‏ Matthew 28:1-8

CHAPTER 28

Mt 28:1-15. Glorious Angelic Announcement on the First Day of the Week, that Christ Is Risen--His Appearance to the Women--The Guards Bribed to Give a False Account of the Resurrection. ( = Mr 16:1-8; Lu 24:1-8; Joh 20:1).

The Resurrection Announced to the Women (Mt 28:1-8).

1. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn--after the Sabbath, as it grew toward daylight.

toward the first day of the week--Luke (Lu 24:1) has it, "very early in the morning"--properly, "at the first appearance of daybreak"; and corresponding with this, John (Joh 20:1) says, "when it was yet dark." See on Mr 16:2. Not an hour, it would seem, was lost by those dear lovers of the Lord Jesus.

came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary--"the mother of James and Joses" (see on Mt 27:56; Mt 27:61).

to see the sepulchre--with a view to the anointing of the body, for which they had made all their preparations. (See on Mr 16:1, 2).

And, behold, there was--that is, there had been, before the arrival of the women.

a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, &c.--And this was the state of things when the women drew near. Some judicious critics think all this was transacted while the women were approaching; but the view we have given, which is the prevalent one, seems the more natural. All this august preparation--recorded by Matthew alone--bespoke the grandeur of the exit which was to follow. The angel sat upon the huge stone, to overawe, with the lightning-luster that darted from him, the Roman guard, and do honor to his rising Lord.

3. His countenance--appearance.

was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow--the one expressing the glory, the other the purity of the celestial abode from which he came.

4. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men--Is the sepulchre "sure" now, O ye chief priests? He that sitteth in the heavens doth laugh at you.

5. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye--The "ye" here is emphatic, to contrast their case with that of the guards. "Let those puny creatures, sent to keep the Living One among the dead, for fear of Me shake and become as dead men (Mt 28:4); but ye that have come hither on another errand, fear not ye."

for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified--Jesus the Crucified.

6. He is not here; for he is risen, as he said--See on Lu 24:5-7.

Come--as in Mt 11:28.

see the place where the Lord lay--Charming invitation! "Come, see the spot where the Lord of glory lay: now it is an empty grave: He lies not here, but He lay there. Come, feast your eyes on it!" But see on Joh 20:12.

7. And go quickly, and tell his disciples--For a precious addition to this, see on Mr 16:7.

that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee--to which those women belonged (Mt 27:55).

there shall ye see him--This must refer to those more public manifestations of Himself to large numbers of disciples at once, which He vouchsafed only in Galilee; for individually He was seen of some of those very women almost immediately after this (Mt 28:9, 10).

Lo, I have told you--Behold, ye have this word from the world of light!

8. And they departed quickly--Mark (Mr 16:8) says "they fled."

from the sepulchre with fear and great joy--How natural this combination of feelings! See on a similar statement of Mr 16:11.

and did run to bring his disciples word--"Neither said they anything to any man [by the way]; for they were afraid" (Mr 16:8).

Appearance to the Women (Mt 28:9, 10).

This appearance is recorded only by Matthew.