Matthew 28:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord rose from the dead while the stone remained at the entrance of the tomb. Following His resurrection, an angel descended to roll the stone away, granting the women access to the tomb. The earthquake served to awaken the guards, allowing them to recognize the significance of the event. Thus, the Lord remained in the grave for three days. How do we account for these three days? The Lord was crucified at the eighth hour; from the eighth to the ninth hour, darkness fell, which marks the first night. From the ninth hour, light returned, indicating the first day, completing twenty-four hours of night and day. Next came the night following the crucifixion and the day of the Sabbath, marking a second period of twenty-four hours.

The angel served as the messenger and proclaimer of the Resurrection to the women. "Do not look for the Ever-Living One," he said, "who is inherently life, among the dead." He is not present in death or in the grave; He is risen (See Luke 24:5), having opened the path to everlasting life, not just for Himself but for our sake. This is why He endured toil and identified with us in every aspect, so that by God's grace, as the Blessed Apostle Paul notes, He could taste death on behalf of all (Hebrews 2:9), thereby bringing about the end of death itself.

Through these words, the angel indicated that he had removed the stone for their benefit, allowing them to behold it.

Ikos 20 From this moment, you embrace eternal life instead of death. You who desired to witness the Creator of the angels, why then do you dread the sight of a single angel? I am merely a servant of Him who resides in this tomb, serving both in nature and in duty; I have come, as appointed, to proclaim to you, ‘The Lord is risen! He has shattered the bronze gates of hell and broken its iron bars, fulfilling the prophecies and lifting up the strength of the saints.’ Come near, maidens, and behold where the Ever-Living One lay, the one who grants resurrection to the fallen.

Christ has conquered death, and those of us who trust in His name shall also rise. As it is written, "He who is sown in corruption rises in incorruption; He who is sown in humiliation rises in glory; He who is sown in weakness rises in strength; He who is sown in the body of the soul rises in the body of the spirit" (1 Cor. 15:42-44). Christ has ascended into heaven, and we too will follow Him, provided we remain steadfast until the end of our days (Rev. 2:10) and persevere to the end (Matt. 24:13). Thus, where the Head is, there the members will be; where the Lord dwells, there His servants will reside; and where He Himself is present, there His faithful will gather to witness His glory (see Jn. 17:24).

If the Lord was resurrected in His own body, retaining the same scars and the nail prints that testify to His suffering, how can one expect to rise in a different form than their own? Will a servant not recognize his own flesh, even if it remains unchanged like that of the Lord? Take comfort, for when you are raised, it will indeed be your body; if it were another's, it would not be you.

HE IS NOT HERE - HE IS ALIVE. How can we witness His resurrection? By His own declarations: AS HE SAID. 'If you find it hard to believe,' St. Chrysostom asserts, 'recall His words, and you will find assurance in my testimony.' Here is further evidence: Come, look into this tomb, and observe the spot where the LORD was laid. I have moved the stone for this very reason, to confirm to you the reality of the resurrection. In this tomb, there was once a solitary burial site, but now it stands vacant... He is alive.

They were filled with fear as they fell to the ground, and the two heavenly beings who encountered them asked, "Why do you seek the Living One among the dead? He is not here; He has risen" (Luke 24:5-6). "Come, see the place where the Lord lay." The women entered the tomb and beheld a young man dressed in white, seated on the right side. This angel reassured them, saying, "Do not be afraid. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified; He has risen; He is not here. This is where He was laid" (Mark 16:6). "Recall how He spoke to you while still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, crucified, and on the third day rise again." In that moment they remembered His words (Luke 24:6-8). "Go quickly and inform His disciples that He has risen from the dead and will go before you to Galilee; there you will see Him."

The accounts given by the first three Evangelists align closely, with only a variation in the number of angels and their location. Matthew and Mark mention one angel, referred to by Matthew as an angel and by Mark as a young man, while Luke recounts the appearance of two men. The different descriptors of the angels—whether as an angel, youth, or man—carry no critical significance. Angels, being spiritual beings, take on forms when appearing to human beings. Given the splendid radiance that dazzled the women and caused them to bow to the ground (Luke 24:5), it is plausible that one angel presented himself as a young man to some and as a man to others. It is also possible that some women saw only one angel, while others witnessed two. In validating the resurrection of Jesus, the exact number of angels present was inconsequential; what truly mattered was the proclamation made by the speaking angel, while the presence of another silent angel held no relevance to the narrative's purpose. Therefore, two Evangelists described one speaking angel, while the third supplemented their accounts by noting another who was also there.

