The Motley Crew

Matthew 28:1-10

August 31, 2011

Have a Blessed and Safe and Christ-filled Labor Day Weekend

Jesus did all the hard work anyway!

The Questions

Matthew 28:1-10

1. Why would the Mary's show up so early?

2. Do you know that Mary Magdalene is mentioned in all four Gospels? I wonder why?

3. Did the angel coming cause the earthquake or did the stone rolling cause the earthquake?

4. What is really going on at this point?

5. What does verse 6 teach us about the credibility of Jesus?

6. Did you notice that when the angel gave his speech, he was not making a request?

7. What does this say to us?

8. What do you think of verse 8?

9. What do you make of Jesus speaking this way about the disciples after all they had done to let Him down?

All citations from the Holy Bible are from the New International Version, used with permission.

The Motley Crew

Matthew 28:1-10

August 31, 2011

Have a Blessed and Safe and Christ-filled Labor Day Weekend

Jesus did all the hard work anyway!

Some Suggested Answers

We opened with prayer.

Matthew 28:1-10. Jesus Has Risen

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

All citations from the Holy Bible are from the New International Version, used with permission.

Dr. Lenski observed that “The four accounts differ in detail, no witness reports all the facts. This fact has offered the critics an opportunity to place one witness against another in order to discredit them all together, or to discredit parts of their testimony. The Christian student has only one duty, namely properly to combine all of the testimony and thus to reconstruct the entire story.” Lenski, p. 1147.

One aspect of this is that each of the four Gospels was written with a specific purpose and audience, and each had a different purpose and audience in mind. Thus, their details would differ – what was important to the Jews would be different for the Greeks and still different yet for the Romans. Therefore, we must read the four together in order to get the complete picture.

Looking at all four Gospels, it appears that the women who came to the tomb that morning were 1) Mary Magdalene, 2) Mary, the mother of James and Joses, 3) Salome, the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John, and 4) Joanna, the wife of Chusa, Herod's steward. See: Matt. 28:1, Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10, John 20:1 (below). There is not universal agreement on this identification. While His mother was at the Cross, apparently she did not go to the tomb that Sunday morning (I cannot image the depth of her grief). One authority speculates that the beloved disciple, John, had taken Mary home with him, and was giving her comfort at that time. Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

1. Why would the Mary's show up so early?

So that we would all have to get up in the middle of the night and go out someplace to shiver in the dark at the crack of dawn during a sunrise service, right?

Mark says that it was “very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun" – that is, not that the sun "was risen," but that it was about to rise, or at the early break of day. Luke that it was "very early in the morning;" in the Greek text, "deep twilight," or when there was scarcely any light. John says it was "very early, while it was yet dark" – that is, it was not yet full daylight, or the sun had not yet risen. Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Well … perhaps it was more that in that climate, bodies decomposed very quickly, recalling Lazarus (John 11:1-46). In particular there is this exchange between Jesus and Mary:

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

They were almost always buried, if they were going to be buried, on the same day that they died. This is now the third day since the Crucifixion. Time was of the essence – it was necessary to get this task accomplished early in the morning rather than later in the day when the temperatures would rise further.

In addition, there was their love for Jesus, and perhaps a little ray of hope? After all, the Pharisees had remembered Jesus' prophesy that He would rise in three days … perhaps the women would do so also.

These women were at the cross. They were the last ones to see Him alive, and they were the ones who saw Him die. Now, they will be the first to see Him risen from the dead, as He had promised. The women – and none of the men, not even John – arise early and go to the tomb. Dr. Lenski feels – and we agree – that the faithfulness of these women was one reason that they, and not the apostles, received this news: “they were honored by being made the messengers to the men.” Lenski, p. 1155.

In a few moments, they would receive a second, even greater honor: they would be the first to see the risen Jesus (v. 9). “Happiness and joy in their fulness certainly came to these women when they now saw Jesus before them and heard his greeting.” Lenski, p. 1157.

2. Do you know that Mary Magdalene is mentioned in all four Gospels? I wonder why?

Because of her love for Jesus. Dr. Lenski noted: “In prominence she was like Peter, and in her love like John. That is why she is so often mentioned first in a list of women.” Lenski, p. 1149.

This was the Mary that had the seven demons cast out (Mark 16:9). Jesus was thus very special to Mary. But she was also very special to Jesus. Also, she would be very active in the earthly Church. Thus, she had been faithful to the Lord in life, and now she was faithful to the Church in its earliest years.

Especially considering the social place of women in that society, it's great to see the women be the first to get the news of the Resurrection. Pastor Eddie feels that both Jesus and Paul are moving against the grain of Jewish cultural norms regarding the place of women.

3. Did the angel coming cause the earthquake or did the stone rolling cause the earthquake?

Verse 2: There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.

