Women Visit the Tomb (1-8)

The Sabbath had passed; it was Sunday, and Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome decided to anoint Jesus' body further with spices (1). The sun was just rising on that first morning when they approached the tomb, having not answered the question they had been asking along the way: “Who will roll away the stone at the entrance of the tomb?” (2-3) 

When they arrived at the tomb, they noticed the stone had already been rolled away. Unhindered, they entered the tomb and saw a young man wearing the same garment as the young man who fled from Jesus' arrest (white linen). This was most likely Mark's way of saying, “I am that guy.” 

The young man was sitting on the right side of where Jesus had been laid, and the women entered the tomb but their concerns were not comforted by what they saw (4-5).

The man sought to calm their alarms, reminding them that they had come seeking Jesus of Nazareth, the One who had been crucified, who had risen from the dead. He then encouraged them to inspect the place where Jesus had been lying and recognize that He was no longer there (6). (I realize the young man could have been an angel, as Matthew described him, but I want to include the possibility that the messenger God used on that morning was Mark.)

The young man then instructed the women to go tell the disciples, and particularly Peter, that Jesus wanted them to keep following Him to Galilee, for they were going to meet again there at the place (Matthew 26:32) where He had promised they would meet (7). The women, still in fear and astonishment,  fled the tomb afraid that they could not pass on the young man's news to anyone (8). Matthew reported that they had to see Jesus personally (Matthew 28:9-10).

The Added Ending (9-20)

Most people believe Mark's Gospel ends with verse 8, thinking the rest was added sometime later to give insight into the common teaching and tellings of the Resurrection shared among believers for years after Jesus arose. 

I realize verses 9 to 20 are not in most ancient manuscripts, but I would rather think Mark added the material later to finish off his Gospel. Nevertheless, it doesn't matter either way because all the material in these passages is confirmed elsewhere in scripture.

Mary Magdalene (9-11)

Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, and she was seen as one of the first ones to break in on the disciples' mourning with the news that Jesus was alive, but the disciples had trouble believing her (Matthew 28:1-10).

The Two Emmaus Disciples (12-13)

Here we have the shortened version of the two disciples’ experience on the road to Emmaus. For the detailed version of this part of the story, see Luke 24:1-34.

Appearing to the Eleven (14)

Over and over again, the disciples struggled to believe what they were seeing, and Jesus was using His appearances to strengthen their faith and resolve. Here, Jesus used His appearance and rebuke to strengthen the disciples (24:35-36).

The Great Commission (15-18)

This version of the Great Commission is lengthened. It includes the missional part of the commission, “Go proclaim,” pointing to faith and baptism as in Matthew 28:18-20 (15-16). Mark added more detail with the “greater things” or signs that would follow Christ's followers (John 14:12) as they took the gospel to the whole world:

• casting out demons

• speaking in new tongues to proclaim the gospel

• picking up venomous serpents without being harmed

• drinking deadly poisons without dying

• laying hands on the sick for recovery (17-18) 

The Ascension (19-20) 

The book ends with Jesus' ascension and the early disciples’ preaching the gospel everywhere, both events to be recorded in detail in the book of Acts.