While that solved one problem for them, it also raised questions. The women entered the tomb, expecting to find the dead body of Jesus. But what they saw was an empty tomb. Adding insult to injury, not only had their Lord been put to death, but now his body was missing. Their grief was intensified.
All cultures have customs that help people deal with the loss of a loved one.
We lean on traditions in times of loss. We need the familiar patterns to help us walk through the initial phases of grief. Anointing the body for burial was important to the people of Jesus day. It was an act of love, a show of respect, a time of saying good-bye . The women came in love for their Lord.