Matthew 28 - Introduction
CHAPTER 28. THE RESURRECTION AND THE GREAT COMMISSION.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 28. THE RESURRECTION AND THE GREAT COMMISSION.... [ Continue Reading ]
ὀψὲ.… σαββάτων, a curious and puzzling note of time, inconsistent with itself if translated “late on Sabbath, towards daybreak on the first day of the week,” and on the assumption that the day is supposed to begin and end at sunset. That would give, as the time at which the events to be narrated hap... [ Continue Reading ]
_The open grave_ (Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-11).... [ Continue Reading ]
he particulars in this and the following two verses are peculiar to Mt.: first, an earthquake (σεισμὸς), as in Matthew 27:51; second, an angel descending from heaven; third, the angel rolling away the stone; fourth, the angel sitting on the stone as guard.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἰδέα (here only in N. T.; in Sept [160], Daniel 1:13; Daniel 1:15), the appearance, aspect (of the countenance of the angel). _Vide_ Trench, _Syn._, p. 262, on μορφή, σχῆμα, ἰδέα. ὡς ἀστραπὴ (Matthew 24:27), as lightning brilliant, dazzling. τὸ ἔγδυμα α., his raiment as distinct from his face ὡς χιώ... [ Continue Reading ]
ὡς νεκροί : the keepers, through fear of the angel, were shaken as by an earthquake, and became as _dead men_ stupefied, helpless, totally incapacitated for action by way of preventing what is assumed, though not directly stated, to have happened. The resurrection is not described.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The angel speaks to the women_. μὴ φοβεῖσθε ὑμεῖς, fear not _ye_, with tacit reference to the guards. οἶδα γὰρ : γὰρ gives a reason for the soothing tone of the address. The angel recognises them as friends of the Crucified.... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐκ ἔστιν, etc.: with what sublime simplicity and brevity is the amazing story told! “Versus hic incisa habet perquam apta” (Beng.). The last clause is better without the epithet ὁ κύριος, more in keeping with the rest. Bengel calls it _gloriosa appellatio_, but, as Meyer remarks, just on that accou... [ Continue Reading ]
ταχὺ πορευθεῖσαι : introducing “quite in his own (the evangelist's) manner of expression” (Weiss) the command of the angel = go quickly and tell, etc. προάγει : present; He is even now going before you into Galilee; in accordance with the prediction in Matthew 26:32 the risen Shepherd is on His way... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀπελθοῦσαι : the reading of T. R. (ἐξελθ.) implies that they had been within the tomb, of which no mention is made in Matthew. They went away from, not out of, the tomb. ἀπὸ τ. μν., depending on ἀπελθοῦσαι, in Mark on ἔφυγον. μετὰ φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς μεγάλης, with fear and great joy. This union of appar... [ Continue Reading ]
_Appearance of Jesus to the women on the way to deliver their message_.... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ ἰδοὺ, and behold, another surprise (Matthew 28:2). They are on the way to tell the disciples that they are to be favoured with a meeting in Galilee, and lo! they are themselves privileged to meet the risen One. ὑπήντησεν, _cf._ chap. Matthew 8:34; Matthew 25:1; Matthew 25:6. ἐκράτησαν, etc., the... [ Continue Reading ]
μὴ φοβεῖσθε : kindly in word and tone, meant to remove the embarrassment visible in their manner. ὑπάγετε ἀπαγγείλατε, another asyndeton as in Matthew 27:65. The instructions to the women simply repeat, in much the same words, those given by the angel (Matthew 28:7), with the exception that the disc... [ Continue Reading ]
πορευομένων δὲ α., while the women go on their errand, the guards, crestfallen, play their poor part. Some of them (τινὲς) go into the city and report in their own way to the priests all that has happened.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The guards and the priests_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀργύρια; the holy men thoroughly understand the power of money; silver pieces, shekels are meant. ἱκανὰ probably means here a considerable number, not a number sufficient to bribe the soldiers (Meyer and Weiss). They gave with a free hand. This sense of ἱκανός is frequent in the N. T. _Vide_, _e.g._... [ Continue Reading ]
εἴπατε, introducing the lie they put into the mouths of the soldiers. The report to be set abroad assumes that there is a fact to be explained, the disappearance of the body. And it is implied that the statement to be given out as to that was known by the soldiers to be false: _i.e._, they were perf... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐὰν ἀκουσθῇ, either: if this come to the ears of, etc., as in A. V [161], or: if this come to a hearing, a trial, before, etc., as in R. V [162] margin. The latter is preferred by many modern commentators. The reading ἐπὶ τ. ἡ. suits the second sense best. _Cf._ 1 Corinthians 6:1; 1 Timothy 5:19. ἡμ... [ Continue Reading ]
his verse states that the soldiers did as instructed, so originating a theft theory, which, according to our evangelist, was current in his day in Jewish circles at the time he wrote.... [ Continue Reading ]
οἱ δὲ ἕνδεκα μ., the _eleven_, not merely to discount Judas, but to indicate that what follows concerns the well-known Twelve (minus one), the future Apostles of the faith. εἰς τὸ ὄρος, to the mountain, a more specific indication of the locality than any previously reported. Conjectures have been ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_The meeting in Galilee_, peculiar to Mt.... [ Continue Reading ]
very meagre statement, the whole interest of the evangelist being absorbed by the words spoken by Jesus. προσεκύνησαν as in Matthew 28:9, but the men less demonstrative than the women; no mention of seizing Jesus by the feet. οἱ δὲ ἐδίστασαν : but some doubted (_cf._ Matthew 14:31, in reference to P... [ Continue Reading ]
προσελθὼν, approaching; the speech of Jesus is majestic, but His bearing is friendly, meant to set them free from doubt and fear. ἐλάλησε : this may seem a word not sufficiently dignified for the communication made. But it is often used, especially in Hebrews, in reference to divine revelations (_vi... [ Continue Reading ]
_he final commission_.... [ Continue Reading ]
πορευθέντες οὖν : the οὖν omitted in many texts aptly expresses the connection. The commission to the Apostles arises out of the power claimed = all power has been given to me on earth, go ye _therefore_, and make the power a reality. μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη : make disciples (act., _cf._ at Matthe... [ Continue Reading ]
διδάσκοντες α., teaching them, present participle, implying that Christian instruction is to be a continuous process, not subordinate to and preparing for baptism, but continuing after baptism with a view to enabling disciples to walk worthily of their vocation. τηρεῖν : the teaching is with a view... [ Continue Reading ]