He is not here; for He is risen, as He said

 

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  

 

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.   Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

- Matthew 28:1-10 

 

Yesterday we read that many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar at His Crucifixion, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  

 

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.   My study Bible comments that the earthquake is a sign of our Lord's great victory over death, and foreshadows the general resurrection of all humanity.   It asks us to note that the angel does not roll back the stone to let the Lord out, for in His glory, Christ could pass through solid rock (see John 20:19).  On the contrary, the open doorway to the tomb allows the witnesses in, so that they may see He has already risen.  

 

 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.   Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."  My study Bible tells us that these women are the first witnesses of the supreme event in all history: the Resurrection of Christ and the destruction of death.  The angel refers to Christ as the One who was crucified, teaching us not to shy away from His death, but to glory in the Cross (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14), which is the weapon which Christ used to destroy death and the trophy of His victory.  At the liturgical services of Pascha (Easter), Orthodox Christians sing the following hymn hundreds of times:  "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life."  Here St. Paul is cited, who says, "If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).  

 

  Our first verses in today's reading tell us many things that are quite striking:   Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  First of all, this is the dawn of the first day of the week.  This is the day after the Sabbath, and it's known to us as Sunday, the Lord's Day.  Moreover, it is also thought of as the eighth day, the eternal day begun with the Resurrection of Christ.  It is dawn, the beginning, as Christ, Sun of Righteousness, is Risen.  Suddenly, it seems the powers of heaven are shaken once again, in the sign of the earthquake, as an angel descends from heaven, rolls back the stone, and sits on it.  We're told that his countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow -- similar to Christ's face and clothing at the revelation of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2).  We see the response of the guards, Roman soldiers.  The angel says to these faithful women, who have come to serve Christ even in His death, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  Here is the good news, He is risen, as He said.  And there is a commission here from the angels; these women will become the Apostles to the Apostles, as the Church declares them to be.   The angel is a messenger, as are all holy angels, and this is the greatest message they could hear.  And these women respond in a complex way, as has so often the case with Jesus throughout His ministry, and in the presence of heavenly tings:  they go running with fear and great joy, and in obedience bring the disciples the word.   So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  For this obedience and faith, they are the first to see the risen Christ:  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.   Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."   This is the great good news, that Jesus has conquered death, and opened the door for all of us to be with Him where He is (John 17:24).  These women are the first to see and hear the good news, and to take it to the disciples.  In Christ's economy of the risen Word, women are the first to obey, playing this essential role in our salvation, and reversing the story of Eve.  In the story of the Resurrection, we all become essential.  What role do you play?  Faith and obedience tell the story of loyalty and love.

 

 

 

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus

 

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  

 

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  

 

- Matthew 27:55-66 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were told that from the sixth hour until the ninth hour (approximately noon to 3:00 p.m.) there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

 

  And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  My study Bible has a note on Mary the mother of James and Joses.  It explains that in patristic commentary, most teach this was in fact the Virgin Mary, as she was the stepmother of James and Joses (Matthew 13:55; compare Mark 15:40, 47).   It quotes from the commentary of Theophylact, who summarizes this teaching in the following way:  "James and Joses were sons of Joseph by his first wife.  And since the Theotokos was called the 'wife' of Joseph, she is rightly called the 'mother' of his children, meaning 'stepmother'."

 

 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  My study Bible points out to us that to ask for the body of Jesus is a bold public act for this wealthy man, showing that his faith has overcome any fear. We should remember also that he was a member of the Sanhedrin, who disagreed with the Council regarding the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:50-51).

 

 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  My study Bible comments here that Jesus was buried in a new tomb so that no suspicion might later arise that another had risen instead of Christ.  

 

