Mary Magdalene runs off to “Simon Peter and to the other disciple, for whom Jesus had affection”​—the apostle John. (John 20:2)

By now, Mary has found Peter and John. Breathlessly, she reports: “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” (John 20:2) Peter and John take off running. John is faster and reaches the tomb first. He peers into it and sees the bandages, but he remains outside.

When Peter arrives, he goes right in. He sees the linen cloths and the cloth used to wrap Jesus’ head. John now enters, and he believes Mary’s report. Despite what Jesus said earlier, neither of them understands that he has been raised up. (Matthew 16:21) Puzzled, they head home. But Mary, who has come back to the tomb, remains there.

Mary Magdalene is still grieving at the tomb. Stooping forward to look into it, she sees two angels in white! One sits at the head of where Jesus’ body had been lying and the other at the foot. “Woman, why are you weeping?” they ask. Mary answers: “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Turning around, Mary sees someone else. He repeats the angels’ question and adds: “Whom are you looking for?” Thinking that he is the gardener, she says: “Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”​—John 20:13-15.

Actually, Mary is speaking to the resurrected Jesus, but at the moment she does not recognize him. However, when he says, “Mary!” she knows that it is Jesus, recognizing him by the familiar way he speaks to her. “Rabboni!” (meaning, “Teacher!”), Mary exclaims joyfully. Yet, afraid that he is about to ascend to heaven, she grabs hold of him. Hence, Jesus urges her: “Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.’”​—John 20:16, 17.

Mary runs to the place where the apostles and other disciples are gathered. She tells them: “I have seen the Lord!” adding her account to what they have heard from the other women. (John 20:18) Yet, the reports ‘seem like nonsense to them.’​—Luke 24:11.