This verse, Luke 24:1, is the very beginning of the account of the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Let's break down what it means:
"But on the first day of the week...": This refers to Sunday, the day after the Sabbath (Saturday). This is significant because it marks the beginning of a new week and, for Christians, a new era.
"...at early dawn...": This specifies the time as very early in the morning, just as the sun was rising. This detail emphasizes that they went to the tomb as soon as it was reasonably possible after the Sabbath.
"...they and some others came to the tomb...": "They" refers to the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and had witnessed his crucifixion. Later in the chapter, we learn the names of some of these women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James (Luke 24:10). The phrase "and some others" suggests that the group was larger than just these specifically named women.
"...bringing the spices which they had prepared.": This tells us the purpose of their visit. After Jesus' crucifixion, they didn't have time to properly anoint his body for burial before the Sabbath began. So, they prepared the spices beforehand (likely a mixture of fragrant herbs and oils) and brought them to complete the burial rituals. Anointing the dead was a common practice in Jewish culture.
In summary, this verse sets the scene for the discovery of the empty tomb. It tells us that a group of women, motivated by their love and devotion to Jesus, went to his tomb early on Sunday morning to perform a customary act of respect for the dead. This is a crucial point in the Gospel because it highlights the unexpected absence of Jesus' body and sets the stage for the revelation of his resurrection.
This verse, Luke 24:1, is the very beginning of the account of the resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Let's break down what it means:
"But on the first day of the week...": This refers to Sunday, the day after the Sabbath (Saturday). This is significant because it marks the beginning of a new week and, for Christians, a new era.
"...at early dawn...": This specifies the time as very early in the morning, just as the sun was rising. This detail emphasizes that they went to the tomb as soon as it was reasonably possible after the Sabbath.
"...they and some others came to the tomb...": "They" refers to the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and had witnessed his crucifixion. Later in the chapter, we learn the names of some of these women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James (Luke 24:10). The phrase "and some others" suggests that the group was larger than just these specifically named women.
"...bringing the spices which they had prepared.": This tells us the purpose of their visit. After Jesus' crucifixion, they didn't have time to properly anoint his body for burial before the Sabbath began. So, they prepared the spices beforehand (likely a mixture of fragrant herbs and oils) and brought them to complete the burial rituals. Anointing the dead was a common practice in Jewish culture.
In summary, this verse sets the scene for the discovery of the empty tomb. It tells us that a group of women, motivated by their love and devotion to Jesus, went to his tomb early on Sunday morning to perform a customary act of respect for the dead. This is a crucial point in the Gospel because it highlights the unexpected absence of Jesus' body and sets the stage for the revelation of his resurrection.