He is not here, but is risen.

St Luke Chapter XXIV : Verses 1-12

Contents

• Luke xxiv. Verses 1-12.  Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate)
• Douay-Rheims 1582 text
• Annotations based on the Catena Aurea of St Thomas

Luke xxiv. Verses 1-12.

And they found the stone rolled back from the sepulchre.
J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

1 And on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared.

Una autem sabbati valde diluculo venerunt ad monumentum, portantes quae paraverant aromata :

2 And they found the stone rolled back from the sepulchre.

et invenerunt lapidem revolutum a monumento.

3 And going in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Et ingressæ non invenerunt corpus Domini Jesu.

4 And it came to pass, as they were astonished in their mind at this, behold, two men stood by them, in shining apparel.

Et factum est, dum mente consternatæ essent de isto, ecce duo viri steterunt secus illas in veste fulgenti.

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their countenance towards the ground, they said unto them: Why seek you the living with the dead?

Cum timerent autem, et declinarent vultum in terram, dixerunt ad illas : Quid quæritis viventem cum mortuis?

6 He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke unto you, when he was in Galilee,

non est hic, sed surrexit : recordamini qualiter locutus est vobis, cum adhuc in Galilæa esset,

7 Saying: The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

dicens : Quia oportet Filium hominis tradi in manus hominum peccatorum, et crucifigi, et die tertia resurgere.

8 And they remembered his words.

Et recordatæ sunt verborum ejus.

9 And going back from the sepulchre, they told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest.

Et regressæ a monumento nuntiaverunt haec omnia illis undecim, et ceteris omnibus.

10 And it was Mary Magdalen, and Joanna, and Mary of James, and the other women that were with them, who told these things to the apostles.

Erat autem Maria Magdalene, et Joanna, et Maria Jacobi, et ceteræ quae cum eis erant, quæ dicebant ad apostolos hæc.

11 And these words seemed to them as idle tales; and they did not believe them.

Et visa sunt ante illos sicut deliramentum verba ista, et non crediderunt illis.

12 But Peter rising up, ran to the sepulchre, and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths laid by themselves; and went away wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Petrus autem surgens cucurrit ad monumentum : et procumbens vidit linteamina sola posita, et abiit secum mirans quod factum fuerat.

Douay-Rheims : 1582 text

1. AND in the firſt of the Sabboth very early they came to the monument, carying the ſpices which they had prepared.

2. And they found the ſtone roled backe from the monument.

3. And going in, they found not the body of our Lord IESVS.

4. And it came to paſſe, as they were aſtoniſhed in their mind at this, behold two men ſtood beſide them in gliſtering apparel.

5. And when they feared and casſt downe their countenance toward the ground, they ſaid vnto them: Why ſeeke you the liuing with the dead?

6. he is not here, but is riſen. Remember how he ſpake to you, when he yet was in Galilee,

7. ſaying: That the Sonne of man muſt be deliuered into the handes of ſinners and be crucified, and the third day riſe againe.

8. And they remembred his wordes.

9. And going backe from the monument, they told al these things to thoſe eleuen, and to al the reſt.

10. And it was Marie Magdalene, and Ioane, and Marie of Iames, and the reſt that were them, which ſaid theſe things to the Apoſtles.

11. And these wordes ſeemed before them as dotage, and they did not beleeue them.

12. But Peter rising vp ranne to the monument; and ſtouping downe he ſaw the linnen clothes lying alone, and went away maruelling with himſelf at that which was done.

 

Annotations

    1. And on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared. BEDE. Devout women not only on the day of preparation, but also when the sabbath was passed, that is, at sun-set, as soon as the liberty of working returned, bought spices that they might come and anoint the body of Jesus, as Mark testifies. (Mark xvi.1.) Still as long as night time restrained them, they came not to the sepulchre. One of the Sabbath, (una Sabbathi) or the first of the Sabbath, is the first day from the Sabbath; which Christians are wont to call “the Lord’s day,” because of our Lord’s resurrection. But by the women coming to the sepulchre very early in the morning, is manifested their great zeal and fervent love of seeking and finding the Lord.

