Jesus' First Appearance 

In the early hours of Sunday morning, April 9, 30 CE, a group of devoted women embarked on a solemn mission to the tomb of Jesus. Armed with an assortment of embalming lotions and fresh bandages, their purpose was to provide the final anointing to his lifeless body. Little did they know that their journey would culminate in an extraordinary encounter that defied all expectations – their encounter with the risen Jesus.

As the first signs of daybreak appeared in the eastern sky, five women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the Alpheus twins, Salome the mother of the Zebedee brothers, Joanna the wife of Chuza, and Susanna the daughter of Ezra of Alexandria, set out for the tomb. Laden with their precious ointments and linen bandages, they made their way towards the burial site, intent on bestowing upon Jesus the utmost reverence in death.

Arriving at the tomb's location, the women were taken aback to find the stone rolled away from the entrance. Astonished and filled with trepidation, they paused momentarily, recalling their earlier concern about who would assist them in moving the stone. Setting down their burdens, their fear intensified as they entered the tomb and beheld an empty space before them.

Within the recesses of the tomb, Mary Magdalene, driven by a mixture of curiosity and distress, ventured further, catching sight of the folded napkin that once cradled Jesus' head and the undisturbed bandages that had encased his body. Although the body was gone, the precise arrangement of the grave cloths confounded them. Perplexed, the women huddled together, their minds racing to comprehend this perplexing situation. They contemplated the possibility that the body had been relocated, yet the orderly placement of the grave cloths defied any logical explanation.

As the women deliberated, a silent and motionless stranger caught their attention. Initially frightened, Mary Magdalene, approaching the figure with a mix of desperation and hope. Thinking he might be the caretaker of the garden, she asked, “Where have you taken the Master? Where have they laid him? Tell us that we may go and get him.” Unresponsive to her plea, Mary began to shed tears of anguish. Then, in a moment that would forever change her life, the stranger spoke, asking, "Whom do you seek?"

Suddenly, with a voice brimming with familiarity and affection, the stranger uttered the name "Mary." The recognition was instantaneous, and Mary Magdalene, realizing that she stood in the presence of her beloved Master, hurriedly knelt before him, exclaiming, "My Lord and my Master!" The other women, now comprehending the truth, joined Mary in kneeling before the glorified form of Jesus.

Their human eyes were able to see a different form of Jesus because of the special assistance from certain beings associated with Jesus. As Mary tried to hug his feet, Jesus told her not to touch him, explaining that he was not the same as before. He would remain in this form for a while before going to the Father. Jesus instructed the women to inform his apostles, including Peter, that he had risen and that they had spoken with him.

Overwhelmed by the miraculous encounter, the women left the tomb and hastened back to the city. Seeking out the home of Elijah Mark, they eagerly shared their experience with the ten apostles. However, skepticism greeted their words, as the apostles dismissed their account as a vision or a figment of their imagination. Undeterred, Mary Magdalene recounted the precise words Jesus had spoken to them. Upon hearing his name, Peter, followed closely by John, raced to the tomb to verify the astonishing claims.

Despite the women's persistent testimony, the apostles remained hesitant to accept the reality of Jesus' resurrection. The news, however, had been planted, and the seeds of belief began to take root within their hearts.