In tradition, tombs were used for families, not the single burial plots we are used to.  So the point my study Bible makes about Christ's tomb is very important.  Additionally, we shouldn't dismiss the great sacrifice made by Joseph of Arimathea.  Not only as a wealthy man, but as a member of the Council, the Sanhedrin, he had everything to lose by going openly to Pilate.  This tomb would have been very expensive as well, expressing Joseph's love of Jesus.  According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, he is called holy and righteous, and is a saint.  The Church teaches that he was imprisoned by the Jewish authorities, and Christ appeared to him in prison, thus convincing him of the Resurrection.  He was later released from prison and banished from Jerusalem, eventually preaching the Gospel throughout the world, later reposing in Britain where he helped to found the Church.  Perhaps coincidentally, his feast day is celebrated tomorrow, July 31st.  Joseph is an important figure in that he bridges, together with many others, the old and new covenants.  Moreover, he was willing to risk all that he had, even his very life, out of love for Jesus.  In this category we also place Nicodemus, who, according to St. John's Gospel, was also a student of Christ, a member of the Sanhedrin, and helped Joseph of Arimathea to bury Christ (John 3:1-21; 7:50-52; 19:38-42).  Finally we also come to the women who remained steadfast and loyal to Christ throughout His ministry.  As today's reading tells us, they had followed Him from Galilee.  According to St. Luke's Gospel, these women had supported His ministry in Galilee, supporting Him from their own wealth (Luke 8:1-3).  In today's reading, we're given immediate examples of faith following Christ's death, those who are helping and ministering to Him.  All of these people, we should remember, are faithful Jews.  But more importantly, out of their love for Christ, they are risking everything to show Him love even though they believe Him to be dead.  A crucifixion, we should remember, was the most shameful kind of death, reserved for the worst criminals, a person's body stripped of all protection and modesty, and made to be paraded in extreme suffering until the end.  Jesus' death was also accompanied by mocking and condemnation.  Yet these people remain loyal to Him, which must have demanded tremendous faith and equally great courage.  This teaches us, right from the beginning, that the Church needs all her members; each of us is capable of a playing a role with whatever resources we have, and especially in our faith and the courage we can muster to care and do what the times call us to do.  Ultimately it is love and loyalty that command our response to the One who loved and is loyal to us even through death.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"

 

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  

 

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

- Matthew 28:1-10 

 

Yesterday we read that, at the time of Christ's death on the Cross, many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.  On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

 

  Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.   My study Bible comments that this earthquake is a sign of Christ's great victory over death, and that it foreshadows the general resurrection of all humanity.  It asks us to note that the angel does not roll back the stone to let the Lord out, for in His glory, Christ could pass through solid rock (see John 20:19).  It rather allows the witnesses to see that He has already risen.  

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  My study Bible tells us that these women are the first witnesses of the supreme event in all history:  the Resurrection of Christ and the destruction of death.  It notes that the angel refers to Christ as the One who was crucified, teaching us that we should not shy away from Christ's death, but to glory in the Cross (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14), the weapon which Christ used to destroy death and the trophy of His victory.  In the liturgical services of Pascha/Easter in the Orthodox Church, this hymn is sung hundreds of times:  "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life."  St. Paul declares, "If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).  

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."  This greeting, literally translated as "Rejoice!" is the same one given to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel (Luke 1:26-28).  It remains a common formal greeting in the Greek language.

 

 Here is an interesting thing, that as Mary Magdalene and the other Mary come to see the tomb, behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  Well, just upon Christ's death on the Cross, we witness some similar-sounding things.  In Wednesday's reading, immediately upon being told that Christ yielded up His spirit, then, behold, the text says, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  In today's reading, we get a similar kind of of event in which the elements of the earth respond, there is a great earthquake.  This corresponds to the angel of the Lord descending from heaven, rolling back the stone, and sitting upon it.  There are other startling earthly elements in this description of the angel, his countenance is like lightning, his clothing as white as snow.  These elements of flashing light (like lightning) and bright white clothing have been given to us also at the Transfiguration, in which we were given a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven as we're told that Jesus was transfigured before the disciples, that His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:1-2).  Here is the annunciation of the great news of Christ's victory over death, but -- if we can even imagine it, it is so much more than that.  For this victory over death is a victory given to us.  This ushering in of the manifestation of the Kingdom, is one in which we're invited to share in this glory, giving us a glimpse of what now becomes possible for humankind in terms of that victory over death.  The news is shared that Christ is risen.  These two women run out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy; and they ran to bring His disciples word.  Here is another startling anomaly; the women are given to both fear and great joy side by side.   We might pause to wonder how both of these things can exist in people at the same time, but with Christ -- and in this realm of the Kingdom -- all bets are off; the normal limitations of earthly life don't apply anymore, and paradox may abound, for it is in paradox where we find the divine, where we can approach works of the Lord which inspire both fear and great joy.  As they run to tell the disciples this great news, Christ Himself greets them:  "Rejoice!"  But here, Jesus casts out their fear.  He echoes the angel's message, and as He has said repeatedly to the disciples, tells them, "Do not be afraid" (Matthew 14:27; 17:7).  These women, now participating in the reality of the Kingdom, are elevated with a new mission:  "Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."  Because of this mission of being sent to the "brethren" with the good news of Christ's Resurrection and His appearance to them, Mary Magdalene is known as the "apostle to the apostles" in the Church, and is also known by the title "equal to the apostles."  Simply being a witness, and touching the Christ, has elevated her to this position, and so we may also see it as a portent of what is to come when all those who join the Resurrection may come to embrace the Christ the Bridegroom.  In a homily on this passage, St. John Chrysostom speaks eloquently to us all:  "Some among you may desire to be like these faithful women. You too may wish to take hold of the feet of Jesus. You can, even now. You can embrace not only his feet but also his hands and even his sacred head. You too can today receive these awesome mysteries with a pure conscience. You can embrace him not only in this life but also even more fully on that day when you shall see him coming with unspeakable glory, with a multitude of the angels. If you are so disposed, along with him, to be compassionate, you shall hear not only these words, 'All hail!' [Rejoice!] but also those others: 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world'." 

 

 

 

 

So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard

 

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. 

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

 

- Matthew 27:55-66 

 

Yesterday we read that from the sixth hour (noon) until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

 

  And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  My study Bible says that most patristic commentary teaches that Mary the mother of James and Joses is the Virgin Mary, as she was in fact the stepmother of James and Joses (see Matthew 13:55; compare Mark 15:40, 47).  It notes that Theophylact summarizes in this way:  "James and Joses were sons of Joseph by his first wife.  And since the Theotokos was called the 'wife' of Joseph, she is rightly called the 'mother' of his children, meaning 'stepmother'."

 

 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  Joseph of Arimathea commits a bold public act; to ask for the body of Jesus is a sign of deep faith for a wealthy man.  My study Bible says it shows that his faith has overcome any fear.

When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.  My study Bible notes that Christ is buried in a new tomb so that no suspicion might later arise that another had risen instead of Christ.  

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  While the chief priests and Pharisees act to prevent what they suspect on the part of Christ's disciples, this action effectively secures the understanding that the witness reports of what is to come are authentic and true.

 

The chief priests and Pharisees suspect that Christ's disciples might steal His body from this new tomb (that is, one in which no one else has been buried), so they may falsely claim His Resurrection later.   But let us take note how God uses circumstances to achieve God's purposes.  Effectively their actions demanded in false suspicion only help to seal the veracity of the witnesses to come.  First, it is a new tomb and therefore only one body is placed there, that of Christ.  Second, it's quite interesting that the chief priests and Pharisees are apparently aware of Christ's prophecy that He would rise again, that they have understood what Christ meant by the sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 12:38-39; 16:1-4).  This is quite a contrast to the deliberate machinations around Christ's prophecy of the same when He spoke of His body as a temple (Matthew 26:61; John 2:19).   It exposes their disingenuous behavior, that they knowingly have done what they've done.  The other thing to note about today's text is the importance of the women, right from the beginning, in Christ's followers.  Without their witness, we would not have the understanding that we do.  They are the ones out and about, doing the necessary things for Christ's burial, keeping watch and keeping witness.  Joseph of Arimathea -- who is honored today in the Episcopal Church -- is also a member of the Council (see Mark 15:43), and therefore extremely courageous.  What we find in this account is telling us that, immediately upon Christ's death, not only do all kinds of signs and wonders occur in Jerusalem (see yesterday's reading, above), but also the courage of even what we might call Christ's "least likely" followers comes to the fore for all to see.  While the disciples are scattered (Matthew 26:56) and in hiding, these come out and do what is necessary for Him, even acting with a kind of courage that could lose them their lives and status in the society.  What we find is that, even before the knowledge of the Resurrection, Christ's death is already producing fruit, from the centurion and his guards who proclaimed "Truly this is the Son of God!" to these women and the prominent and wealthy member of the Council Joseph of Arimathea.  Without the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, without the order to seal the stone and set the guard, without these women, we wouldn't have the story we know.  It all affirms that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  Let us keep this in mind through our own struggles, setbacks, and hardships -- for Christ's sacrifice and the power of Resurrection still brings forth fruit, even where we may least expect it.

