Matteo 28:2 Commento

In the end of the sabbath,.... This clause is by some joined to the last verse of the preceding chapter, but stands better here, as appears from Mar 16:1, and intends not what the Jews call the sabbath eve, for that began the sabbath; but what they call , "the goings out of the sabbath"; and as Mark says, Mar 16:1, "when the sabbath was past": that is, when the sun was set, and any stars appeared. The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel render it, "the evening of the sabbath"; and the Persic version, "the night of the sabbath"; but must mean, not the evening and night, which preceded the sabbath, and was a part of it, but what followed it, and belonged to the first day. As it began to dawn; not the day, but the night; a way of speaking used by the Jews, who call the night, "light": thus they say (y), , "on the light, or night of the fourteenth" (of the month Nisan) "they search for leavened bread", &c. And so the word is used, in Luk 23:54, of the eve of the sabbath, or the beginning of it, as here of the going out of it; towards the first day of the week, or "sabbaths"; so the Jews used to call the days of the week, the first day of the sabbath, the second day of the sabbath, &c. take an instance or two (z). "The stationary men fast four days in the week, from the second day to the fifth day; and they do not fast on the sabbath eve (so they sometimes call the sixth day), because of the glory of the sabbath; nor , "on the first day of the sabbath", or week, that they may not go from rest and delight, to labour and fasting, and die.'' On which the Gemara has these words (a); "the stationary men go into the synagogue, and sit four fastings; , "on the second of the sabbath", or "week": on the third, and on the fourth, and on the fifth.'' Came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and mother of James and Joses, with whom also was Salome, the mother of Zebedee's children, Mar 16:1. There seems to be some difference between the evangelists about the time of the women's coming to the sepulchre. Matthew says, it was "at the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn; towards the first day of the week". John says, that "Mary Magdalene" came "when it was yet dark", Joh 20:1, and yet Mark says, that they came "at the rising of the sun", Mar 16:2. Though they all agree it was early in the morning: all they say is no doubt true, and may be reconciled thus. As soon as the sabbath was ended, the women set out on their journey, and as they went, bought spices and ointment to anoint the body with: they passed through the gates of the city before they were shut, and might stay some time in the suburbs; when Mary Magdalene, eager to be at the sepulchre, set out first, whilst it was dark, and came back and reported to Peter what she had seen, and returned again by such time the other women came, which was at sunrising. From all the accounts it is clear, that he rose, as is expressly said, Mar 16:9, on the first day of the week, and which was the third from his death: on the sixth day, which was Friday, he was crucified, and buried that evening; he lay in the grave all sabbath day, or Saturday; and rose early on the first day of the week, before the women got to the sepulchre; who came thither, as it is here said, to see the sepulchre: not merely to see it, for they had seen it before, and where, and how the body of Christ was laid in it; but to see whether they could enter into it, and anoint the body with the spices and ointments, which they had prepared and brought with them for that purpose. (y) Misn. Pesachim, c. 1. sect. 1. Vid. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. (z) Misn. Taanilh, c. 4. sect. 3. (a) T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 27. 2. Vid. T. Bab. Nidda, fol. 4. 2. & 11. 1. & 67. 2.

And behold there was a great earthquake,.... Or "there had been one"; which, how far it reached, and whether further than the spot of ground in which the sepulchre was, is not certain: it was an emblem of the shaking of the earth by the preaching of the Gospel, the sound of which was now to go after Christ's resurrection to the ends of the world; and a prelude of the general resurrection, when the earth shall be shaken, and the graves opened, and the dead come forth; and was a symbol and token of the presence and majesty of Christ, at whose rising, as at his death, the earth shook and trembled. Think whether the watch could now be asleep, as they afterwards gave out, Mat 28:13. The Persic version renders it very wrongly; "and there was great consternation and fear"; which was the consequence of the earthquake, and the descent of the angel, and was so great that it was not possible for the keepers to sleep, if ever so much inclined: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven; perhaps Gabriel, who brought the news of the conception of Christ to the virgin, and of his incarnation to the shepherds, and might be the same angel that strengthened him in the garden: nor is this any contradiction to the other evangelists, which speak of two angels, Luk 24:4, for Matthew does not say there were no more than one, though he makes mention but of one. And came and rolled back the stone from the door; of the sepulchre, which by Joseph, or his orders, was put there, and was sealed by the Jews. This might be done, that way might be made for the risen body of Christ to pass out of the sepulchre; for to suppose, as some do, that he penetrated through this stone with his risen body, is not to be credited: it is true, he could have caused the stone to have given way, or removed it himself, and put it in the place again; as he caused the doors of the house in which the disciples were, to open and shut so quick, that they could not discern it when he appeared in the midst of them, Joh 20:19; see Act 12:10, but he might choose to do it by the ministry of an angel, which is no ways derogatory to his power and majesty, but rather agreeable. Moreover, this might be done, that the women might have access to the sepulchre, and enter into it, which was the thing they were concerned about by the way, who should roll away the stone for them. Besides, this the angel did, as a token that Christ was risen, and to let the guard know as much, who, if they thought fit, might come and see what was done; but chiefly the stone was rolled away by the angel, as an emblem of the acquittance and discharge of Christ, as the surety of his people. He had taken upon him their sins; he had bore them in his body on the tree; he had suffered and died for them, and was laid as a prisoner in the grave; and now full satisfaction being made, an angel is sent from heaven to roll away the stone; thereby signifying, that the debt was fully paid, and he was now legally discharged. It is added, and sat upon it; thereby showing who it was that rolled it away; that it was done by him, not by the earthquake, nor by any human power: he sat there defying the guard of soldiers to come nigh; and waiting for the coming of the women, to tell them the good news, that their Lord was risen; and as the keeper of the sepulchre, that no corpse might be brought and laid in the room of Christ, and it be said that he was not risen. This posture of the angel does not contradict what other evangelists say of this, and the other angel, that they stood by the women, and also were sitting in the sepulchre, Mar 16:5, for each was true: when the women first came, the angel sat upon the stone; after that, with the other, stood by them; when having invited them to the grave, placed themselves, sitting the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Christ had lain.

This is an instance of the mercy of God the Father, to supply the ministry of heavenly power to the Son on His resurrection from the grave; and he is therefore the proclaimer of this first resurrection, that it may be heralded by some attendant token of the Father's good pleasure.

The earthquake is the might of the resurrection, when the sting of death being blunted, and its darkness illuminated, there is stirred up a quaking of the powers beneath, as the Lord of the heavenly powers rises again.

"But in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow." After the resurrection came the angel. Wherefore then came he, and took away the stone? Because of the women, for they themselves had seen Him then in the sepulchre. Therefore that they might believe that He was risen again, they see the sepulchre void of the body. For this cause he removed the stone, for this cause also an earthquake took place, that they might be thoroughly aroused and awakened. For they were come to pour oil on Him, and these things were done at night, and it is likely that some also had become drowsy.

(Vers. 2, 3.) And behold, there was a great earthquake. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and approaching, rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. And His appearance was like lightning, and His garment like snow. Our Lord, the one and the same Son of God and Son of Man, according to both natures, divinity and flesh, now demonstrates signs of His greatness and humility. Therefore, even in this place, though He is a man who was crucified, who was buried, who was confined in a tomb, whom a stone held back, yet the things that happen outside reveal the Son of God: the sun fleeing, darkness falling, the earth shaking, the veil torn, rocks split, the dead raised, the ministry of angels, which from the beginning of His nativity confirmed Him as God. Gabriel came to Mary, while Joseph speaks with the angel; the same announces it to the shepherds, afterwards the chorus of angels is heard saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will (Luke II). He is tempted in solitude, and after victory immediately served by angels. Now also the Angel comes, the guardian of the Lord's tomb, and in white garments signifies the glory of the triumphant. Moreover, as the Lord ascends to heaven, two angels are seen on the Mount of Olives, promising the apostles according to the Saviour's coming (Acts I).

And, behold, there was a great earthquake. Our Lord, Son at once of God and man, according to His twofold nature of Godhead and of flesh, gives a sign one while of His greatness, another while of His lowliness. Thus, though now it was man who was crucified, and man who was buried, yet the things that were done around show the Son of God.

According to Matthew, the angel sat upon the stone which had been rolled from the tomb, whereas Mark says that upon entering the tomb the women were astounded to see a young man sitting on the right, dressed in a white robe. This discrepancy would be troubling unless we understand that Matthew remained silent concerning that angel whom they saw when they entered the tomb and Mark remained silent concerning that angel whom they saw sitting on the stone outside the tomb. If this be the case, the women saw two angels and heard from them about Jesus progressively; first from the one who sat on the stone outside the tomb and then from the one whom they saw sitting on the right when they entered the tomb. They went into the tomb then because they had been exhorted to do so by the angel sitting outside, when he said, “Come and see where the Lord was placed.” Upon entering, as it is written, they saw and heard similar things from the angel sitting on the right side of the tomb, who is mentioned by Mark but ignored by Matthew.If this explanation fails to satisfy, we certainly ought to understand that when they entered the tomb they were in some sort of walled enclosure which, it is reasonable to believe, had been established as a secured location in front of the rock from which the tomb was cut. According to this scenario, the angel whom they saw sitting on the right side of the tomb would have been in the same space as the angel who Matthew says was sitting on the stone which, at the time of the earthquake, had been rolled back from the entrance to the tomb, that is, from the sepulcher cut from the rock.

(de Cons. Ev. iii. 24.) It may disquiet some, how it is that according to Matthew the Angel sate upon the stone after it had been rolled back from the sepulchre, whereas Mark says that the women having gone into the sepulchre, saw a young man sitting on the right hand. Either we may suppose that they saw two, and that Matthew has not mentioned him whom they saw within, nor Mark him whom they saw without the sepulchre; but that they heard from each severally what the Angels said concerning Jesus. Or the words, entering into the sepulchre, (Mark 16:5.) may mean entering into some enclosed place, which probably there might be in front of the rock out of which the sepulchre was hewn; and thus it might be the same Angel whom they saw sitting on the right hand, whom Matthew describes as sitting on the stone which he had rolled back.

“His appearance,” says the Evangelist, “was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.” The brightness of his countenance is distinguished from the brilliance of his clothing. His face is compared with lightning from heaven and his garment to snow falling upon the earth. Listen to the prophet as he says, “Praise the Lord from the earth, you fire, hail and snow!” In the angel’s face, then, heaven’s brilliance adapts to nature. His clothing symbolizes the grace of human fellowship, and the appearance of this angel as he speaks is so tempered that physical eyes can withstand the peaceful brilliance of his raiment. As they look upon the lightning of his appearance, they tremble and revere the messenger of their Maker.

An angel descended and rolled back the stone. He did not roll back the stone to provide a way of escape for the Lord but to show the world that the Lord had already risen. He rolled back the stone to help his fellow servants believe, not to help the Lord rise from the dead. He rolled back the stone for the sake of faith, because it had been rolled over the tomb for the sake of unbelief. He rolled back the stone so that he who took death captive might hold the title of Life. Pray, brothers, that the angel would descend now and roll away all the hardness of our hearts and open up our closed senses and declare to our minds that Christ has risen, for just as the heart in which Christ lives and reigns is heaven, so also the heart in which Christ remains dead and buried is a grave. May it be believed that just as he died, so was he transformed. Christ the man suffered, died and was buried; as God, he lives, reigns, is and will be forever.

