They Did Not Believe

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 

Mark 16:9-11 

Truth often meets with unbelief. The Scripture is full of examples of it. God spoke truth to Adam and Eve regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They did not believe Him. Noah’s society did not believe him. Josephs’s family did not believe him. Pharaoh did not believe Moses. The list goes on throughout Scripture of those who heard the truth and did not believe. The disciples are on that list. Our text explains that Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene first, that she went and told the disciples, and they did not believe. This did not change the truth, nor did it reflect poorly upon Mary. She knew what had happened. She had seen Christ alive, had personal interaction with Him, and was on a mission. The angel, with whom Mary and the other women had originally spoken said, ‘But go, tell His disciples – and Peter – that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.’ Unbelief does not change truth. Throughout the centuries, the testimony of the truth of Christ has sounded forth. It is as true today as ever. Mary was the first to see Christ alive from the dead. Many others, who saw Him later testified the same thing. We continue to declare with them, ‘He is risen, indeed.’ 

Our Glorious, Living Christ, 
we rejoice that You are alive from the dead. 
We praise You that You have given to us, 
the privilege of proclaiming the truth of Your resurrection. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning