9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
Hurrying away from the tomb, astonished, amazed, bewildered and afraid yet all the while filled with joy these women were a plethora of emotions. They had a story to tell the Eleven and they were ready to tell it albeit in reverential fear. I think it was wonderful of God to allow these female followers to be the first ones to bring the good news of His story. While I realize this is not true in every case, and I am certainly not meaning any offense, women in general are better in giving the details of a story than men. We enjoy hearing and telling all the little particulars – all the nuances to every detail. They had just experienced the supernatural and they were quite frankly, blown away. Mark tells us in his gospel:
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. Mark 16:8 (NIV)
The word translated “bewildered” is from the Greek word “Ekstasis” meaning: “Astonishment, amazement, bewilderment; it is a sense of breathtaking and profound amazement coupled with exquisite dread at the sight of something remarkable, incredible, strange, or supernatural; the gripping fascination with some enthralling phenomenon which drives one from his powers of reason in order to encounter it; the word portrays someone as being carried away out of mind, being so psychologically and emotionally moved by some fantastic sight that he loses all sense of his present situation. He is held captive by it and falls under its sway because it is beyond his power to impose rational controls on the object of wonder.” Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids.
This encounter the women had with the angels reminds me of many other times in Scripture where flesh comes in contact with the supernatural. I will mention only two. The first was the on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus took Peter, James and John to see Moses and Elijah! Terror gripped these three disciples as well:
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Mark 9:2-6 (NIV)
Matthew also tells us:
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. Matt 17:5-8 (NIV)
The second instance that comes to mind is Paul’s account of being taken into the third heaven. He does not even recount this amazing instance in first person rather in third:
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. 3 And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows-- 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 2 Cor 12:2-4 (NIV)
This experience no doubt contributed to Paul’s firm conviction of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor 4:17-18 (NIV)
Unfortunately, the report the women gave to the Eleven was not well received rather it seemed to them as idle talk, sheer nonsense.
“They thought it was only the fancy of the women, and ascribed it to the power of imagination; for they also had forgotten Christ’s words. One cannot but be amazed at the stupidity of these disciples, - who had themselves so often professed that they believed Christ to be the Son of God, had been so often told that he must die and rise again, and then enter into his glory, had seen him more than once raise the dead, - that they should be so slow to believe.” Matthew Henry
After His resurrection, walking on the road to Emmaus, Jesus, who had blinded their eyes to His identity, tells two of His disciples the following truths that we should also take to heart:
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:25-27 (NIV)