The Empty Tomb
The tomb where Jesus lay was found empty after his resurrection.
AI-generated artistic depiction (no historical imagery exists)
The empty tomb is a central motif in the Christian narrative, referring to the discovery that Jesus' body was no longer in the tomb after his resurrection. The sole passage in the source list that directly describes this event is Matthew 28:6, where an angel tells the women, 'He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.' This verse emphasizes the absence of Jesus' body and the fulfillment of his prediction. Other passages in the list use the word 'empty' in various contexts—such as empty pits, empty vessels, or empty-handedness—but do not refer to the tomb itself.
Lore & Background
The only direct reference to the empty tomb in the provided passages is Matthew 28:6, which reports the angel's announcement that Jesus is not in the tomb because he has risen. This verse is part of the resurrection account and underscores the physical vacancy of the burial place. The phrase 'as he said' connects the event to Jesus' prior predictions, though those predictions are not quoted in the source list. Other passages use the word 'empty' in unrelated settings: for example, Genesis 37:24 describes a pit with no water, and Judges 7:16 mentions empty pitchers used by Gideon's men. These do not pertain to the tomb. The empty tomb motif is unique to the resurrection narrative and is not developed elsewhere in the source passages. In Matthew 28:6, the empty tomb serves as evidence of the resurrection, inviting witnesses to 'see the place where the Lord lay.' The passage does not describe the tomb's appearance or any subsequent events, focusing solely on the absence of the body and the angel's declaration.
Reader's Guide
The source passages portray the empty tomb exclusively through Matthew 28:6, which presents it as a factual, witnessed event. The angel's words 'He is not here' emphasize the tomb's vacancy, while 'for he is risen' provides the theological explanation. The invitation to 'come, see the place' suggests that the empty tomb was a verifiable location. No other passage in the list describes a tomb or burial site being empty, so the motif stands alone in this collection. The word 'empty' appears in many other contexts—such as empty sacks (Genesis 42:35), empty vessels (2 Kings 4:3), and empty-handed departures (Exodus 3:21)—but none relate to a tomb. Thus, the empty tomb is a singular, specific event in the source material, tied directly to the resurrection of Jesus.
Did You Know?
- Matthew 28:6 is the only passage in the source list that directly mentions an empty tomb.
- The phrase 'as he said' in Matthew 28:6 refers to Jesus' earlier predictions of his resurrection, though those predictions are not included in the source passages.
- Other uses of 'empty' in the source list include empty pits (Genesis 37:24), empty pitchers (Judges 7:16), and empty-handedness (Deuteronomy 15:13), none of which relate to a tomb.