Mark 16

1 – 3

The day after the Sabbath day, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought some sweet-smelling spices to put on Jesus’ body. Very early on that day, the first day of the week, the women were on their way to the tomb. It was soon after sunrise. They said to each other, “There is a large stone covering the entrance of the tomb. Who will move the stone for us?”

They could move the stone without help. The original language says that the stone was “thrown away” from the tomb. Matthew 28:2 says that an angel rolled the stone away. The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out but to let His followers in!

4 – 7

Then the women looked and saw that the stone was already moved. The stone was very large, but it was moved away from the entrance. The women entered the tomb and saw a young man [an angel] wearing a white robe. He was sitting on the right side, and the women were afraid.

But the [angel] said, “Do not be afraid. You are looking for Jesus from Nazareth, the one who was killed on a cross. He has risen from death. He is not here. Look, here is the place they laid Him. Now go and tell His followers and Peter, ‘Jesus is going into Galilee. He will be there before you. You will see Him there as He told you before.’”

Jesus was letting Peter know that he was forgiven. Peter tells Mark to write this down and this is the only way we know this because no other Gospel says this. God does not give up on us even when we give up on Him. 2 Timothy 2:13

For You will not leave My soul among the dead or allow Your Holy One to decay in the grave. Psalm 16:10

As Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. Matthew 12:40

After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Hosea 6:2

8. The women were confused and shaking with fear. They left the tomb and ran away. They did not tell anyone about what happened, because they were afraid.

Matthew 28:8 tells us that they were happy and afraid at the same time! When people have too many things on their minds the devil uses this to attack them with ideas that they would never have thought about.

Some teachers say that this chapter ends here because the pages were torn or lost. There are early church fathers who quoted from the rest of this chapter so there is some support for the rest of the chapter.

9 – 11

Jesus rose from death early on the first day of the week. He showed himself first to Mary Magdalene. One time in the past, He had sent seven demons out of Mary. After Mary saw Jesus, she went and told His followers. They were very sad and were crying. But Mary told them that Jesus was alive. She said that she had seen Him, but the followers did not believe her.

When the devil attacks your mind you will even push away any good news that is told to you. Do not let the devil steal the plain truth from you!

12 – 14

Later, Jesus showed Himself to two of His followers while they were walking in the country. But Jesus did not look the same as before. These followers went back to the others and told them what had happened. Again, the followers did not believe them.
Later Jesus showed Himself to the eleven followers while they were eating. He reminded them that they had little faith because they were stubborn and refused to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen from death.

See Luke 24:13–33.

15. Jesus said to the followers, “Go everywhere in the world. Tell the Gospel to everyone.

Jesus had first sent them only to the Jews but the Jews did not want the Gospel so now He sends them into all of the world. Matthew 28:19

16. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be judged guilty.

Some groups use this verse to say that being baptized is what saves you. Believing that Christ is the son of God, who died to pay the price for your sins and rose again to give you a new life is what saves you.

Being baptized shows the world that your old life is dead and that you have been raised to a new life, but it does not save you. You must decide if you believe God or not.

17. And those who believe will be able to do these things as proof: They will use my name to send demons out of people. They will speak in languages they never learned.

Be careful not to think that all problems are solved after demons are gone! People who have been set free from demons need a close walk in the Word with other Christians.

18. They will pick up snakes without being hurt. And they will drink poison without being hurt. They will touch the sick, and the sick will be healed.”

There are some groups who bring snakes into the church to show that they are not afraid. Jesus said that we are not to test God. Matthew 4:7

19 – 20

After the Lord Jesus said these things to the followers, He was carried up into heaven. There, Jesus sat at the right side of God. The followers went everywhere in the world and told the Gospel to people. And the Lord helped them. The Lord proved that the Gospel they told was true by giving them power to work miracles.

First, we share the Word of God. God may prove that what we are saying is true by doing a miracle. Looking only for miracles is changing God’s order.