St Matthew Chapter XXVIII : Verses 1-10
Contents
- Matt. xxviii. 1-10. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text.
Matt. xxviii. 1-10
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| The holy women at the tomb. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Vespere autem sabbati, quæ lucescit in prima sabbati, venit Maria Magdalene, et altera Maria, videre sepulchrum.
2 And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.
Et ecce terræmotus factus est magnus. Angelus enim Domini descendit de ælo : et accedens revolvit lapidem, et sedebat super eum :
3 And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow.
erat autem aspectus ejus sicut fulgur : et vestimentum ejus sicut nix.
4 And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men.
Præ timore autem ejus exterriti sunt custodes, et facti sunt velut mortui.
5 And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
Respondens autem angelus dixit mulieribus : Nolite timere vos : scio enim, quod Jesum, qui crucifixus est, quæritis.
6 He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid.
Non est hic : surrexit enim, sicut dixit : venite, et videte locum ubi positus erat Dominus.
7 And going quickly, tell ye his disciples that he is risen: and behold he will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see him. Lo, I have foretold it to you.
Et cito euntes, dicite discipulis ejus quia surrexit : et ecce præcedit vos in Galilæam : ibi eum videbitis : ecce prædixi vobis.
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| And behold Jesus met them, saying: All hail. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Et exierunt cito de monumento cum timore et gaudio magno, currentes nuntiare discipulis ejus.
9 And behold Jesus met them, saying: All hail. But they came up and took hold of his feet, and adored him.
Et ecce Jesus occurrit illis, dicens : Avete. Illæ autem accesserunt, et tenuerunt pedes ejus, et adoraverunt eum.
10 Then Jesus said to them: Fear not. Go, tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, there they shall see me.
Tunc ait illis Jesus : Nolite timere : ite, nuntiare fratribus meis ut eant in Galilaeam; ibi me videbunt.
Notes
1. in the end of the Sabbath. Lit. “late on the Sabbath” (Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων), by which we must understand after the Sabbath was over, as the civil day lasted until midnight. That this is St Matthew’s meaning is clear from the context.
when it began to dawn towards, etc. The time does not quite correspond in the three gospels : —
(a) very early in the morning (St Luke).
(b) when it was yet dark (St John).
(c) very early .... the sun being now risen (St Mark).
These differences can be harmonized by supposing that- —
(а) There were different companies of holy women who went in succession to the sepulchre.
(b) It was dark when they set out, and by the time they reached the sepulchre the sun had risen. The nearer a country lies to the equator the shorter the dawn and twilight.
the first day of the week. Lit. “unto one of the sabbaths” (εἰς μίαν σαββάτων). The plural word “ sabbaths ” designates the whole week.
The memory of the day of the Resurrection has been perpetuated in the Church by the observance of the first day of the week as the day of rest instead of the seventh or “ Sabbath,” which the Jews kept by God’s command. This transference of the Sabbath is not formally mentioned in Scripture ; it has been handed down to us by a tradition, which is said to be of apostolic origin.
came Mary Magdalene, etc. From St Luke’s narrative, we find that Mary and her companion came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
and the other Mary. Mary of Cleophas, mother of James the Less and Joseph. St Matthew only gives the first group of women that went to the sepulchre on Easter morning.
St Luke speaks of another group, Joanna (wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward), and other women. Note that our Blessed Lady is not mentioned. She did not go to anoint the dead body of her Son, because she had a firm faith that He would rise on the third day.
to see the sepulchre. Lit. “to gaze upon” (θεωρῆσαι), and also to embalm our Lord, but they were sorely perplexed about the stone which closed the entrance to the sepulchre. And they said one to another : Who shall roll us hack the stone from the door of the sepulchre ? (St Mark). Possibly they came to see the tomb in order to take measures for having the stone removed.
2. behold. This calls attention to the unexpectedness of the event.
a great earthquake. This had taken place before the arrival, since they found the stone rolled away. Cf. And looking they saw the stone rolled back, for it was very great (St Mark). St Mark speaks of Jesus rising early, and this is the only reference to the time of our Lord’s Resurrection. The exact hour is not specified.
For an angel, etc. St Matthew gives the descent of the angel as the cause of the earthquake.
rolled hack the stone. The miraculous rolling away of the stone caused the soldiers to take flight, and allowed the holy women to enter the sepulchre, and to assure themselves that the Body of our Lord was not there.
The stone was rolled away as a proof that Jesus was already risen, not to give Him exit, for to a glorified body, matter offers no obstacle. The four qualities of a glorified body are— subtility, agility, brightness, and impassibility.
sat upon it. lie sat there in triumph as the guardian of the tomb of our Risen Saviour. St Luke speaks of two angels being at the tomb : And it came to pass, as they were astonished in their mind at this, behold two men stood by them in shining apparel.
Doubtless myriads of angels hovered round the tomb where the Body of Christ had rested, though only one or two manifested themselves to Christ’s disciples. The guards had evidently fled before the arrival of the women. Some commentators, however, represent them as still lying prostrate when the women arrived.