There appears to be an incongruity regarding the location of the angel’s message as well. Luke’s account does not clarify if the angel spoke within the tomb or outside it. Mark confirms that the speaking angel was inside the tomb. However, while Matthew mentions the angel rolling away the stone from the tomb's entrance and sitting upon it (Matt. 28:2), his narrative does not explicitly clarify when the angel addressed the women. We may infer that the phrase "Come, see the place where the Lord lay" suggests the angel spoke while outside the tomb, perhaps seated on the stone. Given that the stone was rolled away before the women arrived, it is quite likely that the soldiers witnessed the angel's brilliant form while he sat there, causing them to tremble and become as dead (Matt. 28:4), while the women could have seen him already inside the tomb. Alternatively, one could consider this scenario: a single angel addressed the women at the tomb's entrance, announcing Christ's resurrection and invited them into the tomb to see the evidence of His rising. Upon entering, as Mark recounts, they would have noticed a young man seated on the right side who then communicated with them again.

Ultimately, it was crucial for the Evangelists to establish the fact that the stone had been rolled away, the tomb was empty, and the reason for this emptiness was explained by the angel. Whether there were one or two angels present or where the spoken words took place was not essential to their accounts. They were not attempting to compile a verbatim record, but rather recount significant events that reinforced their conviction that Christ had truly risen from the dead.

Skeptics of Christ as the God-Man focused their efforts on discrediting the Evangelists' accounts of His resurrection, well aware that undermining belief in His resurrection would weaken faith in Him as the God-Man, the Son of God. Yet, these efforts proved futile; the truth of His resurrection persisted, and the objections from non-believers were satisfactorily countered.

The first objection to the reality of Christ's resurrection is noted in the analysis of Matthew 27:65. A second objection posits that He did not actually die on the cross but was merely in a state of unconsciousness. This notion is countered by medical and scientific reasoning. Professor A. Shiltov, in his work ‘Thoughts on the God-Man’, explains that the severe scourging, tormenting, complete exhaustion, and the torturous experience on the cross would have undoubtedly led to fatal conditions, evident from the blood and water that flowed from His side. The wounds in His hands, feet, and the spear's piercing of His lung would certainly have resulted in death; survival in such circumstances would have been impossible. Even in the unlikely event of a deep fainting, the harsh spear blow and the injury to vital organs would likely have caused immediate death to the already weakened Christ. If Christ did not perish on the cross, thus did not rise, He would merely be an ordinary man. According to Professor Shiltov, no person with penetrating wounds would be capable of walking until healed—estimating at least a fortnight for recovery. Yet, on the third day, Christ walked from Jerusalem to Emmaus and returned to Jerusalem to meet the ten apostles the same day—this arduous journey would be feasible only for the God-Man with a glorified body.

Moreover, accepting the disbelief in Jesus’ death means acknowledging that He would have had to deceive His disciples regarding His resurrection, imparting false appearances of life before withdrawing and living in obscurity, thus labeling Him a deceiver. Very few, aside from those blinded by their beliefs, would dare to assign the notion of deception to Him, as even atheists regard Him as a profoundly moral figure. The argument against the reality of Jesus' resurrection, claiming He did not die, is dismissed by D. Strauss himself, who states, “He who came out of the tomb half-dead, in a state requiring medical aid and suffering, could not have imparted to His disciples the impression of a conqueror over death, the Lord of life, which served as the foundation for their future mission.” Such a weak return to life would only diminish the disciples’ reverence for Him.

Thus, we must conclude that Jesus indeed died. The final objection concerns the alleged delusion of the apostles. D. Strauss and his contemporaries acknowledge that the apostles could not have become powerful proclaimers of the Gospel without a firm belief in His true resurrection; however, they argue this conviction arose not from actual resurrection but from their state of mind, longing for their Master’s return, interpreting visions as tangible appearances instead. Hence, it benefits us to explore the state of the apostles’ minds following their Master’s crucifixion.

Let us also note expert opinions regarding visions. Professor Shiltov indicates that it’s psychologically implausible for the despairing apostles to experience hallucinations. Hallucinations necessitate a particularly sensitive nervous condition, which is rare and not typical among average people; furthermore, a group cannot collectively share a vision. Even if the apostles remained in a non-despondent state, the chances of them experiencing such collective hallucinations remain improbable.

