Gospel of Matthew
The Resurrection of the Messiah
Chapter 28: 1 to 15
All four Gospels contribute details about the night between our Saturday and Sunday when the resurrection of the Lord Jesus happened. We will include them all in this study, i.e., the text of Matthew and Mark 16:2-11, Luke 24:1-12 and John 20:1-10, and endeavour to harmonize the four narratives as much as possible.
We highlight the following facts:
The earthquake and the guards
Shortly after the sunset ending the Jewish Sabbath, an angel of the Lord descended from heaven with a great earthquake, and moved the stone away from the entrance of the tomb where the body of the Lord Jesus had been deposited, opening the way in.
The tomb was already empty: exactly three days and three nights after the burial the spirit of the Lord Jesus returned and the body had been transformed by getting new glorious features (comp. 1 Corinthians 15:35-52). Material barriers could not contain this body.
The angel sat on the stone. His appearance (as seen by the guards), was "like lightning, and his raiment white as snow ", startling both the guards so much that they trembled with fear and became like dead for some time.
Then the guards got up and ran (the women were still on the way there - see verse 11). Some of them went into the city and told what had happened to the chief priests. These called a meeting and decided to give a large bribe to the soldiers for them to say they had slept, and were sleeping while the disciples had entered the grave and stolen the body. They promised they would not be punished.
This incredible version was divulged in the first century. Other equally implausible versions were suggested through the centuries, but none can undo the biblical reality of the facts.
The women
Mary Magdalene, Salome and the other Mary (mother of James) had left home (Bethany) before the setting of the sun on Saturday to see the tomb, taking spices to anoint the Lord's body.
Once there, they found the stone rolled away, and a young man dressed in white clothes (the angel) told them that Jesus who was crucified was not there, for He had risen as He had said He would. The angel went in with them to show the place, now empty, where the body had been placed, and asked them to tell the fact to the disciples and advise them that He went before them to Galilee, where they would find Him.
The three women departed quickly from the tomb, trembling and frightened, and two of them said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid (Mark 16:8). However, Mary Magdalene went to Peter and John and said they had taken the Lord from the tomb (John 20:2); they ran up there, went and saw the sheets and the handkerchief that had been on the head, but not the body. They returned home, and John believed (John 20:1-10).
Mary Magdalene went back to the tomb again, looked inside, and saw two angels in white who asked her why she was crying. Turning round, she had a touching and surprising encounter with the risen Lord. He had not yet ascended to the Father. Then Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples what had happened to her. However, they did not believe. (John 20: 11-17).
Already at dawn, other women who had come from Galilee also went over from Jerusalem, bringing the spices, which they had prepared, and Salome and the mother of James joined them. They found the stone rolled away but not the body of the Lord Jesus. Two men with shining clothes stood beside them and said: "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' “(Luke 24: 1-7)
The women departed quickly from the tomb, afraid and full of joy. When they ran to announce to the disciples what had happened, suddenly the Lord Jesus met them and greeted them. They came, held him by the feet, and worshipped Him. Note that, this time, He allowed them to touch Him, so in the interval He may have gone to the Father and returned.
Again they received the order to tell the disciples to go to Galilee where they would see Him - note that he now calls them "my brethren." Also, when speaking to Mary Magdalene, He said “go to my brethren, and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to my God and your God . " (John 20:17)
Now the redemption was completed, His disciples had been adopted as children of God, introducing filial relationship to God of all who receive Christ as their Lord and Saviour (John 1:12). Moreover, the Lord Jesus gives His disciples the honour of calling them His "brethren" because they have the same Father. Notice, however, that it is condescending of Him, and never, in the Bible, do we read that some disciple, even His carnal and spiritual brothers James and Judas dared to call Him "brother" in this familiar way. His divinity is too sublime to allow for such a freedom on our part.
The disciples
The women went and told all of this to the disciples, but they did not believe them; their words seemed like idle tales (Luke 24:11).
Peter again “ran to the tomb, and stooping down he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marvelling to himself at what had happened more; moved away, and came back amazed at what had happened. " (Luke 24:12). Also, read HERE .
Two disciples who lived in Emmaus, a village 60 stadia (10.8 km) of Jerusalem were returning home that day, after these events, and were talking about the extraordinary things that had happened in recent days. On the way, the Lord Jesus came to them, but they did not recognize Him.
The Lord asked what they were talking about, and they told what had happened to " Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people" (Luke 24:19): His delivery by the chiefs of the priests and their officials to be sentenced to death and crucifixion, while the disciples hoped that He would bring redemption to Israel.
They also told Him of the shock they had in the morning when the women said that they had found the tomb empty and had a vision of angels who told them that He was alive. Some of their companions had gone to the tomb and proved that it was empty, but did not see the Lord.
The Lord rebuked them for their delay in understanding and believing all that the prophets had spoken. He asked if Christ should not suffer these things and enter into His glory? And proceeded to explain to them what was said about Him in all the Scriptures.
When it was getting late, He agreed to stay in their home after much insistence on their part, but when they were to start the meal, and He gave thanks and broke the bread they recognized Him. At the same moment, He vanished from their sight. The two disciples arose and hastily returned immediately to Jerusalem.
They found the eleven apostles and other disciples assembled, commenting that the resurrection was true, for the Lord had also appeared to Peter (we do not have any other record of this meeting). The two disciples began to tell their own experience, but were interrupted by the appearance of the risen Lord Jesus Christ himself among them.
The Lord greeted them, and so that there be no more doubt (they thought it was a spirit) He identified himself showing His hands and His feet and asked them to touch Him to prove that He had flesh and bones. As they still did not believe, being so full of joy and amazement, He asked for food, they gave Him a piece of roasted fish, and He ate it in their presence.
This was the most memorable Sunday of the whole of history.
R David Jones
1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."
8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.
12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
13 saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'
14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."
15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
Matthew chapter 28, verses 1 to 15
2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3 And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.
7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Mark chapter 16, verses 2 to 11
1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.
5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still 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.' "
8 And they remembered His words.
9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.
11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
Luke 24, verses 1 to 12
John - see HERE