When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
(Mark 16:1-3 ESV)
I heard a line of Scripture and smiled at its irony. At first, I found the verse funny, but the more I pondered it, the more I realized it illustrates something profound about anxiety.
The Scripture I’m referring to is a line from a story—the story of Jesus’ resurrection. It involves three women who are on their way to Jesus’ tomb, prepared to anoint his dead body with spices. On the way, they ask one another, “who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
The Question a Few Women Asked on Their Way to Jesus’ Tomb
As Bible readers and not Bible characters, when we read the stories in the Bible, we have the privilege of knowing the whole story rather than experiencing it moment-by-moment. Thus, we might not engage our imaginations to consider what it might be like to be a participant in the story.
So, linger here with me. These same women just two evenings prior had stood at a distance, witnessing their friend Jesus crucified by Roman soldiers. They heard the loud cries he let out before he breathed his last (Mark 15:40). They saw his horrifying torture, and they saw him die. Afterwards, some followed a few men to his tomb. They knew where he was laid to rest (Mark 15:47).
At this point in the story, Jesus was dead—dead days ago. They expect to go put spices on a linen-wrapped dead person who they once knew as a dear friend. They expect fresh waves of grief, awful smells, and hard memories. These were courageous women, women who loved Jesus.
Dawn has just broken and they’re walking to the tomb. One thing they wonder to one another: Who’s going to remove the large stone that sealed the tomb—a seemingly legitimate concern. The Bible says “they ask one another” which seems to indicate conversation, rather than someone raising the question and one person answering. Heads down, walking into an awful situation, they’re worrying to one another about logistics.
The Women’s Concern
The very next verse says, “But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away” (Mark 16:4).
This verse tips its hat to the ladies’ concern—the stone was very large. It would have been very hard to move. But it also vaporizes their concern. No need to worry about the stone. It’s rolled away, for one. And for another, their friend isn’t dead—not anymore.
A Forgotten Promise
This struck me as funny at first—the women are worrying about how to get the stone moved as they’re literally about to witness Jesus’ resurrection! But they didn’t know that.
Or did they?
Matthew 63:27 indicates that it was common knowledge that Jesus claimed he would rise again. In fact, Jesus had taught them plainly that he would rise from the dead after three days (Mark 8:31-33).
But what’s more memorable, do you think, to these women considering their experience? Jesus’ promise while he preached on a normal afternoon weeks earlier, or Jesus’ horrific death they just witnessed days ago?
What they had seen in the recent days weighed heavier on their psyche than what they had heard from Jesus weeks prior.
The women were genuine followers of Jesus who loved him and were on their way to honor him. But they had forgotten his promise. And so, they were worried over something that when we read it, seems ironic in the grand scheme of the story. But to them, it was a legitimate worry of a heart heavied by grief; it was a physical, immovable obstacle in the way of them honoring their friend. But to God, it was a stone already removed, an anxiety already dismissed by provision, a provision far greater than they could have imagined.
A Word About Our Own Anxieties
Perhaps the worry of these women reveals something about our own anxieties. Are our own anxieties a result of forgetting Jesus’ promises? Don’t our own anxieties grow from what we see and experience that seems to contradict the things our Lord has said to us? And so often, aren’t our anxieties eclipsed by provision far beyond what we could have asked or imagined?
Like these women, our anxieties might be natural and understandable. Our experiences may tell us that they are worthy of every worry on our minds. But Jesus’ promises and not our experiences have the last word in our lives.
What are you worried about today? Can you point to a place in Scripture where Jesus has spoken a promise related to your worry?
When you’re anxious, remember these three women on their way to Jesus’ tomb. Entrust to the Lord whatever is worrying you. Ask him to help you remember whatever promises you may be forgetting. Ask him for faith to trust his words over your experience. And hope for a better answer than you could have imagined.