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Resurrection Day—Sunday, 04/07/30
28
1 Now after the Sabbath, at the dawning of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, came to see the tomb. 2 Now then, a big earthquake had occurred, because an angel of the Lord, descending out of heaven, had come and rolled back the stone from the door,* Perhaps 0.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “from the door” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). and sat on it!† The stone was not removed to let Jesus out, but to let the witnesses in. 3 And his appearance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. 4 So the guards were shaken for fear of him, and became like dead men.
The angel does his duty
5 Now the angel spoke up and said to the women:‡ Comparing this account with Mark 16:5-7 we conclude that the women did not see the angel outside on the stone—he only appeared to them inside the tomb. And if a shining angel had been on the stone Magdalene would not have assumed that the body had been stolen (John 20:2). If I had been one of those guards I think I would have converted on the spot—surely some of them believed and later they gave their eyewitness account to the Christian community. “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for the Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, because He is risen, just like He said! Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.§ Perhaps 0.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “the Lord” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). 7 Now go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and get this, He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. There, I have told you!”* It almost sounds like he was glad to get it off his chest. I wonder why. 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to report to His disciples.
Jesus' second appearance
9 But as they were going to report to His disciples,† Some 12% of the Greek manuscripts omit this first clause (as in NIV, NASB, [LB], TEV, etc.). Mark 16:9 makes clear that the first appearance was to Magdalene. wow, Jesus met them saying, “Rejoice!” So approaching, they held His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus says to them: “Do not be afraid! Go report to my brothers‡ The angel said “disciples”, but Jesus said “brothers”. It may be that He was referring precisely to His half-brothers James, Jude, etc. They would not have been in the upper room with the Eleven, and so did not see Him at that time. that they must go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Guards are bribed
11 Now while they were going, get this, some of the guard went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.§ “Some”—so where were the rest? Those who were converted, as I suppose, would not want to be part of the cover-up. 12 When they had met with the elders and consulted together, they gave plenty of money to the soldiers 13 saying: “Say that his disciples came at night and stole him while you were sleeping. 14 And should this get to the governor, we will persuade him and make you safe.” 15 So taking the money they did as they were instructed. Their tale is widely spread among the Jews until this day.
The Great Commission
16 The eleven disciples went into Galilee to the mountain that Jesus had indicated to them. 17 When they saw Him they worshiped Him; but some doubted.* The Text actually says “they doubted”—it seems improbable that all of them would doubt (after all, they had seen Him at least twice already), so most translations render “some”. Although verse 16 refers specifically to the eleven, there may have been others (like His half-brothers, verse 10) along who had not seen Him yet. 18 And approaching Jesus asserted to them saying: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 As you go,† The familiar ‘therefore’ is found in perhaps 5% of the Greek manuscripts. make disciples in all ethnic nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;‡ Our Lord defines the Trinity here. According to Greek grammar the use of ‘and’ plus the definite article with items in a series makes clear that the items are distinct entities. So “the Father” is different from “the Son” is different from “the Holy Spirit”. So we have three persons. But He also said, “in the name”, singular, not ‘names’. So we have only one name. God is one ‘name’ or essence subsisting in three persons. 20 teaching them to obey everything that I commanded you;§ The ‘you’ here refers to the eleven (see verse 16), so they were to pass down all the commands that Jesus had given them. To be a disciple of Jesus you have to do everything that Jesus had commanded the eleven to do—this includes healing and casting out demons, as well as preaching the Gospel. and take note, I am with you every day, until the end of the age!”* Since the age has not ended, Jesus is still with us. Praise God!
Amen.

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*28:2 Perhaps 0.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “from the door” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

†28:2 The stone was not removed to let Jesus out, but to let the witnesses in.

‡28:5 Comparing this account with Mark 16:5-7 we conclude that the women did not see the angel outside on the stone—he only appeared to them inside the tomb. And if a shining angel had been on the stone Magdalene would not have assumed that the body had been stolen (John 20:2). If I had been one of those guards I think I would have converted on the spot—surely some of them believed and later they gave their eyewitness account to the Christian community.

§28:6 Perhaps 0.5% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit “the Lord” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

*28:7 It almost sounds like he was glad to get it off his chest. I wonder why.

†28:9 Some 12% of the Greek manuscripts omit this first clause (as in NIV, NASB, [LB], TEV, etc.). Mark 16:9 makes clear that the first appearance was to Magdalene.

‡28:10 The angel said “disciples”, but Jesus said “brothers”. It may be that He was referring precisely to His half-brothers James, Jude, etc. They would not have been in the upper room with the Eleven, and so did not see Him at that time.

§28:11 “Some”—so where were the rest? Those who were converted, as I suppose, would not want to be part of the cover-up.

*28:17 The Text actually says “they doubted”—it seems improbable that all of them would doubt (after all, they had seen Him at least twice already), so most translations render “some”. Although verse 16 refers specifically to the eleven, there may have been others (like His half-brothers, verse 10) along who had not seen Him yet.

†28:19 The familiar ‘therefore’ is found in perhaps 5% of the Greek manuscripts.

‡28:19 Our Lord defines the Trinity here. According to Greek grammar the use of ‘and’ plus the definite article with items in a series makes clear that the items are distinct entities. So “the Father” is different from “the Son” is different from “the Holy Spirit”. So we have three persons. But He also said, “in the name”, singular, not ‘names’. So we have only one name. God is one ‘name’ or essence subsisting in three persons.

§28:20 The ‘you’ here refers to the eleven (see verse 16), so they were to pass down all the commands that Jesus had given them. To be a disciple of Jesus you have to do everything that Jesus had commanded the eleven to do—this includes healing and casting out demons, as well as preaching the Gospel.

*28:20 Since the age has not ended, Jesus is still with us. Praise God!

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD