining garments...they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee" (Luke 24:4-7).
6. "They departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy: and did run to bring his disciples word" (Matthew 28:8).
7. "As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him" (Matthew 28:9).
8. "Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. * When the women, having been instructed by Jesus, were going to tell His disciples, some of the watch came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that were done. * The chief priests assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, "Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept." They promised that "if the matter came to the governor's ear, we will persuade him, and secure you" (Matthew 28:11-14). They took the money and did as they were instructed. This is the account that was commonly reported among the Jews unto the time Matthew wrote his account of the Gospel (Matthew 28:15).
9. John tells that when Mary came to Peter and John and reported the matter, they both ran to the sepulchre. John outran Peter, came to the sepulchre, stooped down and looked in, but Peter then arriving at the sepulchre went into the sepulchre, followed by John. They saw the head wrapping and the linen grave clothes lying there and went away then again to their own home (John 20:1-10).
10. Mark 16:12 and Luke 24:13-32 give the account of Jesus appearing to two of the disciples in the evening time on their way to Emmaus, his conversation with them, His making Himself known to them in the breaking of bread, and their return to Jerusalem the same day to report the matter to the other disciples.
11. As these two were reporting the happenings to the disciples in Jerusalem, Jesus came into the midst of them, talked with them and showed himself to them. Thomas was not present with the other ten. When they told him, he stated that he would not believe unless he would see the print of the nails in His hands and put his finger into the print of the nails and into his side, he would not believe. John 20:19-25 gives this account.