Comentarios bíblicos

There was a great earthquake (σεισμος εγενετο μεγας). Clearly not the earthquake of Matthew 27:51. The precise time of this earthquake is not given. It was before sunrise on the first day of the week when the women made the next visit. Matthew alone relates the coming of the angel of the Lord who rolled away the stone and was sitting upon it (απεκυλισε τον λιθον κα εκαθητο επανω αυτου). If one is querulous about these supernatural phenomena, he should reflect that the Resurrection of Jesus is one of the great supernatural events of all time. Cornelius … Lapide dares to say: "The earth, which trembled with sorrow at the Death of Christ as it were leaped for joy at His Resurrection." The Angel of the Lord announced the Incarnation of the Son of God and also His Resurrection from the grave. There are apparent inconsistencies in the various narratives of the Resurrection and the appearances of the Risen Christ. We do not know enough of the details to be able to reconcile them. But the very variations strengthen the independent witness to the essential fact that Jesus rose from the grave. Let each writer give his own account in his own way. The stone was rolled away not to let the Lord out, but to let the women in to prove the fact of the empty tomb (McNeile).

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Appearance (ειδεα). Here only in the N.T. Compare μορφη and σχημα.

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The watchers did quake (εσεισθησαν ο τηρουντες). And no wonder that they became as dead men and fled before the women came.

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Unto the women (ταις γυναιξιν). According to John, Mary Magdalene had left to go and tell Peter and John of the supposed grave robbery (John 20:1). But the other women remained and had the interview with the angel (or men, Luke) about the empty tomb and the Risen Christ. Jesus the Crucified (Ιησουν τον εσταυρωμενον). Perfect passive participle, state of completion. This he will always be. So Paul will preach as essential to his gospel "and this one crucified" (κα τουτον εσταυρωμενον, 1 Corinthians 2:2).

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Risen from the dead (ηγερθη απο των νεκρων). Jesus the Risen . This is the heart of the testimony of the angel to the women. It is what Paul wishes Timothy never to forget (2 Timothy 2:8), "Jesus Christ risen from the dead" (Ιησουν Χριστον εγηγερμενον εκ νεκρων). They were afraid and dazzled by the glory of the scene, but the angel said, "Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (δευτε ιδετε τον τοπον οπου εκειτο ο Κυριος). Some MSS. do not have ο Κυριος, but he is the subject of εκειτο. His body was not there. It will not do to say that Jesus arose in spirit and appeared alive though his body remained in the tomb. The empty tomb is the first great fact confronting the women and later the men. Various theories were offered then as now. But none of them satisfy the evidence and explain the survival of faith and hope in the disciples that do not rest upon the fact of the Risen Christ whose body was no longer in the tomb.

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He goeth before you into Galilee (προαγε υμας εις την Γαλιλαιαν). Jesus did appear to the disciples in Galilee on two notable occasions (by the beloved lake, Matthew 28:21, and on the mountain, Matthew 28:16-20). Probably before the women were permitted to tell this story in full to the disciples who scouted as idle talk (John 24:11) their first accounts, Jesus appeared to various disciples in Jerusalem on this first great Sunday. Jesus did not say that he would not see any of them in Jerusalem. He merely made a definite appointment in Galilee which he kept.

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With fear and great joy (μετα φοβου κα χαρας μεγαλης). A touch of life was this as the excited women ran quickly (ταχυ εδραμον) as they had been told "to bring his disciples word" (απαγγειλα τοις μαθηταις αυτου). They had the greatest piece of news that it was possible to have. Mark calls it fear and ecstasy. Anything seemed possible now. Mark even says that at first they told no one anything for they were afraid (Mark 16:9), the tragic close of the text of Mark in Aleph and B, our two oldest manuscripts. But these mingled emotions of ecstasy and dread need cause no surprise when all things are considered.

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Jesus met them (Ιησους υπηντησεν αυταις). Came suddenly face to face (ανταω, υπο) with them as they brooded over the message of the angel and the fact of the empty tomb (associative instrumental, αυταις). Cf. Matthew 8:34; Matthew 24:1-6. Probably the lost portion of Mark's Gospel contained the story of this meeting with Jesus which changed their fears into joy and peace. His greeting was the ordinary "Hail" (χαιρετε). They fell at his feet and held them in reverence while they worshipped him. Jesus allowed this act of worship though he forbade eager handling of his body by Mary Magdalene (John 20:17). It was a great moment of faith and cheer.

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