Who Will Roll Away the Stone? - Mark 16:3

After Jesus died and was buried, Mark wrote, “when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint” Jesus' body. Mark continued, “And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun”, and in chapter sixteen and verse three of his book, Mark shared how the women asked, “who shall roll us away the stone?” where we read:

And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?

The verse reads, “And they said among themselves, ...” Mark began with the words, “and they said” or “and the women conversed, talked and asked” “among themselves” which means “each of them conversed with each other and toward their own selves”. Mark shared how the three women began to discuss the question presented in the next part of this verse.

The verse continues, “... Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?” Mark added the words, “who shall roll us away the stone” which means “what person will remove and discharge the large rock which was blocking” “from the door” which means “separate from the entrance and opening” “of the sepulcher” which refers to “of the grave or tomb”? Mark shared how Mary Magdalene, Mary and Salome questioned who would remove the large rock which covered the entry way to Jesus' tomb.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we notice how these women knew their limitations. Though their desire was to honor and respect Jesus' body, they had a problem. They did not know who would “remove” the large “stone” which Joseph of Arimathaea placed over Jesus' tomb. Little did they know, God through His angel was to care for that situation, and their willingness to “anoint” Jesus' body would be unnecessary. Jesus rose from the dead and was not in the tomb as we shall see, and because He was not there, anyone who believes and trusts in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” will receive forgiveness of their sins and “everlasting life” with God. Let all who consider these things yield their lives to Jesus who is able to “remove” any obstacle for them coming to His Father God.

Next time Mark shares how the women, “saw that the stone was rolled away”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".