“Early on the first day
Of the week,
While it was still dark,
Mary Magdalene
Came to the tomb.”
Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἔρχεται πρωῒ σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον,
John indicated that on the first day of the week (Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων), while it was still dark (σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης), Mary Magdalene (Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ) came early (ἔρχεται πρωῒ) to the tomb (εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον). Matthew, chapter 28:1, said that after the sabbath (Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων), as the first day of the week was dawning (τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων), Mary Magdalene (ἦλθεν Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ) and the other Mary (καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία) went to see or experience the tomb (θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον). Mark, chapter 16:1-2, mentioned 3 women. Mark said that when the Sabbath was over (Καὶ διαγενομένου τοῦ σαββάτου), Mary Magdalene (Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ) and the other Mary (καὶ Μαρία), the mother of James (ἡ τοῦ Ἰακώβου), as well as Salome (καὶ Σαλώμη) probably the mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John, came to the tomb. These women brought spices (ἠγόρασαν ἀρώματα), so that they might go and anoint Jesus (ἵνα ἐλθοῦσαι ἀλείψωσιν αὐτόν). Luke chapter 24:1, said that on the first day of the week (τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων), at very early dawn (ὄρθρου βαθέως), they came to the tomb (ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα ἦλθον). They took with them the spices that they had prepared (φέρουσαι ἃ ἡτοίμασαν ἀρώματα). Who are they? They were the unnamed women of Galilee, since Luke did not explicitly mention Mary Magdalene. There is no confusion about the day of the week when the empty tomb was first found. All four gospel stories have it take place after the Sabbath, on the early morning of the first day of the week, Sunday. Thus, this would have been the 3rd day since the death of Jesus on Friday. The idea of visiting a tomb or grave site would not have been out of the question, since this was a common practice. In all these stories, there was either one or more women, no men, who went to the tomb. Have you ever visited a tomb?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 