(Serm. 77 et 74.) If the earth thus quaked when the Lord rose again to the pardon of the Saints, how will it quake when He shall rise again to the punishment of the wicked? As the Prophet speaks, The earth trembled when the Lord rose again to judgment. (Ps. 76:8.) And how will it endure the Lord's presence, when it was unable to endure the presence of His Angel? And the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven. For when Christ arose, death was destroyed, commerce with heaven is restored to things on the earth; and woman, who had of old held communication to death with the Devil, now holds communication to life with the Angel. (Serm. 74.) He said not 'rolled,' but rolled back; because the rolling to of the stone was a proof of death; the rolling it back asserted the resurrection. The order of things is changed; The Tomb devours death, and not the dead; the house of death becomes the mansion of life; a new law is imposed upon it, it receives a dead, and renders up a living, man. It follows, And sat thereon. He sat down, who was incapable of weariness; but sat as a teacher of the faith, a master of the Resurrection; upon the stone, that the firmness of his seat might assure the sted fastness of the believers; the Angel rested the foundations of the Faith upon that rock, on which Christ was to found His Church. Or, by the stone of the sepulchre may be denoted death, under which we all lay; and by the Angel sitting thereon, is shown that Christ hath by His might subdued death.

The rolling back of the stone signifies the opening of Christ's sacraments, which were covered by the letter of the Law. For the Law having been writen on stones, is here denoted by the stone.

(ubi sup.) The earthquake at the Resurrection, as also at the Crucifixion, signifies that worldly hearts must be first moved to penitence by a health-giving fear through belief in His Passion and Resurrection. (ubi sup.) Forasmuch as Christ is both God and man, therefore there lack not amidst the acts of His humanity the ministrations of Angels, due to Him as God. And came and rolled back the stone; not to open the door for the Lord to come forth, but to give evidence to men that He was already come forth. For He who as mortal had power to enter the world through the closed womb of a Virgin, He when become immortal, was able to depart out of the world by rising from a sealed sepulchre. (ubi sup.) And rightly did the Angel appear standing, who proclaimed the Lord's coming into the world, to show that the Lord should come to vanquish the prince of this world. But the Herald of the Resurrection is related to have been seated, to show that now He had overcome him that had the power of death, He had mounted the throne of the everlasting kingdom. He sate upon the stone, now rolled back, wherewith the mouth of the sepulchre had been closed, to teach that He by His might had burst the bonds of the tomb.

After the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the tomb. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the guards did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus Who was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word. "After the sabbath" means the same thing that Luke said, "at deep dawn," and that Mark said, "very early in the morning at the rising of the sun" (Lk. 24:1, Mk.l6:2). By "sun" we should understand here "the first dawning rays of the sun." For by the eighth hour of the night it is the beginning of the next day, and it already feels like morning. So it was then, after the sabbath, at the beginning of Sunday which the evangelist calls "the first day of the sabbath." As "sabbath" is the name they gave also to the seven days of the week when considered together, so Sunday, the Lord's day, [in Greek, kyriake] is "the first day of the sabbath," that is, the first day of the week. Following the first day are the Second, the Third, the Fourth and the Fifth. When the Lord rose, the stone was still in place against the tomb. Therefore, after the Lord had risen, the angel came to roll away the stone and give the women entrance into the tomb. There was an earthquake so that the guards would wake up and learn of this new and wondrous occurrence. The Lord rose on the third day; but how are the three days reckoned? He was crucified at the sixth hour on Friday; from then until the ninth hour, there was darkness: to me, this means "night." Again, from the ninth hour, there was light: this means "day." Lo, one day and night. Again, the night of Friday and the day of Saturday, the second day and night. And again, the night of Saturday and the dawn of Sunday, as Matthew says, "as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week;" the dawn is figured as one whole day. Lo, the third day and night. But three days can also be reckoned in another way: on Friday He gave up His spirit; this is the first day. On Saturday He was in the tomb; this is the second day. He rose during the morning hour of Sunday; from the part, Sunday is figured as another day. Behold, three days. So it is with those who have reposed; if one should die about the tenth hour of the day [i.e. 4 p.m.] and another about the first hour of the same day [i.e. 7 a.m.], they are both said to have died on the same day. But I have yet another explanation to give you of how three days and three nights can be reckoned. Attend closely. On Thursday evening the Lord had the supper and said to His disciples, "Take, eat, this is My Body." As He had authority to dispose of His own life, it is clear that from that moment He sacrificed Himself, in that He imparted His Body to His own disciples. For no one eats any meat which has not first been slaughtered. Therefore, reckon the three days as follows: on Thursday evening He imparted to them His own Body; that night and the day of Friday until the sixth hour - lo, the first day and night. Again, from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness, and from the ninth hour there was light until evening - lo, the second day and night. Again, the night following Friday, and the day of Saturday - lo, the third day and night. After the sabbath, He arose. These are three entire days and nights. Matthew says that the angel sat upon the stone, while Mark says that, having rolled away the stone, the angel sat inside the tomb, on the right side. Do they contradict each other? Not at all. It is likely that the angel first appeared seated upon the stone; then when the women entered, the angel preceded them and again appeared inside the tomb seated on the right side. The angel said to the women, "Fear not ye," that is, the guards indeed have reason to be afraid, but you, the women disciples of the Lord, need not fear. After taking away their fear, he announces to them the good tidings of the Resurrection. For it was necessary that he first cast out fear, and then bring the good tidings. He is not ashamed to call the Lord "He Who was crucified"; for the angel boasts in the cross as in a trophy of victory, the source of every good thing for us.

