Mark 16:7

Mark 16:7, in plain English

The messenger tells them, 'Go tell His disciples AND Peter that He's going ahead of you to Galilee. You'll see Him there, just like He told you.'

Why it's here

'And Peter.' Two of the most gracious words in the Bible. Peter, who denied Jesus three times, gets a personal invitation. Jesus hasn't given up on him.

Who's speaking

The angel gives the women a message for the disciples.

Where it sits in the story

'And Peter.' After everything Peter did, Jesus makes sure he knows he's still included. There is no failure so great that Jesus won't come looking for you.

The scholarly reading

The angel commissions the women to tell the disciples 'and Peter' that Jesus proagei (goes before) them to Galilee, where they will see Him as He previously promised.

Language and setting

The specific inclusion of 'and Peter' is uniquely Markan and deeply pastoral, singling out the denier for restoration. The Galilee meeting fulfills Jesus' promise in Mark 14:28.

Voice

The angel commissions the women as the first messengers of the resurrection.

Significance

Peter is named individually, the one who denied Jesus most vehemently receives a personal invitation to restoration. The risen Christ goes ahead to meet His broken followers.

5When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.

7But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

8So the women left the tomb and ran away, trembling and bewildered. And in their fear they did not say a word to anyone.

9Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.

Read all of Mark 16 — Three women arrive at dawn expecting a corpse. They find a young man in white and a message that rewrites everything: he is risen.