Luke 24:10
It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
Luke 24:10 names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them as the ones who carried the news to the apostles, making them the first messengers of the resurrection. What they told was what they had seen and heard that morning, that the tomb was empty, that angels had appeared declaring Jesus risen, and that they had seen the living Lord and spoken with Him. All the apostles heard the report yet refused it as idle tales and illusion, counting it the mistake or deception of the women, and even Mary Magdalene's word that she had seen Jesus did not persuade them. Their unbelief showed how low their faith had fallen, for while heaven rejoiced they mourned over the empty tomb in uncertainty, confusion and hopelessness, unable to receive news so unlike their expectations that it seemed too good to be true after their hopes had died with Christ. Peter's ardent testimony of meeting the risen Lord carried greater weight than the women's and began to revive their faith, and with the empty tomb and their afterward seeing and speaking with Him, the women's report stands as part of the evidence that Jesus had risen.
Witnesses and Their Report
Luke 24:10 names Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, with the other women who were with them, as the ones who told these things to the apostles, and so makes those women the first messengers of the resurrection. What they told was what they had seen and heard that morning at the tomb, the empty tomb itself and the appearing of angels with the announcement that Jesus had risen. Their report also included that they had seen Jesus alive and had spoken with Him and learned of Him.
On receiving that report the apostles went to the tomb and found the body of Jesus gone, yet still did not believe that He had risen.
Unbelief and Its Overcoming
The report of the women was heard by all the apostles, yet it was not believed but dismissed as idle tales, an illusion, and the mistake or deception of the women. Even Mary Magdalene's personal testimony that she had seen Jesus alive and had spoken with Him in the garden did not persuade them that He had risen. They went to the tomb, found His body gone, and still did not believe that He had risen. Their apparent unbelief in testimony that angels had appeared and affirmed that Christ had risen showed how low and weak their faith had fallen.
While Christ was in God's presence receiving gifts for His church, the disciples thought upon His empty tomb and mourned and wept. The day that was a day of rejoicing to all heaven was to them a day of uncertainty, confusion, perplexity, and hopelessness. Some were overcome by hopelessness and too hopeless to believe, while in others hope and faith were left excited and struggling against hopelessness. Their grief prevailed over astonishment, though they recalled Jesus' words foretelling His resurrection.
They could not take in the great subject because the news was so different from what they had anticipated and seemed too good to be true. Their hopes had died with Christ, and His resurrection was so unlike what they expected that they could not believe the report. They had heard so much of the doctrines and so-called scientific theories of the Sadducees that the impression on their minds in regard to the resurrection was vague. They scarcely knew what resurrection from the dead could mean and were unable to take it in.
Peter's testimony of his meeting with the risen Lord was given with ardor and assurance. It carried greater weight with the brethren than the women's testimony and began to revive their faith. This reviving began before the two from Emmaus arrived with their joyful tidings. The women's report belongs with the evidence that Jesus had risen: the tomb was empty, and the disciples afterward saw and spoke with Him.
The chapter to which the verse belongs teaches that God gave His Son to save sinners. Through Christ's death those who repent and are converted may receive salvation. Those who come to the Father by faith in Christ and follow His example may receive forgiveness and be sanctified through belief in the truth.