And behold there was a great earthquake. Here the angel revealing is treated. And first the arrival of the angel is touched upon; second, his work; third, his appearance; fourth, the effect. The second is at and coming, he rolled back the stone; the third is at and he sat upon it; the fourth is at and for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror. And concerning the first, first the arrival is foreshadowed; second, the cause of the arrival is touched upon, at and the angel of the Lord descended from heaven. He says therefore and behold there was a great earthquake. This was fitting, and has a literal cause. One reason, according to Chrysostom, is that these women had come by night, and therefore it could have been that they were sleeping; so the earthquake was made in order to rouse them. Jerome says that something had been touched upon regarding the humanity, therefore something should be touched upon regarding the divinity; hence when the sepulcher, which pertained to the humanity, is treated, an earthquake occurs, to signify that such a dead man could not be held beneath the earth. For he was free among the dead, Ps. 87:6. Mystically, the earthquake occurred twice, so that by the one might be signified the movement of hearts, because through his death we were freed from sin; and by the other, the passage to glory; Rom. 4:25: he was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification. And in Ps. 59:4: thou hast moved the earth, and hast troubled it. Likewise, this resurrection is a certain prefiguration of the future resurrection: for in the future resurrection there will be a trembling of the earth; Ps. 75:9: the earth trembled and was still, when God arose in judgment. And why? It is added: the angel of the Lord descended from heaven. If the earth could not sustain an angel, much less will it be able to sustain the coming of Christ for judgment. And he says he descended; for although an angel is not circumscribed by place, nevertheless he is determined to a place according to his operation; therefore a certain movement befits him. Likewise it is fitting that the resurrection be announced by an angel, both on account of the glory of him by whom it was accomplished, as Paul says in Acts 13:30: God raised him up from the dead. For his ministers are the angels. Likewise, to denote the dignity of the one rising. Concerning this one it is said above in chapter 4:11 that angels came and ministered to him. Likewise it is fitting, because through the resurrection heavenly things were joined to earthly things. Next the work of the angel is set forth: and coming, he rolled back the stone, etc. And this according to the letter, in order to open the way for the women, because in truth Christ had already risen: for just as he came forth from a closed womb, so from a sealed sepulcher. Hence this was done to manifest it to the women; hence he rolled back, i.e., he rolled it again, to signify the glory of the one rising; and this rolling back signified the manifestation of the law, which was written on tablets of stone. Next his appearance is set forth. And first, as to his position; second, as to his countenance; third, as to his garments. As to his position, because he sat, not as one weary, but to signify that he was a teacher of the divine resurrection. Likewise, sitting befits those who are at rest: and by this is signified the rest which he had from the resurrection in glory; Rom. 6:9: Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him. Likewise, sitting befits one who rules; Ps. 109:1: the Lord said to my Lord: sit thou at my right hand. And he sits upon the stone, namely the devil, to signify that he now had dominion over both death and the devil.