Jesus Is Raised from the Dead

Women come to the tomb expecting to anoint a corpse and worrying about access to the burial place. Instead they encounter the stone moved and a heavenly-looking messenger announcing resurrection.

The unexpected empty-tomb announcement reverses the apparent finality of crucifixion.

The Old Testament contains hopes of divine deliverance from death and eventual resurrection, though Mark does not explicitly cite a particular passage in this scene.

Jesus had repeatedly predicted both his death and resurrection, so the announcement also vindicates his prophetic authority.

The messenger identifies the same Jesus who was crucified and declares that he has been raised and is not in the tomb. The women are instructed to tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is going ahead to Galilee.

Mark 16:1-8 therefore closes the secure early textual form of the Gospel with resurrection announcement, fear, and an unfinished summons to respond.

Mark grammatically presents Jesus as having been raised, so this record should not claim that Mark 16:6 explicitly says Jesus raised himself. No resurrection prerogative is assigned here.

The resurrection is nevertheless powerful vindication of the identity and authority Mark has disclosed throughout the Gospel. It confirms that the condemned Son is God's victorious Messiah and Son.

The women flee from the tomb trembling and astonished, initially saying nothing because they are afraid.