It would seem that the earthquake was more likely caused by the angel coming from heaven, rather than the stone being rolled to the side (one wouldn't ordinarily think that rolling these large stones would cause a “great earthquake;”  σεισμὸς ... μέγας – seismos ... megas). This is especially likely because the earthquake occurred before the angel went to the tomb and rolled back the stone.

Dr. Lenski noted

On earthquakes as indicating the divine presence of grace and of judgment see [Matt.] 27:51. Here we have the same sign with the same significance as in connection with the death. We might think that the jarring of the earth was caused by Jesus when he left the tomb, but γὰρ [ΓΑΡ] attributes it to the action of the angel. When the angel appeared, Jesus had already risen. Lenski, p. 1149.

The Greek is:

Verse 2: καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας: ἄγγελος γὰρ κυρίου καταβὰς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ προσελθὼν ἀπεκύλισεν τὸν λίθον καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ.

Here's a look at a literal translation of verse 2:

Sources: Interlinear Bible at Scripture For All and Interlinear Bible at Bible Study Tools.

4. What is really going on at this point?

The Resurrection of Jesus, who is the the Christ!

Dr. Lenski writes:

A new era has begun, heaven and earth are now joined, for Christ our Savior is risen. The wall of separation has fallen; God is reconciled to men; the sacrifice of the Son has been accepted by the Father. This is the supreme Easter truth. Lenski, p. 1151.

We recalled that this was the second earthquake in three days, unusual even for an area that is seismically active as much of the Middle East is.

The consensus was that Jesus was likely resurrected at dawn, moments before the earthquake and the appearance of the angel. Concerning the earthquake, commentator Matthew Henry writes:

When he died, the earth that received him, shook for fear; now that he arose, the earth that resigned him, leaped for joy in his exaltation. This earthquake did as it were loose the bond of death, and shake off the fetters of the grave, and introduce the Desire of all nations, Hag. 2:6, 7. It was the signal of Christ's victory; notice was hereby given of it, that, when the heavens rejoiced, the earth also might be glad. It was a specimen of the shake that will be given to the earth at the general resurrection, when mountains and islands shall be removed, that the earth may no longer cover her slain. There was a noise and a shaking in the valley, when the bones were to come together, bone to his bone, Eze. 37:7. The kingdom of Christ, which was now to be set up, made the earth to quake, and terribly shook it. Those who are sanctified, and thereby raised to a spiritual life, while it is in the doing find an earthquake in their own bosoms, as Paul, who trembled and was astonished. Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

5. What does verse 6 teach us about the credibility of Jesus?

Verse 6: He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

The angel – a messenger from God – affirms that Jesus is risen, just as He said. God, through this angel, is affirming the truth of Jesus' words.

That angels as messengers from God is reinforced in Hebrews 1:14: “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?”

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. He said it … and we believe it!

The resurrection of Jesus was at the same time the glorification of his body; this the women were soon to know (v. 9). The angel adds, “even as he said,” and thus recalls for the women all the promises Jesus made in connection with the announcement of his death. The blessed promises were not fulfilled: he had again taken up his life, John 10:18. Lenski, p. 1153.

6. Did you notice that when the angel gave his speech, he was not making a request?

Verses 5-7: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

Yup. There are four directives in the angels' speech: 1) do not be afraid, 2) come and see, and 3) then go quickly, and 4) tell his disciples.

“The angel is not making a request but is issuing an order. Now that Jesus is risen, this news cannot reach the poor disciples too soon.” Lenski, p. 1154.

Note that the women get the same message regarding going to Galilee twice – first from the angel in verse 7 and then from Jesus in verse 10. We recalled that the Galilee was the center of Jesus' ministry, and the home of most of the apostles. It is natural, therefore, that Jesus would want to meet the apostles there.

There was a question about where the 11 apostles were on that Sunday morning. Some feel that because of the message of the angel, that the men must have gone to the Galilee. However, as Dr. Lenski notes, “This mention of Galilee in no way excludes the earlier appearance of Jesus in Jerusalem and in Emmaus. There is to be something special about this seeing of Jesus in Galilee.” Lenski, p. 1155.

At this point, therefore, the apostles and other disciples are still in Jerusalem (recalling that 1, there was a rush to get Jesus in a tomb before sundown on Friday; 2, Jews couldn't travel more than ½ mile or so on the Sabbath; and 3, it is early in the morning when the women come to the tomb). The apostles leave for the Galilee in verse Matt. 28:16.

This is reinforced by John's Gospel. After He appears to Mary Magdalene, John notes “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” John 20:19. After His appearances in John 20, then we learn that “Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.” John 21:1

They would later return to Jerusalem. We also remembered that in Acts 1:4, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the gift that was promised (the gift of the Holy Spirit):

3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:3-5.

Moments later, He would ascend to heaven (Acts 1:9), and the disciples would return from the Mount of Olives to the upstairs room in Jerusalem where they had been staying. Acts 1:12-13

7. What does this say to us?

Do the same: 1) do not be afraid, 2) come and see, and 3) then go quickly and tell others that He is risen!