    AMBROSE. Now this place has caused great perplexity to many, because while St. Luke says, Very early in the morning, Matthew says that it was in the evening of the sabbath that the women came to the sepulchre. But you may suppose that the Evangelists spoke of different occasions, so as to understand both different parties of women, and different appearances. 

    AUGUSTINE. (de Con. Ev. lib. iii. c. 24.) Or Matthew by the first part of the night, which is the evening, wished to represent the night itself, at the end of which night they came to the sepulchre, and for this reason, because they had been now preparing since the evening, and it was lawful to bring spices because the sabbath was over.

    2. And they found the stone rolled back from the sepulchre. EUSEBIUS. The Instrument of the Word lay dead, but a great stone enclosed the sepulchre, as if death had led Him captive. But three days had not yet elapsed, when life again puts itself forth after a sufficient proof of death.

    THEOPHYLACT. An angel had rolled it away, as Matthew declares.

    CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. 90. in Matt.) But the stone was rolled away after the resurrection, on account of the women, that they might believe that the Lord had risen again, seeing indeed the grave without the body. 

    3. And going in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. When then they found not the body of Christ which was risen, they were distracted by various thoughts, and for their love of Christ and the tender care they had shewn Him, were thought worthy of the vision of angels. 

    4. And it came to pass, as they were astonished in their mind at this, behold, two men stood by them, in shining apparel. EUSEBIUS. The messengers of the health-bearing resurrection and their shining garments stand for tokens of pleasantness and rejoicing. For Moses preparing plagues against the Egyptians, perceived an angel in the flame of fire. But not such were those who appeared to the women at the sepulchre, but calm and joyful as became them to be seen in the kingdom and joy of the Lord. And as at the Passion the sun was darkened, holding forth signs of sorrow and woe to the crucifiers of our Lord, so the angels, heralds of life and resurrection, marked by their white garments the character of the health-bearing feast day.

    AMBROSE. But how is it that Mark has mentioned one young man sitting in white garments, and Matthew one, but John and Luke relate that there were seen two angels sitting in white garments.

    AUGUSTINE. (de Con. Ev. ut sup.) We may understand that one Angel was seen by the women, as both Mark and Matthew say, so as supposing them to have entered into the sepulchre, that is, into a certain space which was fenced off by a kind of wall in front of the stone sepulchre; and that there they saw an Angel sitting on the right hand, which Mark says, but that afterwards when they looked into the place where our Lord was lying, they saw within two other Angels standing, (as Luke says,) who spoke to encourage their minds, and build up their faith.

    5. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their countenance towards the ground, they said unto them: Why seek you the living with the dead? BEDE. The holy women, when the Angels stood beside them, are reported not to have fallen to the ground, but to have bowed their faces to the earth; nor do we read that any of the saints, at the time of our Lord’s resurrection, worshipped with prostration to the ground either our Lord Himself, or the Angels who appeared to them. Hence has arisen the ecclesiastical custom, either in memory of our Lord’s resurrection, or in the hope of our own, of praying on every Lord’s day, and through the whole season of Pentecost, not with bended knees, but with our faces bowed to the earth. But not in the sepulchre, which is the place of the dead, was He to be sought, who rose from the dead to life. And therefore it is added, They said to them, that is, the Angels to the women, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 

    6.  He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke unto you, when he was in Galilee,  

    7. Saying: The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. On the third day then, as He Himself foretold to the women, together with the rest of His disciples, He celebrated the triumph of His resurrection. For on the day of the preparation at the ninth hour giving up the ghost, buried in the evening, early on the morning of the first day of the week He rose again.

