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Matthew 28:10. 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 disciples are spoken of by the kindly name of “brethren”.

The similarity of Matthew 28:9-10 to John 20:14-18 has been remarked on (vide Weiss, Meyer, on Matthew 28:9). It has been lately commented on in connection with the theory of a “four-gospel Canon” prepared by the Presbyters of Asia Minor in the beginning of the second century. Vide Der Schlnss des Marcus-Evangeliums der Vier-Evangelien-Kanon und die Kleinasiatischen Presbyter, by Dr. Paul Rohrbach. Rohrbach’s idea is that when this Canon was prepared the editors altered more or less the statements of the Synoptists as to the visions of the Risen Christ so as to bring them somewhat into harmony with those of the fourth Gospel. For this purpose Mark’s original ending was cancelled and the present one, Matthew 28:9-20, put in its place. The editorial procedure in the case of Matthew consisted in inserting Matthew 28:9-10 in the narrative, thus providing for at least one vision in Jerusalem, and making room for more, and so cancelling the impression otherwise produced that Jesus was seen only in Galilee. In support of the view that Matthew 28:9-10 are an editorial addition at a later date Rohrbach adduces the fact that the narrative has an appearance of continuity when they are omitted, and also that the instructions of Jesus to the women are a mere echo of those given by the angel.

Matthew 28:11-15. The guards and the priests.

Matthew 28:11. 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.

Matthew 28:12. 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., Mark 10:46, of the crowd following Jesus at Jericho, and Acts 27:9 (of time).

Matthew 28:13. 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 perfectly aware that they had not fallen asleep at their post and that no theft had taken place. The lie for which the priests paid so much money is suicidal; one half destroys the other. Sleeping sentinels could not know what happened.

Matthew 28:14. 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.—ἡμεῖς, emphatic, implying a great idea of their influence, on their part.—πείσομεν, will persuade him; how not said, money conceivably in their minds. Kypke renders: will appease; so also Loesner (“aliquem pacare vel precibus vel donis”), citing examples from Philo. The ordinary punishment for falling asleep on the watch was death. Could soldiers be persuaded by any amount of money to run such a risk? Of course they might take the money and go away laughing at the donors, meaning to tell their general the truth. Could the priests expect anything else? If not, could they propose the project seriously? The story has its difficulties.—ἀμερίμνους, free from grounds of anxiety; guaranteed against all possible unpleasant consequences. Bengel’s comment on this verse is: “Quam laboriosum bellum mendacii contra veritatem!”

[161] Authorised Version.

[162] Revised Version.

Matthew 28:15. 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.

Matthew 28:16-20. The meeting in Galilee, peculiar to Mt.

Matthew 28:16. 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 made as to the mountain meant, e.g., that on which the hill teaching was communicated. An interesting suggestion but unverifiable.—οὗ, an adverb = ubi, used pregnantly so as to include quo: whither Jesus had bid them go, and where He wished them to remain.—ἐτάξατο: if this points to an instruction given expressly by Jesus, it is strange that the evangelist has not recorded it. It rather seems to presuppose an understanding based on experiences of the Galilean ministry as to the rendezvous The meeting place would be some familiar haunt, recalling many past associations and incidents, only imperfectly recorded in the Gospels. If there was such a retreat among the mountains often resorted to, it would doubtless be the scene of the hill teaching, as well as of other unrecorded disciple experiences. The disciples would need no express direction to go there. Instinct would guide them.

Matthew 28:17. 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 Peter). This clause seems to qualify and limit the previous statement as to the worshipping, giving this sense: they worshipped, i.e., the most of them, for some were in doubt. So Meyer, who cites in support Klotz, Ad Devar, whose statement is to the effect that in passages of this kind containing a clause with δὲ without a μέν preceding, a universal affirmation is first made and then a division follows, which shows that a universal affirmation was not really intended (p. 358). Various methods have been adopted to get rid of the unwelcome conclusion that some of the eleven did not do homage, e.g., by taking ἐδίστασαν as a pluperfect (Fritzsche, Grotius), or by finding the doubters among the 500 mentioned by St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15:6), or even by altering the text οἱ δὲ into οὐδέ (Beza). The whole narrative is so brief and vague as to lend support to the hypothesis that in the appearance of Jesus here recorded we have not one particular occurrence, but a general picture of the Christophanies, in which mingled conflicting feelings of reverent recognition and hesitation as to the identity of the person played their part. Such is the view of Keil, Steinmeyer, and Holtzmann (H. C.).