 

 

 

 

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word

 

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

- Matthew 28:1-10 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were told that many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar at the Crucifixion, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.  On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'   Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. 

 

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  My study Bible comments that the earthquake is a sign of our Lord's great victory over death, which foreshadows the general resurrection of all humanity.  It asks us to note that the angel does not roll back the stone to let the Lord out, for in Christ's glory, He could pass through solid rock and so does not need the stone to be rolled away (see John 20:19).  Rather, this allows the witnesses in to see that Christ has already risen.  Note also how the brilliance of the angel is evocative of the language describing Christ's appearance as the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:3, Luke 9:29).

 

And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  My study Bible comments that these women are the first witnesses of the supreme event in all history:  the Resurrection of Christ and the destruction of death.  The angel refers to Christ as the One who was crucified, teaching us not to shy away from Christ's death, but rather to glory in the Cross (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14), which is the weapon Christ used to destroy death and the trophy of Christ's victory.  In the liturgical services of the Orthodox Church celebrating the Resurrection, it is sung hundreds of times:  "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life."  St. Paul writes, "If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).  

 

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."  Rejoice! is the same greeting given to Mary by Gabriel at the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-28); it is the same word given by Christ to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount in the plural (as here), when He says, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12).  

 

 Look at this juxtaposition of words in response to the Resurrection, as the women run from the tomb to tell the disciples what has happened, and that He will meet them in Galilee:  they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy.   Such a mixture of emotions is rare for us to discern in a modern age:  simultaneously both fear and great joy!  We must discern that this combination tells us about the level of "awe" in this event which, if we had not heard the story so frequently already, would be an unimaginable outcome.    St. Paul said of the Crucifixion, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God," and, "For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-25).  This reaction, after witnessing the Crucifixion, and now receiving the message at the tomb, of fear mixed with great joy, is the power of the Cross at work in them -- the dawning of this great power and wisdom of God found in both the "foolishness of God" and the "weakness of God."  One experiences fear in the face of the unknown, but great joy is found in the loving gestures of God, in which God comes to be known to us, and thus is produced by the truth of Christ and the great good news of the gospel.  For, as St. Paul has said, without the fullness of this great revelation, we just don't have the full story of our faith.  In the fullness of the truth is found both fear and great joy.

 

 

 

Rejoice!

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

- Matthew 28:1-10

In our current readings, we are in Jerusalem and it is Holy Week.  Jesus has been crucified, and many signs accompanied His death.  Yesterday, we read that many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which  he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.  On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. 

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.    And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."  My study bible says that the earthquake is a sign of our Lord's great victory over death.  It foreshadows the general resurrection of all of humanity.  Neither the angel nor Christ need the stone to be rolled in order to make an appearance or to pass through its entrance (see John 20:19).  The opening to the tomb allows the witnesses in to see that He's already risen.  The ministering women are the first witnesses of what my study bible calls the most supreme event in all history -- the Resurrection of Christ and the destruction of death.  The angel, in referring to Jesus as the One who was crucified, teaches us not to shy away from His death, but rather to glory in the Cross as the weapon which destroyed death, and as the trophy of Christ's victory.  My study bible quotes St. Paul:  "If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17). 
  
Jesus' greetings to the women, "Rejoice!" is the same greeting given by Gabriel to Mary at the Annunciation to her of that she would become pregnant and bear Jesus Christ into the world.  Here it is the greeting of Resurrection, the good news that has been the truth about Jesus from first to last.    It's interesting that these are greetings to women; to Mary the Mother of Christ, and to Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary."  "Rejoice" remains a greeting in modern Greek, used like a formal "hello" or "greetings."  But in the text, to "Rejoice" is also a command, and it's a command related to the good news of the birth of the Messiah, and of Christ's Resurrection.  Joy is an important and crucial element of our faith.  It's related to giving thanks, another central fact of our worship and our understanding of who we are.  The word Eucharist comes from the Greek verb to "give thanks."  My study bible tells us that we are not to shrink from His death, but to rejoice in the Cross as an instrument of victory.  One reason we rejoice, and we give thanks, is for the power of God's love that turns everything via faith into an instrument of victory.  It is the transfiguring power of this new covenant that gives meaning to the good news, allows us to rejoice and give thanks at all times.  The gift that we have received is one that allows us to go through our own difficulties with the spirit of victory.  It is Resurrection that defines what our lives are about.  We can't always know the outcome of any form of loss, or hardship, or setback.  What we can know is confidence in the Cross as weapon of death turned into weapon of victory over death, and thereby over evil.  When we make the sign of the Cross, when we understand the power of the Cross, then what we put our faith in is that transfiguring power over which no evil holds sway.  We carry it in our hearts as the ultimate sign of God's work and God's covenant.  To rejoice even when things are bleak is to look to God's love, to have confidence in the Cross and in what we have seen and known.  Christ's greeting is one of joy; let Him remain in us and among us at all times, and in our hearts with thanksgiving.  The power of the Cross does not teach us that the world is a perfect place, nor does it tell us that what is good and beautiful and true conforms to the ideals of "success" society may seem to demand.   Rather we learn renewal, the unexpected, the grace that is suddenly real and powerful.    It has the capacity to permeate circumstances we thought too hard to let anything in.  Let us remember always the word of Resurrection and life, "Rejoice!" His Resurrection becomes a part of all of our lives, all the time, in always new ways.