    ATHANASIUS. (Lib. de Inc. Fil. Dei.) He might indeed at once have raised His body from the dead. But some one would have said that He was never dead, or that death plainly had never existed in Him. And perhaps if the resurrection of our Lord had been delayed beyond the third day, the glory of incorruption had been concealed. In order therefore to shew His body to be dead, He suffered the interval of one day, and on the third day manifested His body to be without corruption.

    BEDE. One day and two nights also He lay in the sepulchre, because He joined the light of His single death to the darkness of our double death.

    8. And they remembered his words.

    9. And going back from the sepulchre, they told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. Now the women, when they had received the sayings of the Angels, hastened to tell them to the disciples; as it follows, And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. For woman who was once the minister of death, is now the first to receive and tell the awful mystery of the resurrection. The female race has obtained therefore both deliverance from reproach, and the withdrawal of the curse.

    AMBROSE. It is not allowed to women to teach in the church, but they shall ask their husbands at home. (1 Tim. ii. 12, 1 Cor. xiv. 35.) To those then who are at home is the woman sent. But who these women were he explains, adding, It was Mary Magdalene,

    BEDE. (who was also the sister of Lazarus,) and Joanna, (the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward,) and Mary the mother of James, (that is, the mother of James the less, and Joseph.) And it is added generally of the others, and other women that were with them, which told these things to the Apostles.

    BEDE. (ex Amb.) For that the woman might not endure the everlasting reproach of guilt from men, she who had transfused sin into the man, now also transfuses grace.

    11. And these words seemed to them as idle tales; and they did not believe them. THEOPHYLACT. Now the miracle of the resurrection is naturally incredible to mankind.

    BEDE. (ex Greg.) Which was not so much their weakness, as so to speak our strength. For the resurrection itself was demonstrated to those who doubted by many proofs, which while we read and acknowledge we are through their doubts confirmed in the truth.

    12. But Peter rising up, ran to the sepulchre, and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths laid by themselves; and went away wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. THEOPHYLACT. Peter, as soon as he heard this, delays not, but runs to the sepulchre; for fire when applied to matter knows no delay.

    EUSEBIUS. For he alone believed the women saying that they had seen Angels; and as he was of more ardent feelings than the rest, he anxiously put himself foremost, looking every where for the Lord.

    THEOPHYLACT. But now when he was at the tomb, he first of all obtained that he should marvel at those things which had before been derided by himself or the others; as it is said, and went away wondering in himself at that which was come to pass; that is, wondering in himself at the way in which it had happened, how the linen clothes had been left behind, since the body was anointed with myrrh; or what opportunity the thief had obtained, that putting away the clothes wrapped up by themselves, he should take away the body with the soldiers standing round.

    BEDE. According to the mystical meaning, by the women coming early in the morning to the sepulchre, we have an example given us, that having cast away the darkness of our vices, we should come to the Body of the Lord. For that sepulchre also bore the figure of the Altar of the Lord, wherein the mysteries of Christ’s Body, not in silk or purple cloth, but in pure white linen, like that in which Joseph wrapped it, ought to be consecrated, that as He offered up to death for us the true substance of His earthly nature, so we also in commemoration of Him should place on the Altar the flax, pure from the plant of the earth, and white, and in many ways refined by a kind of crushing to death. But the spices which the women bring, signify the odour of virtue, and the sweetness of prayers by which we ought to approach the Altar. The rolling back of the stone alludes to the unclosing of the Sacraments which were concealed by the veil of the letter of the law which was written on stone, the covering of which being taken away, the dead body of the Lord is not found, but the living body is preached; for although we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. (2 Cor. v. 16.) But as when the Body of our Lord lay in the sepulchre, Angels are said to have stood by, so also at the time of consecration are they to be believed to stand by the mysteries of Christ. Let us then after the example of the devout women, whenever we approach the heavenly mysteries, because of the presence of the Angels, or from reverence to the Sacred Offering, with all humility, bow our faces to the earth, recollecting that we are but dust and ashes.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.