Matthew 28:17 Ulasan

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 when, they saw him, they worshipped him,.... With divine adoration, as the eternal Son of God; for so he was now declared to be by his resurrection from the dead, Rom 1:4, but some doubted; or "some of them", as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it; that is, some of the eleven disciples: not that they doubted now that Christ was risen from the dead; since he had appeared several times to them before this, and had given them all the proofs of the truth of his resurrection they could desire; but they, who worshipped him now in Galilee, had doubted before in Jerusalem; not only Thomas, but all of them: they looked upon the words of the women as idle tales; nor did the rest believe the two disciples, with whom Christ travelled to Emmaus: wherefore he upbraids them for their unbelief, Luk 24:11, or else the sense is, that some of them, though they believed Christ was risen from the dead, of which they had had the strongest assurance; yet they doubted whether what they then saw on the mountain was he, or whether it was not a spirit, or a mere phantom; and therefore, as in the next verse, he "came" nearer to them, when they knew him: or else this may be understood of some of the seventy disciples, or of the five hundred brethren, who saw him at this time, and at first had some doubts of his resurrection, but were afterwards fully satisfied.

"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, and some worshipped, and some when they saw Him doubted." This seems to me to be the last appearance in Galilee, when He sent them forth to baptize. And if "some doubted," herein again admire their truthfulness, how they conceal not even their shortcomings up to the last day. Nevertheless, even these are assured by their sight.

(Verse 16, 17.) However, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. After the resurrection, Jesus is seen on a mountain in Galilee and is worshipped there; although some doubt, their doubt strengthens our faith. Then he shows himself more clearly to Thomas and shows him the wound in his side from the spear and the nails in his hands.

After His Resurrection, Jesus is seen and worshipped in the mountain in Galilee; though some doubt, their doubting confirms our faith.

This is more fully told by Luke; how when the Lord after the Resurrection appeared to the disciples, in their terror they thought they saw a spirit.

(Hom. Æst. in Fer. vi. Pasch.)b. The Lord appeared to them in the mountain to signify, that His Body which at His Birth He had taken of the common dust of the human race, He had by His Resurrection exalted above all earthly things; and to teach the faithful that if they desire there to see the height of His Resurrection, they must endeavour here to pass from low pleasures to high desires. And He goes before His disciples into Galilee, because Christ is risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that slept. (1 Cor. 15:20.) And they that are Christ's follow Him, and pass in their order from death to life, contemplating Him as He appears with His proper Divinity. And it agrees with this that Galilee is interpreted 'revelation.'

Therefore the eleven foremost disciples, together with all the others who followed Christ, worshipped Him; "but some doubted." In all likelihood this should be understood in the following sense: the eleven disciples went to Galilee and the eleven worshipped Him. "But some" of the seventy, perhaps, had doubts concerning Christ; but later they also were assured. Some understand it in this manner: Matthew omitted to say who it was that doubted; but John mentioned what Matthew omitted, saying that it was Thomas who doubted (Jn. 20:24-25). Yet perhaps they all doubted, as Luke says (Lk. 24:41). You ought therefore to understand it in this manner, that when they came to Galilee they worshipped Him. But they who worshipped in Galilee had previously doubted in Jerusalem, as Luke says.

And it was necessary that he appear to them, because witnesses had to be given for so great a work. But he himself gave witnesses not only by hearing, but also by sight; 1 John 1:2: what we have seen and heard (...) this we testify. But the question is, when was this apparition made: and according to what Augustine says, it was not on the first day of the resurrection, because in the evening the vision took place where Thomas was not. Likewise, neither within the octave nor on the eighth day, because they were in Jerusalem for eight days. Nor can we say that it was immediately after the eight days: because we would contradict John, who says that when he manifested himself at the Sea of Tiberias, this was now the third time that Jesus was manifested; and this here is not the third, but was made after that third one. And seeing him. It should be noted that there are two kinds of those who contemplate the great works of God: for some hold them in reverence. Hence Abraham said, Gen. 18:27: I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes; and Job 9:14: what am I that I should answer him, and speak with him in my own words? And there follows: therefore I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust and ashes. Likewise this reverence is found in the angels. Apoc. 7:11: all the angels fell before the throne upon their faces, and adored God. And this is because the more someone knows him, the more he reveres him. But some are turned to unbelief: for they wish to bring all things to the level of their own understanding; hence whatever they do not understand, they blaspheme. So it was with the disciples, because seeing him they adored him; Ps. 31:7: we will adore in the place where his feet stood. But some doubted; therefore the Lord gave himself to be touched, as is said in Luke 24:39.

And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted--certainly none of "the Eleven," after what took place at previous interviews in Jerusalem. But if the five hundred were now present, we may well believe this of some of them.