by R.A. Mathews

When Father God opened Jesus’s eyes on Easter morning, was it to the sight of a lonely, dark tomb or to something entirely different? Let’s look at Scripture and I’ll show you what most likely happened.

Angels appeared in the great moments of Jesus’s life. Take the night He was born: 

“And [Mary] gave birth…  In the same region there were shepherds…  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them…  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest… ’” (Luke 2:7-14, NASB). 

At the birth of Jesus, an army of angels celebrated! 

In fact, before Jesus was conceived, an angel appeared to announce His birth: “Now…  the angel Gabriel was sent…  to a virgin…  And the angel said to her  ‘… behold, you will conceive …  The Holy Spirit will come upon you…  the holy Child will be called the Son of God’… ” (Luke 1:26-35, NASB).

Angels also appeared before Jesus began His ministry: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil…  . Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to serve Him” (Matthew 4:1-11, NASB).

It was also an angel who strengthened Jesus on Thursday night after the Last Supper and just before the Crucifixion:

“[Jesus] came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him…   He withdrew from them…  saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me… ’ Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him” (Luke 22:39-43, NASB).

Scripture then tells us about the angels at the Resurrection. Do you recall who saw them?

1. Peter
2. John
3. Mary Magdalene and the women
4. The eleven disciples
5. All of the above

Think for a moment and make your selection.

On Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene and the other women went to the tomb early, wondering who would roll back the stone. But it had been removed by an angel, who sat upon it. The women then spoke with more angels inside the tomb, who directed them to go and tell the disciples (Mark 16:1-7, Luke 24:1-9, Matthew 28:1-7).

When Peter and John learned about the empty tomb, they ran to the garden and entered the place where Jesus had laid. Peter eyed the face cloth folded to one side and the linen pieces to another (Luke 24:12, John 20:2-10).

Then Peter and John returned to their homes, but Mary waited. Here’s the passage: 

“Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping…  and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And…  she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and yet she did not know that it was Jesus…  ‘Sir…  tell me where you put Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary,’” (John 20:11-16, NASB).

Who saw the angels? The answer is No. 3, Mary Magdalene and the women. They showed up for Jesus and were rewarded as the only ones to hear from the angels.

But did the heavenly beings play a much bigger role?

When Scripture says the face cloth was laid to one side, isn’t God telling us something? That it was removed separately from the strips of cloth that wrapped his body? 

Is God saying that an angel sat inside that tomb, awaiting the moment Father God would restore His Son’s life? And that the angel lifted the face cloth, welcomed our Lord, and placed it to one side?

Listen, I rarely speculate on what isn’t written specifically in the Bible, but isn’t it fair to say that what was true for all of Jesus’s life was true on Easter morning—that angels filled that tomb to minister to Him and the glory of the Lord shone all around Him?

This week, remember Jesus who died and returned to life inside that tomb. Know this: You are precious. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, KJV). 

Have a blessed Easter.

Contact the Rev. Mathews at RAMathews.com where you can read her biography and sample her books. Copyright © 2022,  2025 R.A. Mathews.  All rights reserved.