And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The sheer size of the stone, which the women had worried about rolling away, was an obstacle removed by divine power. This highlights that God often handles the overwhelming problems we face, leaving us to simply come and see His work.
And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Early on Sunday morning, women who had loved and followed Jesus arrived at his tomb to anoint his body, as they'd prepared spices for this task. They were worried about how they'd move the massive stone sealing the tomb, but upon reaching it, they discovered it had already been rolled aside. This surprising sight, along with the empty tomb, immediately plunged them into confusion and awe.
The women arrived at the tomb with a huge problem: a massive stone blocking the entrance. What happens when our biggest obstacles are met by divine intervention?
The women, filled with grief and love for Jesus, came to the tomb early in the morning. Their immediate concern, as recorded in Mark, was 'Who will roll away the stone for us?' (Mark 16:3). This wasn't a small pebble; it was a 'great stone' (Matthew 28:2), likely sealed and heavy. It represented their final, physical barrier to expressing their love and grief.
But when they arrived, the stone was already rolled away! This wasn't something they managed to do, nor was it a mere coincidence. The Scriptures tell us an angel of the Lord, with divine power, had descended, caused an earthquake, and rolled the stone aside (Matthew 28:2). This act wasn't just to grant them access; it was a powerful, visible sign of God's intervention and the impossible victory Jesus had achieved.
This shows us a profound truth: when we face obstacles in our faith journey, especially those that seem insurmountable, God is often at work behind the scenes. Our role is to press on with faith, trusting that He will remove what stands in our way, often in ways we can't predict or accomplish ourselves.
The women came expecting to anoint a dead body, but they encountered an angel with a startling announcement. What does this shift in message reveal about God's plan?
The women's intention was clear: they came to anoint Jesus' body with spices (Luke 23:56, Mark 16:1). Their focus was on death, on preparing a beloved figure for burial. They were driven by love and sorrow, but also by a certain misunderstanding of Jesus' own words about his resurrection.
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Upon reaching the tomb, they didn't find a scene of mourning, but a miraculous sign – the stone rolled away. This led to their encounter with angelic messengers. The angel's first words weren't about the stone or the tomb, but a powerful redirection: 'Fear not, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said' (Matthew 28:5-6).
This encounter highlights a crucial theological point: God's plans often unfold in ways that radically shift our perspective. We might arrive at a situation focused on endings and loss, but God intends to reveal new beginnings and life. The angel's message redirects their grief towards the astonishing reality of the resurrection, turning their focus from death to life.
The rolling away of the stone wasn't just a physical removal of an obstacle, but a divine sign, removing the final barrier to believing Jesus' resurrection and inaugurating the new life he promised.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is crucified and his body is placed in a new tomb, sealed with a large stone.
c. AD 30, First Day of the Week
Women Visit the Tomb
Early on Sunday morning, women disciples arrive at the tomb to anoint Jesus' body, finding the stone already rolled away.
c. AD 30, First Day of the Week
Angels Announce Resurrection
Angels appear to the women, announcing that Jesus has risen from the dead and instructing them to tell the disciples.
c. AD 30, First Day of the Week
Peter and John Investigate
Disciples, including Peter and John, hear the women's report and run to the tomb, finding it empty.
This passage describes a great earthquake and an angel rolling away the stone, directly paralleling the discovery in Luke 24:2 and highlighting the supernatural power at play.
John 20:1John's account provides a similar scene where Mary Magdalene finds the stone rolled away, underscoring the consistent discovery across different Gospel narratives.
Mark 16:3-4Mark's Gospel adds the women's concern about who would roll the stone away, emphasizing the significance and difficulty of the task that had miraculously been accomplished, as found in Luke 24:2.
Genesis 18:2This Old Testament passage, where Abraham encounters visitors at his tent, provides a conceptual parallel to encountering divine messengers, similar to the women meeting angels at the empty tomb.
clarkeLuke 24:2: "And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre."
They found the stone rolled away - An angel from God had done this before they reached the tomb, Matthew 28:2 : On this case we cannot help remarking, that, when persons have strong confidence in God, obstacles do not hinder them from undertaking whatever they have reason to believe he requires; and the removal of them they leave to him: and what is the consequence? They go on their way comfortably, and all difficulties vanis…
pulpitLuke 24:2: "And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre."
Verse 2. - And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. The tomb in which the body of the "King's Son" was laid was in a garden close by the scene of the Crucifixion. It had been recently hewn out of a rock, the low ridge opposite the slight ascent of Calvary. "In front of a tomb belonging to a rich family there was generally a vestibule open to the air, then a low entrance sometimes, as in this case, on the side…
The sheer size of the stone, which the women had worried about rolling away, was an obstacle removed by divine power. This highlights that God often handles the overwhelming problems we face, leaving us to simply come and see His work.
Early on Sunday morning, women who had loved and followed Jesus arrived at his tomb to anoint his body, as they'd prepared spices for this task. They were worried about how they'd move the massive stone sealing the tomb, but upon reaching it, they discovered it had already been rolled aside. This surprising sight, along with the empty tomb, immediately plunged them into confusion and awe.
Early on Sunday morning, women who had loved and followed Jesus arrived at his tomb to anoint his body, as they'd prepared spices for this task. They were worried about how they'd move the massive stone sealing the tomb, but upon reaching it, they discovered it had already been rolled aside. This surprising sight, along with the empty tomb, immediately plunged them into confusion and awe.
"And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb," — The sheer size of the stone, which the women had worried about rolling away, was an obstacle removed by divine power. This highlights that God often handles the overwhelming problems we face, leaving…
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Last reviewed October 2026