Addressing the concept of so-called "doubles," Professor Shiltov discusses that visions of a double occur only in the presence of the original. Thus, anyone asserting that the apostles saw not Christ but His apparition admits Christ's presence during the vision. As for telepathic experiences, these generally manifest only at the moment of demise or distress and typically to the person immediately grieving, remaining invisible to outsiders present. Therefore, according to Professor Shiltov, science precludes the potential seeing of Jesus’ ghost by the apostles. Further, a ghost lacks flesh and bones and cannot speak or eat. Since the risen Lord demonstrated His hands, feet, and side to the apostles, and they were able to physically interact with Him, it is evident that He was genuinely the risen Christ.

While these points may seem to diminish the apostles' faith in their Master's divinity, reflecting deeply reveals the fulfillment of God’s intentions. It was God's design to lead the apostles to consciously believe in Jesus as the Son of God, eliminating any ground for accusation of blind faith or naiveté—necessary for their mission in proclaiming their faith to others. Their belief was to be steadfast and built upon a rock—the foundation of the Church! This elucidates why the apostles exhibited doubts and disbelief. Once they were presented with indisputable evidence, their hearts hardened by confusion began to open. However, they were troubled by questions: “Why doesn’t the risen Lord proclaim Himself King of Israel? Shouldn’t the Messiah establish His kingdom?” These uncertainties led them to gather in Jerusalem and await a new appearance of the Lord. When the Lord appeared 40 days later on the Mount of Olives, they envisioned Him now as inaugurating the earthly Kingdom of Israel.

The apostles, remembering His teachings and hoping for an earthly reign, approached Him: “Lord, is this the time you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). The Lord had illuminated them many times, stating His kingdom was not of this world. Prediction without understanding would be futile, so He told them: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has fixed but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8). After blessing them, He ascended into heaven (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9). The apostles, witnessing His ascension, had to confront the absence of their earthly expectations of a kingdom. Saddened at their unrealized hopes and now leading lives with uncertainty, they returned to Jerusalem, engaged in discussion about their experiences over the past three and a half years.

Then, on Pentecost, a miraculous event transpired at the third hour of the morning according to Jewish time, when a sound like a rushing wind filled where they were (Acts 2:2-3). This drew a multitude, including foreigners who heard the message in their languages. People marveled because the apostles were uneducated Galileans. They asked each other, “What does this mean?” (Acts 2:12). Then Peter, previously filled with fear and denial, boldly declared, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works, wonders, and signs, you crucified and killed; but God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it” (Acts 2:14-24). Many who heard Peter's proclamation were moved, and around three thousand were baptized that day (Acts 2:41).

Afterward, Peter and John encountered a man lame from birth at the temple. When he asked for alms, Peter replied, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6). Upon being lifted, the man walked freely, praising God, and the gathering of onlookers fled to Solomon’s porch (Acts 3:12). When questioned by the Sanhedrin about the healing’s authority, Peter affirmed, “Let it be known to you and all the people that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man is standing before you well” (Acts 4:10).

Despite the Sanhedrin's threats, Peter and John proclaimed their testimony boldly, declaring, “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). The Sanhedrin, aware of the multitude praising God for their miracles, recognized the growing belief in the risen Christ, leading them to refrain from actions against the apostles. The faithful apostles, emboldened by Peter's words, fearlessly preached about salvation through Christ, performing numerous miracles, indicating a belief in His power (Acts 5:12-16).

They approached the tomb with a sense of fear, but suddenly, beams of light shone forth, revealing two radiant and joyful young men standing before them. The women barely had time to regain their composure when one of these heavenly messengers said to them, “Do not be afraid! Are you seeking Jesus of Nazareth? Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He has risen! He is not here! Come and see the place where He was laid.”

The Lord frequently conveyed to his followers the promise of resurrection, a truth that the women who accompanied them surely understood (for example, see Matthew 16 and Matthew 17:22-23). The invitation to "Come, see the place" encourages one to enter the burial site to witness where the Lord had been laid. These tombs often featured spacious chambers, equipped with stone seats where the deceased were placed. These seats resembled benches or couches carved into the cave walls and were sometimes divided by partitions. The exact dimensions of the Savior’s tomb are not detailed, but it is noted that it was new and had never held a body (Luke 23:53, John 19:41). Thus, it was impossible for His resting place to be confused with those of others.