When John examined the tomb, he saw that the body of Jesus must, in some miraculous way, have slipped out of the linen clothes, leaving them lying in such perfect order: "he saw, and believed" that Jesus was indeed risen. "For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." Up to this time they had not rightly understood this Scripture; and John's faith now rested on what he had _seen_, not, as it should have done, upon the Word of God. Peter and John, having satisfied themselves that the body of Jesus was no longer in the sepulchre, "went away again unto their own home," before Mary Magdalene, who had followed them, reached the sepulchre for the second time: she arriving after they had left, would naturally be disappointed at not hearing their opinion, as to the disappearance of the body of Jesus. She was grieved that any one should have carried Him away; and this, added to the recollection of what she had witnessed in the sufferings and death of Jesus, so disturbed Mary, that she "stood without at the sepulchre weeping. And as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the (inner) sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." So little did Mary expect the Lord to rise again to life, that even the sight of angels sitting by His open tomb, did not convince her that the body had not been removed to another place. She was soon to know the truth; for "when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing." But it pleased the Lord to appear to her in such a form, that at first she knew not that it was Jesus. This was the first appearance of Jesus Christ after His resurrection; for, as St. Mark tells us, "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing Him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary." This one word, spoken in the tone she had been accustomed to hear, removed all doubts and fears: now she sees and knows that it is indeed Jesus restored to life, who stands by her. We can imagine with what surprise and joy "she turned herself" quickly towards her Lord, "and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master." From what follows, we may suppose that in her exceeding gladness, Mary would have laid hold upon the Lord to detain Him; for "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."