On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb…Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead. (Jn 20, 1-9)
Resurrection takes place before the arrival of the disciples and Mary of Magdala. Resurrection is like creation. No one can witness it. That is why when God created Eve, God placed Adam into a deep sleep. Because, creation could never be seen by men. Men can only enjoy the effects of creation. Similarly Resurrection cannot be seen by anyone. No one has seen Resurrection but they have witnessed the Risen lord.
That is why before the arrival of the disciples the stone is removed. It could not have been removed by the dead man and it was not removed by anyone interested in the dead person. So the author says (indirectly) that it was removed by God. God worked the resurrection. God raised Jesus from the dead.
The disciples are the witnessed of the empty tomb and cloths that covered the dead person. The empty tomb and the empty cloths are the proof of something that has taken place to the dead person. That something is what we call resurrection. This is our faith that says that Jesus is risen.
