“Go your way; tell his disciples and Peter[74] that he is risen from the dead. And, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him. Lo, I have told you.” Greatly agitated and overjoyed, they ran to communicate the glad tidings to the disciples. On their way, Jesus met them, and greeted them with the words, “All hail!” “And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.” Some of the guard also, as they recovered from their swoon, hastened into the city to report to the chief priests what had transpired. Alarmed by these tidings, they held a council, and bribed the soldiers to say that they all fell asleep in the night; and, while they slept, the disciples of Jesus came and stole the body. This was the best story they could fabricate; though it was obvious, that, if they were asleep, they could not know that the disciples had stolen the body. Moreover, it was death for a Roman soldier to be found sleeping at his post. The rulers, however, promised that they would intercede with Pilate, and secure them from harm. The women hastened to the residence of John, who had taken home with him the mother of Jesus. There they met him and Peter, and informed them of what had happened. The two disciples immediately started upon the run for the sepulchre. John reached the sepulchre first, and, looking in, saw the tomb to be empty, and the grave-clothes of Jesus lying in a corner. He, however, did not venture in. The impetuous Peter soon arrived, and immediately entered the tomb. John followed after him. The body of Jesus was gone: the grave-clothes alone remained. Thoughtfully they returned to their home. Mary Magdalene had probably accompanied John and Peter to the tomb; and, after they had left, she remained near the door, weeping. As she wept, she looked into the sepulchre, and saw “two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” One of the angels said to her, “Woman, why weepest thou?” She replied, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.” It seems that she still thought that the enemies of Jesus had taken away his remains. As she said this, she turned around, and saw a man standing at her side. It was Jesus; but she knew him not. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, replied, “Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her (probably then assuming his well-known voice), “Mary!” Instantly she recognized him, and, astonished and overjoyed, could only exclaim, “Master!” Jesus added,―― “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.”