Matthew 28:1

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The resurrection of Christ declared by an angel to the two

Marys at the sepulchre, 1-6.

They are commissioned to announce this to the disciples, 7.

They go, and are met by Christ himself who promises to meet the

disciples in Galilee, 8-10.

The watch go into the city, and report to the chief priests what

had taken place, 11.

They give them money, to say that his disciples had stolen the

body by night, while they slept, 12-15.

Christ meets the eleven disciples in a mountain of Galilee,

16, 17.

He gives them a commission to preach the Gospel throughout the

earth; to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Ghost; and promises to be with them to the end

of the world, 18-20.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXVIII.

Verse Matthew 28:1. In the end of the Sabbath] Οψε δε σαββατων. After the end of the week: this is the translation given by several eminent critics; and in this way the word οψε is used by the most eminent Greek writers. Thucydides, lib. iv. chap. 93, της ημερας οψε ην - the day was ended. Plutarch, οψε των βασιλεως χρονων - after the times of the king. Philostratus οψε των Τροικων - after the Trojan war. See Rosenmuller. In general the Jews divided their natural day, which consisted of twenty-four hours, into day and night. Their artificial day began at the rising and ended at the setting of the sun; all the rest of the time, from the setting to the rising of the sun, they termed night: hence the same word, in Hebrew, signifies both evening and night. Genesis 1:5; Mark 6:47. Matthew has employed the word in this extensive sense here, pointing out the latter part of the Jewish night, that which immediately preceded the rising of the sun, and not that first part which we call the evening. The transaction mentioned here evidently took place early on the morning of the third day after our Lord's crucifixion; what is called our Sunday morning, or first day of the next week.

Came - to see the sepulchre.] That is, they set out at this time in order to visit the tomb of our Lord, and also to weep there, John 11:31, and to embalm the body of our Lord, Luke 24:1. St. Matthew omits Mary Salome, mentioned by Mark; and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, mentioned by Luke. The other Mary was the wife of Cleopas, and mother of James and Joses, mentioned before, Matthew 27:56. Were not Mary and Salome two distinct persons?