They didn't know in His death He actually won victory over death. I can't even imagine how they must have felt that day... I know the story doesn't end on day two. I can't imagine not knowing the end of the story! Waking up on that day in-between not knowing all the pain and suffering Jesus endured would actually set me. Free from all guilt and shame; freedom from the bondage of sin!
What was seen to them was the death of a man they loved, respected, and put their hope in. Paul had not yet written the words "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what i unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18) for them to find comfort in.
I wonder if they were discussing the words they knew by heart He had spoken to them trying to put the pieces of what had happened together? I wonder if they were so sad they did nothing but weep and morn. I hope there was at least one among them who spoke truth to the others: there must be hope... the story must not be over. But I don't know? Scripture doesn't tell us. I have to believe the Lord sustained them and comforted them on that day in-between.
What a great surprise it must have been for those men and women to see Jesus that next day! They had not lost all hope on the day in-between. Hope had been given to them through the death and rising of their Lord Jesus Christ!
Today we have the words of Paul to remind us to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen... and we know the end of the story: Jesus is alive and has conquered the grave and brought us life!
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: 'I believed; therefore I have spoken.' With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving or us eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:7-18
