# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1902_S53
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America. 1902. 53

who had raised Lazarus, had also risen from the dead? True, we hear nothing in the Gospels of any outward stir which these appearances had as a consequence, and the disciples of Jesus do not seem to have experienced such appearances; but is it not striking that already on the following day of Pentecost 3000 souls were converted to Christ, and that never, never at all did the High Council dare to accuse the disciples of Jesus of this alleged theft of the body or even to reproach them with the deed publicly, although it could have hoped to make it probable through the bribed witnesses? Indeed, one would like to say outright that the talk of such a theft remained confined to the very day of Christ's resurrection. Although, then, faith in the possible resurrection of Jesus might on that day be held back among the people by the lie of the High Council, it may nevertheless already on that very day have begun to take root among the people as well.

c. The disciples of Jesus received the first news of what had happened through the mouth of women, not so much, to be sure, the news that Jesus had risen, as that his tomb was open and empty. The first news that they received was in any case not more definite, but rather less definite, than what the leaders of the Jewish people heard from the guards. The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee, had afterward stood by his cross and had attended his burial on Friday before six o'clock in the evening, had agreed to go, after the Sabbath, early in the morning to the work of embalming. Of the watch posted at the tomb of Jesus and of the sealing of the stone they evidently knew nothing; for their questions among themselves on the way were not, say: Will the guards also let us break the seal? but: "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?" They had set out from Jerusalem very early in the morning; while it was still deep twilight, indeed still night, the first among them, Mary Magdalene, came to the tomb of Jesus. She found it open and empty, but did not think of Jesus' resurrection and believed nothing else than that the body had been taken away, and hurried back into the city to tell Peter and John of it.

d. While she was on her way, it had grown light, and the sun had risen, and the other women also, who had likewise set out while it was still twilight, had now arrived at the tomb. They too (Salome and Mary, the mother of James, are named) found the stone rolled away, laid aside inward, and the body not there. But they saw, as Matthew and Mark report, an angel in the burial cave, who spoke to them: "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified: he is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen