Di Empty Tomb

E still dark. Some women dey waka quietly for di cool morning breeze, dem carry jars of spices. Nobody dey talk much. Na grave dem dey go.

For Friday, dem crucify Jesus of Nazareth outside Jerusalem. Im friends scatter. As sun dey go down for Friday, one man wey dem dey call Joseph of Arimathea lay im body inside one new tomb wey dem dig inside rock, and dem roll one big stone close di entrance. Some of di women wey follow Jesus from Galilee watch where dem lay am. Then Sabbath come, di day of rest. Dem wait. Now, as first light show for Sunday, dem dey go back to take care of im body. As dem dey waka, worry catch dem. Who go roll di stone comot for us?

Dem no need am. When dem reach, dem don already roll di stone comot. Di tomb dey open. And Jesus body no dey there. Each of di Gospels tell dis moment for dia own way. Matthew talk about one angel, wey shine like lightning, wey sit down on top di stone. Luke talk about two men wey dia cloth dey shine well-well. But di main message na di same. “No fear,” di angel talk for Matthew. “E no dey here. E don rise, just as e talk. Come see di place where e lie down. Then go quick-quick and tell im disciples.” And for Luke: “Why una dey find di person wey dey alive among di dead?”

Di women run. Fear and joy full dia body di same time. Dem find di disciples and tell dem everytin. And di disciples no believe dem. E sound like nonsense to dem. But Peter stand up and run go di tomb. John Gospel talk say anoda disciple run with am and e reach first. Dem look inside. Di linen cloth dey lie down there. Di cloth wey dem tie for Jesus head, dem fold am, e dey one side by imself. No body. Dem go house, dey wonder wetin all dis tin mean.

Mary Magdalene stay back for di garden, outside di tomb, she dey cry. With tears for her eye she look inside, and she see two angels wey wear white for where di body bin dey. “Woman, why you dey cry?” “Dem don carry my Lord go,” she talk, “and I no know where dem put am.” She turn back. Somebody dey stand there. She think say na di gardener. “Sir, if na you carry am go, tell me where, and I go go carry am.” And e talk only one word. “Mary.” She know dat voice. She turn. “Rabboni!” Teacher. Na Jesus. E dey alive. E send her go meet im followers with one message, and she run go meet dem. “I don see di Lord!”

Matthew tell how Jesus also meet di women as dem dey hurry go. “Greetings,” e talk. Dem fall for im feet and worship am. “No fear. Go tell my brothers make dem go Galilee. Dem go see me for there.” And dem go. For one mountain for Galilee, di disciples see am with dia own eye. Jesus tell dem make dem go make disciples of all nations. And e give dem one promise: “I dey with una always, reach di very end of di age.”

See one tin wey stand out. For all di four Gospels, di first people wey find di empty tomb na women. For dat world, woman word no carry weight for court. Di Jewish historian Josephus, wey write later for di first century, record say dem no dey accept women as witness. If na person dey make up story to convince people, no be so e go tell am. But di Gospels still call di women by name.

Di empty tomb. You go find am for Matthew 28, Luke 24 and John 20. Mary go find dead body, but instead she hear her own name. So see di question to sit down with. If Jesus dey alive, wetin dat one change for your life today?