And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which  he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

- Matthew 27:55-66

In our readings, it is Holy Week, and Jesus is in Jerusalem.  He has been sent to Pilate after being condemned by the Council.  Pilate has offered to the crowd to release Jesus as it is the time of the Passover Feast, but the crowd preferred Barabbas.   Jesus has been sent for crucifixion, scourged, and mocked by the soldiers, nailed to the Cross and reviled by all.  Yesterday, we read that from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, thy feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  Watching the Crucifixion from afar, there are those who do not revile but love Jesus.  These are the ministering women who will continue to minister in their love for Christ.  Mary the mother of James and Joses is  identified by many Church Fathers as the Virgin Mary,  in the Eastern tradition she is the stepmother of James and Joses (see 13:55).

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which  he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   Joseph of Arimathea is a rich man and a member of the Council.  It is a very bold public act for this man to request Jesus' body.  My study bible says that Joseph's act shows that his faith as overcome any fear.  Jesus is buried in a new tomb; there will be no suspicion that any other is in this tomb.  Here is another act of love for Jesus by someone who loves Him.   The two women remain outside the tomb.

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  The great fear of the leadership is Jesus' promise that He will rise as He promised.  By preparing a secure tomb and setting a guard, they assure, in fact, that Jesus' Resurrection will be understood clearly by the faithful.

The agony of the Crucifixion is finished, and these events after Jesus' passing have a strangely calm and calming quality to them.  But these are great, heroic acts of faith performed by Joseph of Arimathea and these ministering women.  St. Chrysostom praises the women, and says that it is they who teach men how to act with courage.  He writes:  "The sex most likely to be disparaged was first to enjoy the sight of his resurrected blessings. They most steadily showed their courage. Even when the disciples had fled in the darkness, these women were still present."  They continue to fulfill their roles as followers of Christ, and as ministers to Him.  Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Council, and as such acts with tremendous boldness.  Not only is he defying the Council and its ruling by honoring Christ with this tomb, but going to Pilate publicly and asking for the body of a crucified Man is an extremely remarkable thing to do for a wealthy man of position.  He risks losing so much by doing so.   This is how we understand his tremendous act of faith.  The tomb is new, and Jesus is wrapped in a clean linen cloth.  These are great acts of reverence and honor.  The new tomb hewn from stone is one that is very costly, and it is dedicated entirely to Jesus.  Joseph's act will ensure there is no one else who rises from that tomb.   And once again it is the women who keep watch outside the tomb.  They are following, we could say, Jesus' final admonition to "watch and pray."  Where are the disciples?  These ministering to Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea and the women, truly do give us what it is to minister.  They are like a merciful balm on the indefensible wounds given to Christ.  And such people in our own lives are like a merciful balm in a world of hurt.  Let us never forget what it is to minister, to succor, especially in times of alienation and abandonment.  We are the ones who are to carry on their tradition, their great and courageous example of giving aid to the abandoned and destitute - those unjustly shamed and outcast.  They teach us not to follow the crowds, but to keep in mind at all times where our real loyalty lies, and in Whom we take our true identity and meaning in life.   He taught that when we do the same for the least of these my brethren, we do it for Him.  Let us never forget His words.  His last command to the disciples was "watch and pay, lest you enter into temptation."  That remains our command, so that we, too, understand where we are to be, even if the world cries harm to those who are innocent.