As so frequently happens, He gives us encouragement: don't be afraid. The Gospels agree that He frequently appeared to his disciples, giving them encouragement and additional instructions. We recall from Matthew's account of the crucifixion, that when Jesus died,

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city [Jerusalem] and appeared to many people. Matt. 27:51-53.

Again, the theophony – thunder and lightning and great earthquakes all portend the appearance of God. It's fair to assume that all of these things probably threw the fear of God into many who were there. Many of those Jews would seek out the High Priest and other members of the Sanhedrin to get explanations of what had happened and what was happening in the city.

8. What do you think of verse 8?

Verse 8: So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

They were “afraid yet filled with joy.” There has been a great earthquake. Expecting to find the body of their dead Messiah, instead an angel appears before them, and his “appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.” The two or more guards passed out from fear, but the women maintained their composure as the angel gives them astonishing news: Jesus has risen from the dead. They know this can happen because Jesus has done this before (Lazarus, for example). Perhaps they even remember Jesus' repeated warnings that he would be crucified, would die, but would be raised up again after three days – certainly the Pharisees remembered, even if the other disciples and apostles didn't. What joy they had … their beloved is not dead, but risen and alive!

Concerning both the fear and the joy that the women experienced, Dr. Lenski observed

“Their fear is due chiefly to the presence of the angels. Any contact with the heavenly world must fill us sinner here on earth with fear. Their joy is due to all that the women saw and heard; and this joy predominated over the fear … Indeed, the joy was great, it must have been overwhelming considering the open tomb with the angels and their statement, and considering what the place where Jesus had laid showed.” Lenski, p. 1156.

If we put ourselves in their position, we would surely have the same reaction (and perhaps even the reaction of the guards). Would we have remembered? The apostles were in serious denial whenever Jesus gave them His prophesies of crucifixion and resurrection; they were expecting an earthly Messiah that would lead them in revolt against the Roman occupiers. It is difficult to know how we would react.

Notice, finally, the obedience of the women to the will of God, a consistent trait among those who have been touched by God and Jesus in the New Testament (and the Old Testament as well, with notable exceptions such as Job who needed a bit of “coaxing”).

9. What do you make of Jesus speaking this way about the disciples after all they had done to let Him down?

This is very comforting. In verse 10, Jesus tells the women, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Recall that in Mark 16:7, we read: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” [emphasis added]

From these two accounts, we see that the angel and Jesus are telling the women to go to my brothers and Peter and tell them the good news of the resurrection. There is special importance here:

A remarkable feature is the designation Jesus uses for the disciples: “my brethren.” They had shamefully fled from him in Gethsemane, Peter had denied him, all but John were far away when Jesus died, and yet Jesus now calls them by a name that is more intimate than any he had used during his earthly life. The most endearing name he had then used was “my friends,” John 15:15. … “My brethren” denotes pardon for their lack of faith. In Mark 16:7 the name of Peter is introduced into the angel's message in order to assure especially him that he was pardoned. … With this word, Jesus presses the disciples to him bosom as being most near and dear to him. It contains all his love for them, at the same time it bestows the highest honor on them. Lenski, p. 1159.

No longer just friends, we are now brothers and sisters of Christ. Having been so adopted by God, we are heirs with Jesus in the Kingdom.

This was a kind message to Peter, who had so recently denied his Lord. It would serve to cheer him in his despondency, and to assure him that his sin had been forgiven; and it shows the tender love and remembrance of Jesus, even for his unfaithful friends. Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There is nothing that we can do to make Jesus love us any less, nor is there anything we can do to make Him love us any more.

It was asked whether or not Luther ever got over his deep spiritual depression and concentration on the vengeance of God. Pastor Eddie thought not. This was, in part, a function of 16^th century spirituality in Germany, and as Kellye pointed out, there is also the actions of the devil in putting that touch of doubt in Luther's mind (as well as our own, from time to time).

His love for us was of an immense magnitude, however, even for the unlovable (even more than us, if that is possible, and it might not be). While men will always let us down, we can count on the One who won't let us down. In our moments of fear, when the wind and the waves are against us, we need only call out “Save me, Lord,” and know that He will immediately stretch out His hand and grasp us, pulling us close to the great calm of His eternal love.

We can all give thanks that our Savior and Judge will treat us with mercy, rather than justice, on the last day.

We closed with prayer.

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Parallel Verses

Cited & Consulted Sources:

Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943)

The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).

The New Advent web site, Matthew 28, Greek-English-Latin. http://www.newadvent.org/bible/mat028.htm

For Additional Study:

The Prayer And Study Resources web page has a listing of some research web sites that I use. In addition, Additional Research Resources is a page with a more complete list of Bible and Lutheran resources, plus there is the Research Resources Checklist, which is the web page I use when I first begin a Bible study. Both of these last two web pages are always growing, and please let me know if you are aware of other great sites.