3. his countenance. Better, “ his appearance ” (ἡ εἰδέα), not merely his face.
as lightning. St Luke describes the garments of the angels in similar terms. Cf. Two men (i.e. angels) stood by them in shining apparel. Lit. “ in apparel flashing like lightning.”
his raiment as snow. Pure and glistening, as our Lord’s garments were at the Transfiguration. (See supra, xviii. 2.)
4. the guards were struck with terror. It is evident that they saw the angel, since they shook with terror.
for fear of him. Apparitions of angels are rarely granted except to the just, but the soldiers, although pagans, were to be witnesses of the Resurrection to the rulers of Israel.
5. Fear not you. The pronoun “you” emphatic here. It was necessary to reassure the holy women. The soldiers and enemies of Jesus might well fear the angelic messengers, but the disciples had no reason to fear. The words “fear not” are characteristic of the angels of God when sent on errands of mercy. We remark that those who had been most faithful during the Passion of our Lord, were the first to receive the joyful news of the Resurrection.
Harmonizing the different accounts, the angel’s words may be analyzed as follows : —
(a) Words of consolation : Fear not you (St Matt.).
(b) A rebuke : Why seek you the living with the dead ? (St Luke).
(c) A reference to the fulfilment of a prophecy : Remember how he spoke to you when he was yet in Galilee (St Luke).
(d) A message to St Peter and the other apostles and disciples : But go tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you, into Galilee ; there you shall see him, as he told you, (St Mark xvi. 7).
6. he is risen. For prophecies of the Resurrection see xii. 40, xvi. 21, xvii. 22, XX. 19. This is the first announcement of the Resurrection, and it is made to the holy women, not to the apostles.
as he said. (See xxvi. 32, 33.) These words shew that Jesus had not only clearly prophesied His Resurrection to the disciples, but also to the holy women.
Come, and see. It seems evident, from the accounts given by the Evangelists, that only Mary of Cleophas and Salome entered the sepulchre, while Mary Magdalene went at once to tell St Peter and St John what had happened. Combining this account with St John’s, it appears that Mary Magdalene saw the angel when she returned with St Peter and St John, and after they had left.
the place where the Lord was laid. The women, on looking round, saw the empty tomb, and the linen cloths lying and the napkin that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place (St John xx, 6, 7).
7. tell ye his disciples. St Mark adds, and Peter. This was a special proof of the love of Jesus for those who had deserted Him during His bitter Passion. The special message to St Peter, the mention of his name, must have been an immense consolation to the penitent apostle. It was an assurance that his sin was forgiven.
he will go before you. Better, “He goeth before you” (προάγει), as a shepherd leads his flock to new pastures. Jesus Himself had assured them, After I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. This message was particularly for His Galilean disciples, for it was on a mountain in Galilee that Jesus shewed Himself to a great number assembled. The apostles and the women who had ministered to Him saw Him in Jerusalem before He appeared to His disciples collectively.
8. went out quickly, — i.e. from the sepulchre, which they had entered at the angel’s bidding.
with fear and great joy. We can imagine their mingled feelings of wonder and fear ; at first they could scarcely believe the good news. These words describe their strong emotion. Man always trembles and fears when he comes face to face with the preternatural.
running to tell his disciples. In the parallel passage we read : For a trembling and fear had seized them : and they said nothing to any man : for they were afraid.
St Mark appears to contradict St Matthew, but the two statements can be harmonized thus : The women fled from the sepulchre, speechless with fright, and “told no man.” On their way Jesus appeared to them, then they went and delivered the message which both our Lord and the angel had given them.
9. Jesus met them. From St John’s account we find that our Lord had already appeared to St Mary Magdalene, whom He had not permitted to touch His sacred feet (see St John xx. 11-18, also St Mark xvi. 9). Some commentators think that she had gone to inform the disciples that Christ was risen ; others harmonize the accounts by supposing that, having rejoined her companions after her return, she was present when Jesus appeared to them, and thus was favoured with a second apparition.
All hail. Lit. “rejoice ye ” (Χαίρετε) The usual Oriental salutation was “peace be with you,” but Jesus here fulfils His promise. I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice (St John xvi. 22).
10. Fear not. How often He had uttered those words for the consolation of His disciples !
Go, tell my brethren. Jesus confirms the angel’s words. For the first time He gives His disciples the name of “ brethren,” thus shewing how freely He forgave their cowardice and want of faith. At the Last Supper He called them “friends” (St John xv.), now He gives them a title which expresses a closer relationship — He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Heb. ii. 11).
that they go. Lit. “ in order that they depart ” (ἵνα ἀπέλθωσιν). This order was not to be executed immediately, since we find the disciples in Jerusalem eight days after. They returned to Galilee when the Paschal celebrations were over.
into Galilee. Where the disciples would be less exposed to the hostility of the Jews.
there they shall see me. They had not to wait until their return before seeing our Lord, for He appeared to them on the evening of Easter-day, as we learn from the other Evangelists.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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