In this passage, Aquinas discusses Mary Magdalene’s discovery of the empty tomb, and her going
to tell the disciples.
Here is my summary and outline of St. Thomas Aquinas’ Commentary on the Gospel of John,
chapter 20, verses 1 and 2.
1 Now on the first day of the week [one day of the Sabbath] Mary Magdalene came to the
tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2 So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved,
and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where
they have laid him.”
We note four things about Mary Magdalene’s discovery of the empty tomb.
First, the day of the week: it was one day of the Sabbath.
Matthew’s Gospel speaks of “the first day of the Sabbath,” but John says “one
day of the Sabbath.”
This is because John is speaking of a mystery, for the resurrection marks the first day of
a new creation.
Second, who discovered the tomb empty: Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.
Mark’s Gospel mentions Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, while Matthew’s
Gospel also mentions “the other Mary.”
St. Augustine tells us Mary Magdalene is mentioned here because of her special love for and devotion
to the Lord.
Third, the time of day: early, while it was still dark.
Mary came to the tomb as soon as the Sabbath was over, before daylight, so great was her
love for the Lord.
Mark’s Gospel tells us the women came “very early, after the sun had risen.”
The solution to this discrepancy is that Mark was referring to the break of day, when the
sun had risen, but had not yet appeared in the sky.
Fourth, we are told what Mary saw: she saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
The missing stone meant that either someone had taken Christ’s body, or that He had risen.
Matthew’s Gospel tells us “an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and
rolled back the stone.”
We should understand this to have happened after the resurrection, not before.
For since Christ came forth from the closed womb of the Virgin even though His body was
not glorified, it is not surprising that He passed through the tomb with His glorified body.
The stone was taken away so that the people could see that Christ was not there, and more
easily believe in the resurrection.
Next, the Evangelist tells us to whom this news was reported: so she ran, and went to
Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.
Mary ran to share this news without delay because of her great love.
She came to Peter and John because of their importance, and because they shared her love
for the Lord.
She came that they might either look for Jesus with her, or share her sorrow.
Then we are told Mary’s exact words: They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we
do not know where they have laid him.
From these words we know three things.
First, Mary was not alone at the tomb, for she says “we.”
Second, Mary’s special affection for Jesus, for the Greek manuscript reads “my Lord.”
Third, we know that although she has seen the empty tomb, she does not yet believe in
the resurrection.
This reveals a further meaning of the words “it was still dark,” referring to the
darkness of doubt.