AND WHEN THE SABBATH WAS PAST,.... "In the end of it", as Matthew says, Matthew 28:1; not "when it was the sabbath", as the Arabic version reads; for it was not lawful to buy spices, and anoint with on the sabbath day; Matthew 28:1. MARY MAGDALENE, AND MARY, [THE MOTHER OF JAMES,] AND SALOME; who w... [ Continue Reading ]
AND VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK,.... Matthew 28:1. THEY CAME TO THE SEPULCHRE AT THE RISING OF THE SUN; of the sun of righteousness, as Mr. Mede observes; or rather, of the natural sun: for though it was dark when they set out, and when it dawned towards the first day, yet... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID AMONG THEMSELVES,.... Either before they set out, or as they were going along: WHO SHALL ROLL US AWAY THE STONE FROM THE DOOR OF THE SEPULCHRE? Which they saw was placed there by Joseph, or his orders: this was the only difficulty they had, that they were aware of; for they seem to kn... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY LOOKED,.... Towards the sepulchre, as they came near it: THEY SAW THAT THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY; they perceived it lay at some distance from the door of the sepulchre, which doubtless was very grateful, and matter of rejoicing to them: FOR IT WAS VERY GREAT; these words are to be re... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ENTERING INTO THE SEPULCHRE,.... For the sepulchres of the Jews were made so large, that persons might go into them: the rule for making them is this k; "he that sells ground to his neighbour to make a burying place, or that receives of his neighbour to make a burying place, must make the insid... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAITH UNTO THEM, BE NOT AFFRIGHTED,.... Matthew 28:5, Matthew 28:6, where the same things, and almost in the same words, are said as here.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GO YOUR WAY, TELL HIS DISCIPLES AND PETER,.... Peter is particularly mentioned, not as distinct from the apostles, or as if he was not one of them, having sinned in the manner he had done; much less because he was the chief of them; but to comfort him in his great sorrow, on account of his fall;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY WENT OUT QUICKLY,.... Out of the sepulchre, into which they had been, to see where Christ lay, as invited by the angel, Mark 16:6. The word "quickly", is not read in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions: "which when they heard"; that is, when they heard the angel... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN [JESUS] WAS RISEN EARLY THE FIRST [DAY] OF THE WEEK,.... Though the word "Jesus" is not in the text, it is rightly supplied; for of the rising of no other, can the words be understood; and so the Persic version supplies "Messiah", or "Christ"; that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE WENT AND TOLD THEM THAT HAD BEEN WITH HIM,.... Not "with her", as the Persic version reads, but "with him"; that is, with Christ: she went, as she was bid by Christ, and told his disciples, what she had heard and seen; even those who had been with him from the beginning, and had heard his do... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY, WHEN THEY HAD HEARD THAT HE WAS ALIVE,.... That is, the apostles, and those that were with them; when they heard the report of Mary Magdalene, that Christ was raised from the dead, and was certainly alive; or of all the women, for the Syriac version reads, "when they heard them saying that... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THAT,.... A little time, or some few hours after, on the selfsame day; see Luke 24:13; HE APPEARED IN ANOTHER FORM: it seems to have been the form, or habit of a gardener that he appeared in to Mary; since she thought him to be one, and to be the gardener that belonged to the garden, in which... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY WENT AND TOLD IT UNTO THE RESIDUE,.... Upon their return to Jerusalem, which was on the same night, they went to the eleven apostles, and the other disciples that were with them, and related the whole affair to them; how that Jesus had joined them by the way, and discoursed much with them a... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTERWARD HE APPEARED UNTO THE ELEVEN,.... Apostles; for this was now the number of them, Judas being gone from them, and dead; and they were so called, though Thomas was not now with them, because their whole company consisted of this number: this appearance of Christ to them was on the same first... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... Not at the same time, and place, as before; not on the first day of the week, on which he rose from the dead, but forty days after, just upon his ascension to heaven; see Mark 16:19; nor at Jerusalem, but in Galilee, where be appointed to meet his disciples, and did, when... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT BELIEVETH,.... Not notionally only, or that gives a bare assent to the truth of the Gospel; but spiritually, who sees Christ, his need of him, and the worth and excellency, suitableness and fulness of him; who comes to him as a poor perishing sinner, and ventures on him, and commits himself... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT BELIEVE,.... Not all of them, but some; and not always, only for a time; and which were necessary for the confirmation of the Gospel, and the establishment of Christianity in the world; and not only believing hearers, but believing ministers of the word, are ch... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SHALL TAKE UP SERPENTS,.... The Arabic version adds, "in their own hands"; and in an ancient manuscript of Beza's it is read, "in the hands"; so the Apostle Paul had a viper, which fastened and hung on his hand, which he shook off, without receiving any harm from it, Acts 28:3. AND IF THEY DRI... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN, AFTER THE LORD,.... The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions add, "Jesus"; and the Ethiopic version reads, "our Lord, the Lord Jesus"; and both Syriac and Persic read, "our Lord"; which is common in these versions, where the word "Lord" is used: HAD SPOKEN UNTO THEM; the disciples, the above... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY WENT FORTH,.... After this the apostles went forth, from Galilee to Jerusalem; and on the day of pentecost, they appeared publicly, and preached the Gospel in divers languages; and after the death of Stephen, and the persecution raised upon that, they went forth from Jerusalem; see Isaiah 2... [ Continue Reading ]