and Mary the mother of James and Joses--the wife of Cleophas, or rather Clopas, and sister of the Virgin ([Joh 19:25]). See on [Mt 13:55],.
and the mother of Zebedee's children--that is, Salome: compare [Mr 15:40]. All this about the women is mentioned for the sake of what is afterwards to be related of their purchasing spices to anoint their Lord's body.
The Taking Down from the Cross and the Burial ([Mt 27:57-60]).
For the exposition of this portion, see on [Joh 19:38-42].
The Women Mark the Sacred Spot that They Might Recognize It on Coming Thither to Anoint the Body ([Mt 27:61]).
61. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary--"the mother of James and Joses," mentioned before ([Mt 27:56]).
sitting over against the sepulchre--(See on [Mr 16:1]).
The Sepulchre Guarded ([Mt 27:62-66]).
62. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation--that is, after six o'clock of our Saturday evening. The crucifixion took place on the Friday and all was not over till shortly before sunset, when the Jewish sabbath commenced; and "that sabbath day was an high day" ([Joh 19:31]), being the first day of the feast of unleavened bread. That day being over at six on Saturday evening, they hastened to take their measures.
63. Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver--Never, remarks Bengel, will you find the heads of the people calling Jesus by His own name. And yet here there is betrayed a certain uneasiness, which one almost fancies they only tried to stifle in their own minds, as well as crush in Pilate's, in case he should have any lurking suspicion that he had done wrong in yielding to them.
said, while he was yet alive--Important testimony this, from the lips of His bitterest enemies, to the reality of Christ's death; the corner-stone of the whole Christian religion.
After three days--which, according to the customary Jewish way of reckoning, need signify no more than "after the commencement of the third day."
I will rise again--"I rise," in the present tense, thus reporting not only the fact that this prediction of His had reached their ears, but that they understood Him to look forward confidently to its occurring on the very day named.
64. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure--by a Roman guard.
until the third day--after which, if He still lay in the grave, the imposture of His claims would be manifest to all.
and say unto the people, he is risen from the dead--Did they really fear this?
so the last error shall be worse than the first--the imposture of His pretended resurrection worse than that of His pretended Messiahship.
65. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch--The guards had already acted under orders of the Sanhedrim, with Pilate's consent; but probably they were not clear about employing them as a night watch without Pilate's express authority.
go your way, make it as sure as ye can--as ye know how, or in the way ye deem securest. Though there may be no irony in this speech, it evidently insinuated that if the event should be contrary to their wish, it would not be for want of sufficient human appliances to prevent it.
66. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone--which Mark ([Mr 16:4]) says was "very great."
and setting a watch--to guard it. What more could man do? But while they are trying to prevent the resurrection of the Prince of Life, God makes use of their precautions for His own ends. Their stone-covered, seal-secured sepulchre shall preserve the sleeping dust of the Son of God free from all indignities, in undisturbed, sublime repose; while their watch shall be His guard of honor until the angels shall come to take their place.
Chapter 28
Mt 28:1-15. Glorious Angelic Announcement on the First Day of the Week, that Christ Is Risen--His Appearance to the Women--The Guards Bribed to Give a False Account of the Resurrection. ( = Mr 16:1-8; Lu 24:1-8; Joh 20:1)
The Resurrection Announced to the Women ([Mt 28:1-8]).
1. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn--after the Sabbath, as it grew toward daylight.
toward the first day of the week--Luke ([Lu 24:1]) has it, "very early in the morning"--properly, "at the first appearance of daybreak"; and corresponding with this, John ([Joh 20:1]) says, "when it was yet dark." See on [Mr 16:2]. Not an hour, it would seem, was lost by those dear lovers of the Lord Jesus.
came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary--"the mother of James and Joses" (see on [Mt 27:56]; [Mt 27:61]).
to see the sepulchre--with a view to the anointing of the body, for which they had made all their preparations. (See on [Mr 16:1], 2).
And, behold, there was--that is, there had been, before the arrival of the women.
a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, &c.--And this was the state of things when the women drew near. Some judicious critics think all this was transacted while the women were approaching; but the view we have given, which is the prevalent one, seems the more natural. All this august preparation--recorded by Matthew alone--bespoke the grandeur of the exit which was to follow. The angel sat upon the huge stone, to overawe, with the lightning-luster that darted from him, the Roman guard, and do honor to his rising Lord.
3. His countenance--appearance.
was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow--the one expressing the glory, the other the purity of the celestial abode from which he came.
4. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men--Is the sepulchre "sure" now, O ye chief priests? He that sitteth in the heavens doth laugh at you.
5. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye--The "ye" here is emphatic, to contrast their case with that of the guards. "Let those puny creatures, sent to keep the Living One among the dead, for fear of Me shake and become as dead men ([Mt 28:4]); but ye that have come hither on another errand, fear not ye."
for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified--Jesus the Crucified.
6. He is not here; for he is risen, as he said--See on [Lu 24:5-7].
Come--as in [Mt 11:28].
see the place where the Lord lay--Charming invitation! "Come, see the spot where the Lord of glory lay: now it is an empty grave: He lies not here, but He lay there. Come, feast your eyes on it!" But see on [Joh 20:12].
7. And go quickly, and tell his disciples--For a precious addition to this, see on [Mr 16:7].
that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee--to which those women belonged ([Mt 27:55]).
there shall ye see him--This must refer to those more public manifestations of Himself to large numbers of disciples at once, which He vouchsafed only in Galilee; for individually He was seen of some of those very women almost immediately after this ([Mt 28:9], ).
Lo, I have told you--Behold, ye have this word from the world of light!
8. And they departed quickly--Mark ([Mr 16:8]) says "they fled."
from the sepulchre with fear and great joy--How natural this combination of feelings! See on a similar statement of [Mr 16:11].
and did run to bring his disciples word--"Neither said they anything to any man [by the way]; for they were afraid" ([Mr 16:8]).