2. Likewise, Mark says Mary entered, but this one says she only looked in.
To this Augustine responds in the third book of On the Harmony of the Evangelists: "On the first day of the week, he says, that is, on the Lord's day, at dawn the women came to the tomb, as all the Evangelists narrate; and when they saw the stone taken away, before they looked more carefully, they ran and announced it to Peter and John, who ran to the tomb and afterward returned. But Mary with others stood at the tomb outside weeping, that is, before that place of the rock-hewn sepulcher, but nevertheless within that space into which they had already entered. Then they saw an Angel sitting on the right upon the stone rolled away from the tomb, of which Angel Matthew twenty-eight and Mark sixteen narrate. Then he said to them: Fear not, etc., which Matthew and Mark say. At these words Mary, while she wept, stooped down and looked into the tomb, as is said here; where she saw two Angels in white sitting, who say to her: Woman, why do you weep? And then it is to be understood that the Angels rose and stood, as Luke says, that two men stood beside them in shining garments ."
Whence the contradiction is resolved from the fact that one says what the other omits; and from the fact that Mark calls the tomb a certain space before the sepulchre enclosed by a wall, while John means the very place in which the body of Jesus lay.
33. Question VI. Likewise, there is a question about the fact that the Lord did not immediately manifest himself to the woman in his own appearance, but appeared as if he were a gardener.
Gregory responds that the reason for this was Mary's manner of seeking. "For because Mary loved and doubted, she saw and did not recognize." - Bernard, however, gives the reason that this was to inflame her more ardently: whence he says: "O delightful spectacle of loving-kindness! He himself who is sought and desired hides himself and manifests himself; he hides himself so that he may be sought more ardently, and once sought may be found with joy, and once found may be held with solicitude, and once held may not be released."
34. Question VII. Likewise, the question is asked whether Mary believed Christ to be God? - And that she did, it seems, because above in chapter eleven Martha said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. - And also, how would her sins have been forgiven without right faith?
But Gregory and Augustine seem to say the contrary, on the text: For I have not yet ascended to my Father, as was explained above.
The response is that Mary before the passion believed Christ to be God, yet she loved him most vehemently in the flesh: and therefore in the passion she conceived so great a sorrow that, now overwhelmed, she thought of nothing except his humanity and death, and therefore did not recall the works of his Majesty, but only the sufferings of his humanity.
35. Question VIII. Likewise, what does it mean when he says: I ascend to the Father, since the Father is everywhere?
The response is that this is understood causally, because he was making or was about to make himself believed to be equal to the Father in all things: therefore he is said to ascend, etc.
Or to the place where the Father is more manifestly revealed in his works: whence he is said to sit at the right hand, that is, among the greater goods.
Second, concerning the manifestation made to the disciples.
36. When therefore it was late that same day, etc. Above he treated the manifestation of the Lord made to the women; here he treats the manifestation made to the disciples . And there are in this part three sections according to three manifestations, which are distinguished with respect to the mode of manifesting and with respect to the reason: with respect to mode: for the first is through sight, the second through touch, the third through taste. For first he showed himself; second, he offered himself to be touched; third, he ate. - With respect to the reason also for manifesting: for the first was to remove the unbelief of all the disciples; the second, to remove the unbelief of Thomas; the third, however, for the confirmation of love in Peter. And the second manifestation begins there: And after eight days; the third, however, there: After this he manifested himself, at the beginning of the twenty-first chapter.
Concerning the first manifestation, three things are noted.
In the first manifestation, three things are determined. The first is the manifestation itself: the second, following upon the manifestation, the sending of the disciples, at the words: He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you: third, the incidental occasion of another manifestation, which was the absence of Thomas, at the words: But Thomas etc.
The manifestation itself, therefore, is described in this order.
For five things are set forth which make it clear, namely: the gathering of the disciples, the appearance of Christ, the address of the one appearing, after the address his showing of himself, after the showing the rejoicing of the disciples.
37. (Verse 19.). First, therefore, is touched upon the gathering of the disciples, which was both on account of the time, because it was late, and on account of the Jews, who were persecuting them: therefore he says: When therefore it was late that day, namely the Lord's day, on which he appeared to Magdalene, the first of the Sabbaths, because in those days the Jews were keeping the sabbath, eating unleavened bread; and the doors were shut, for their protection, whence: where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews: therefore they had come together in one place with the doors shut, and through this they were worthy for the Lord to appear to them, according to that saying in Matthew eighteen: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." 38. When, I say, they were thus, Jesus came and
stood in the midst. Here is noted the second point, namely the appearance of the Lord: therefore he stood in the midst, so that he might be seen by all: therefore he stood in the midst, to show that he is the Mediator and Reconciler: above in chapter one: "But there has stood in the midst of you one whom you do not know," was said to the Jews. For he himself, as is said in Ephesians two, "is our peace, who has made both one."
39. Therefore it follows: And he said to them: Peace be to you. Here is noted the third point, namely the gracious address, in which address he strengthened them; whence in the last chapter of Luke: "He said to them: Peace be to you; it is I, do not be afraid." Whence Chrysostom: "By his voice he steadied their wavering mind, saying: Peace be to you: that is, do not be troubled"; in the last chapter of Philippians: "The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts."
40. (Verse 20.). And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Here is noted the fourth point, namely Christ's showing of himself, in which he showed that he was the same one who had suffered, not only in spirit but also in body: and therefore he showed his hands and his side, in which there had been wounds, and scars remained: whence in the last chapter of Luke: "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself."
41. The disciples therefore rejoiced, having seen the Lord. Here is touched upon the fifth point, namely the rejoicing of the disciples at the sight of the Lord; which joy the Lord had promised them above in chapter sixteen: "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice."
42. (Vers. 21.). He said therefore to them again. Here the second is touched upon, namely, consequent upon the manifestation, the mission of the disciples, in which the Evangelist indicates three things that the Lord conferred upon the disciples being sent, namely fitness, authority and power: fitness, when he granted peace: whence he says: He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you, that is, tranquility, without which no one is fit to be sent to persecutions. Whence Chrysostom: "Because they had an unconquerable battle against the Jews, therefore he says again: Peace be to you, giving consolation equal to the battle."
He also conferred authority, when he sends them: whence he says: As the Father sent me, I also send you, that is,
just as I did not come of myself, but was sent, and therefore came with authority: so I send you, giving you authority: whence Romans 10: "How shall they preach unless they are sent"? Whence also Isaiah, chapter 6, sought this authority when he said: "Here am I, Lord; send me"; on the contrary, concerning the false prophets, Jeremiah 23: "They ran, and I did not send them; I did not speak to them," etc.