Luke 24:2

Analysis & Commentary

The stone removed: 'And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.' The women discovered 'the stone rolled away' (ἀποκεκυλισμένον τὸν λίθον, apokekylis menon ton lithon, perfect passive participle—the stone having been rolled away). This massive stone sealed tomb entrances, requiring multiple men to move. That it was already removed when they arrived indicates resurrection had already occurred—they didn't witness the moment but found its aftermath. Matthew 28:2 records an angel rolling the stone away, not to let Jesus out (He had already left through resurrection power) but to let witnesses in to see the empty tomb. The removed stone and empty tomb would become primary evidence for resurrection.

Historical Context

Joseph of Arimathea's tomb was cut from rock with a rolling stone entrance typical of wealthy first-century Jewish burials. The stone's removal was significant—Pilate had it sealed and guarded precisely to prevent theft (Matthew 27:62-66). Yet on Sunday morning, the stone was rolled away, the tomb empty, guards fled (Matthew 28:4, 11-15). This became earliest Christian apologetic evidence: the tomb was empty. Jewish authorities never produced a body because there was none. Attempted explanations (disciples stole it, wrong tomb, swoon theory, hallucination) all fail historical scrutiny. The rolled-away stone and empty tomb remain powerful testimony to resurrection's reality.

Questions for Reflection

• Why was the stone rolled away if Jesus had already left the tomb through resurrection power?
• What significance does the empty tomb have as historical evidence for resurrection?
• How do alternative explanations for the empty tomb fail to account for the evidence?