(10) Mary Magdalene, and Joanna.--St. Luke alone names the latter in the Resurrection history, as he alone had named her before, as following our Lord in Galilee (Luke 7:2). It is not an unreasonable inference from this that she was probably his chief informant.

24:1-12 See the affection and respect the women showed to Christ, after he was dead and buried. Observe their surprise when they found the stone rolled away, and the grave empty. Christians often perplex themselves about that with which they should comfort and encourage themselves. They look rather to find their Master in his grave-clothes, than angels in their shining garments. The angels assure them that he is risen from the dead; is risen by his own power. These angels from heaven bring not any new gospel, but remind the women of Christ's words, and teach them how to apply them. We may wonder that these disciples, who believed Jesus to be the Son of God and the true Messiah, who had been so often told that he must die, and rise again, and then enter into his glory, who had seen him more than once raise the dead, yet should be so backward to believe his raising himself. But all our mistakes in religion spring from ignorance or forgetfulness of the words Christ has spoken. Peter now ran to the sepulchre, who so lately ran from his Master. He was amazed. There are many things puzzling and perplexing to us, which would be plain and profitable, if we rightly understood the words of Christ.It was Mary Magdalene,.... Out of whom Christ had cast seven devils, who was a sincere penitent, a true believer in Christ, and an affectionate lover of him, and to whom he first appeared:

and Joanna; the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, one that had been a follower of Christ, and had ministered to him of her substance; see Luke 8:2

and Mary the mother of James; called the less; and also of Joses, and Simon, and Judas, the brethren, or kinsmen of Christ; this Mary, being the wife of Cleophas, or Alphaeus, said (k) to be the brother of Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of our Lord:

and other women that were with them; as Salome, the mother of Zebedee's children, and others, that came from Galilee; Mark 15:40.

which told these things unto the apostles; before observed.

(k) Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 3. c. 11. 32. & 4. 22.