GENERAL REMARKS. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is distinctly asserted, by four evangelists whose testimony nowhere shows greater independence of each other; in the Acts of the Apostles; it is preached directly or assumed in all the Epistles; it has been so believed for eighteen centuries, that if... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:1. NOW IN THE END OF THE SABBATH DAY, i.e., the Jewish Sabbath. The next clause shows the time of the day; so that it was really after the Sabbath had ended, according to the Jewish mode of reckoning the days. AS IT BEGAN TO DAWN TOWARD. Literally ‘at the dawning into.' Mark says: ‘at t... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:2. A GREAT EARTHQUAKE. Probably witnessed by the women. They first questioned how the stone should be rolled away, so that they could embalm the body (Mark 16:3). The earthquake is connected with the sudden rolling away of the great stone by the angel. FOR AN ANGEL OF THE LORD. The resur... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:3. HIS APPEARANCE _,_ rather than his form. AS LIGHTNING _._ In its exceeding brightness. Comp. the other descriptions of the angels within the sepulchre (Mark 15:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12). These angelic appearances cannot be regarded as visions. The accounts are too explicit.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:4. FOR FEAR OF HIM _,i.e.,_ of the angel. As the angel was there when the women came, and the guard did not go back to the city until after the women departed (Matthew 28:11), it seems most probable that all these occurrences took place, just as the women came. THE WATCHERS DID QUAKE _.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:5. FEAR NOT YE _._ Let the soldiers fear, but not _ye_. This indicates that all were still outside the tomb. FOR I KNOW. He came to help them in this hour of perplexity, not to frighten them. WHO HATH BEEN CRUCIFIED. The form used is common in the New Testament, pointing to what _has_... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:6. HE IS NOT HERE, FOR HE IS RISEN _._ Hilary: ‘Through woman death was first introduced into the world; to woman the first announcement was made of the resurrection.' EVEN AS HE SAID. Comp, the expansion of this thought in Luke 24:6-7, to all the women afterwards, _in_ the sepulchre.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:7. TELL HIS DISCIPLES. This is a message to the disciples, as a body. Women bore the first glad tidings from beyond the grave. HE GOETH BEFORE YOU INTO GALILEE; as had been foretold in chap. Matthew 26:32. Comp. John 10:4. The gathering of the flock in Galilee was a measure of prudence,... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:8. AND THEY DEPARTED QUICKLY FROM THE TOMB _._ As we suppose, the visits of Peter and John, and of Mary Magdalene, occurred next; then these two women met the others, and returning with them, all entered the tomb, where the message was repeated (Luke 24:3-8). The word ‘quickly' is not aga... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:9. The first clause is to be omitted, but the sense is not affected. BEHOLD, JESUS MET THEM. This (the _second)_ appearance is mentioned by Matthew only. Luke 24:24: ‘but Him they saw not,' is a report of what the two disciples had heard before they left Jerusalem. ALL HAIL. A joyous... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:10. FEAR NOT. This injunction was called for by the mingled emotions of those addressed. The language has also the vivacious form of joyous feeling. GO, TELL MY BRETHREN. A touching term coming from the Risen One, and applied to those who had forsaken Him. It indicates His continued aff... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:11. WHILE THEY WERE GOING. The fact that the soldiers did not go first, indicates that all the occurrences at the sepulchre occupied but a short time. SOME OF THE GUARD, etc. They told the truth, possibly hoping for a bribe. CHIEF PRIESTS, under whose directions they had been, and to... [ Continue Reading ]
The two incidents of this section seem to have been placed together, to mark a contrast Judaism reaches its lowest point, when it must bribe heathen soldiers to lie for it. Matthew would thus lead the minds of the Jewish Christians, for whom he wrote, away from the desecrated mount in Jerusalem, to... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:12. Taken counsel. This was a meeting of the Sanhedrin. Whether public or secret, regular or specially called to meet this emergency, is unknown. THEY, _i.e.,_ the chief priests and elders. GAVE LARGE MONEY. More than they gave Judas. This is the lowest depth of their malice; and a hu... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:13. STOLE HIM AWAY WHILE WE SLEPT. The story carries its refutation on its face. If all the soldiers were asleep, they could not discover the thieves, nor would they have proclaimed their negligence, the punishment for which was death; if even a few of them were awake, they might and woul... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:14. AND IF THIS _(i.e.,_ the reported sleeping on guard) come to the governor's ears. There is no evidence that Pilate took any notice of the matter, but the soldiers ran a risk, against which they are now insured. WE WILL PERSUADE HIM. A hint at further and costly bribery; for Pilate w... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:15. THIS SAYING. This report of the soldiers; not the entire account here given. WAS SPREAD ABROAD. This points to the time when the falsehood gained currency. UNTIL THIS DAY, _i.e.,_ when the Gospel was written, possibly thirty or forty years after the resurrection. It was current am... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:16. BUT THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES. As this meeting was appointed before our Lord's death (chap. Matthew 26:32) as the message of the angel (Matthew 28:7), repeated by our Lord Himself (Matthew 28:10 was probably addressed to the whole body of disciples, and as the language of Matthew 28:17 (‘s... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:17. THEY WORSHIPPED HIM _._ The word might mean something less than religious worship, but it does mean that in many cases; the matter could scarcely be mentioned, if it meant less here. BUT SOME DOUBTED. A few, probably of the five hundred, not of the ‘eleven.' Some say the doubt was re... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:18. AND JESUS CAME TO THEM _._ He may have been seen first at a distance, or He may now have approached those who doubted. ALL AUTHORITY WAS GIVEN TO ME IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH. AN expression of His glorification and victory. The primary reference is to His authority as Mediator, extendin... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:19. THEREFORE. The glorification of Christ is the ground of His sending them, and the blessed reason why in their weakness and insufficiency they can go. Evidently addressed to all the brethren, not to the Apostles only, and so understood in the early Church (comp. Acts 8:1; Acts 8:4). M... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 28:20. _Teaching them._ This teaching is a continued process, which partly precedes and partly follows baptism. As the eleven Apostles and their companions could not do all this, we find here the institution of a continuous baptizing and teaching. That this involved an office, arises not onl... [ Continue Reading ]