[Illustration: Jesus Revealeth Himself to Mary Magdalene Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and _looked_ into the sepulchre. And seeth two angels in white sitting, ... where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 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. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 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. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.—_St. John xx: 11-18._ _NOTE BY THE ARTIST_ _It would appear that Mary Magdalene was one of the little company of faithful women who came very early in the morning to the sepulchre, but that she had hastened back to the city before the angelic revelation to her companions. Once more bending her steps in sorrow to the empty grave, to Mary, loving greatly because greatly forgiven, was vouchsafed the privilege of first beholding her risen Lord and Master—the same, yet wondrously changed, so that now, as on subsequent occasions when Jesus appeared to his disciples and “their eyes were holden that they should not know him,” it was not by outward form and aspect, but by words of love and tenderness such as he alone could utter, that his identity was revealed. Although the external aspect of the sepulchre bears little resemblance to that which it presented in former times, the rock-cut grooves which still remain, render it abundantly evident that the entrance with its rolling stone, and the method by which the latter was “sealed,” were such as have been already described in my Note to the picture “The Resurrection of Lazarus.”_ 74] I remember, when at Jerusalem, a very pleasant visit we made to this sacred Mount. It was at the close of a Sunday afternoon. The sun went down as we stood there. And there was something very sweet and solemn in the thought that Jesus, our glorious Lord, had once stood on that Mount, near where we then were. It was from there that his disciples saw him go into heaven. And when he comes back from heaven, his feet will stand again upon the Mount of Olives. And so, when we think of our Saviour going back to heaven, we may always remember that some spot on or near the top of the Mount of Olives was the place of the ascension. _The Manner of the Ascension_—is the third thing of which to speak.