Matthew 28:1

It is to be known that Matthew designs to hint to us a mystical meaning, of how great worthiness this most holy night drew from the noble conquest of death, and the Resurrection of Our Lord. With this purpose he says, On the evening of the Sabbath. For whereas according to the wonted succession of the hours of the day, evening does not dawn towards day, but on the contrary darkens towards night, these words show that the Lord shed, by the light of His resurrection joy and brilliance over the whole of this night.

Or, otherwise; This apparent discrepancy in the Evangelists as to the times of their visits is no mark of falsehood, as wicked men urge, but shows the sedulous duty and attention of the women, often going and coming, and not enduring to be long absent from the sepulchre of their Lord.

One must not dismiss lightly the question concerning the exact hour at which the women came to the tomb. For if Matthew says, "In the evening of the sabbath, at the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Madgalene and other Mary came to see the tomb," what then does it mean that Mark says, "And early in the morning on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb at the rising of the sun"? The other two Gospels, Luke and John, do not disagree with Mark; Luke says "early in the morning," and John says "in the morning when it was still dark." Both statements are consistent with Mark's declaration that it was "early in the morning at the rising of the sun," that is, when the heavens in the east were brightening. But this doesn't occur except when the sun is very close to rising, a phenomenon which customarily is called the dawn. Therefore Mark does not oppose John, who says "when it was still dark," for as day is breaking the remaining shadows of darkness diminish only in proportion to the sun's rising. And Luke's phrase, "early in the morning," need not be understood to imply that the sun had already appeared above the horizon but rather is the kind of expression we normally use when we want to signify that something must be done earlier. For when we say "in the morning," lest we are understood to mean that the sun is already visible, we usually add "very early," so that we will be understood to refer to the dawn.Thus it is said "in the evening of the sabbath," as if he had said "in the night of the sabbath," that is, in the night which follows the day of the sabbath. Matthew's words themselves, however, are sufficient, for he says, "In the evening of the sabbath, at the dawn on the first day of the week." This would be impossible if we understood "in the evening" to signify only the first part of the night. […]

(in loc.) Otherwise; It may be understood that they began to come in the evening, but that it was the dawn of the first day of the week when they reached the sepulchre; that is, that they prepared the spices for anointing the Lord's body in the evening, but that they took them to the sepulchre in the morning. This has been so shortly described by Matthew, that it is not quite clear in his account, but the other Evangelists give the order more distinctly. The Lord was buried on the sixth day of the week, and the women returning from the sepulchre prepared spices and ointments as long as it was lawful to work; on the sabbath they rested, according to the commandment, as Luke plainly declares; and when the Sabbath was past and the evening was come, and the season of labour returned, with zealous devotion they proceeded to purchase such spices as they yet lacked, (this is implied in Mark's words, when the sabbath was past, that they might go and anoint Jesus, for which purpose they come early in the morning to the sepulchre. (Hom. Æst. i.) For from the beginning of the creation of the world until now, the course of time has followed this arrangement, that the day should go before the night, because man, fallen by sin from the light of paradise, has sunk into the darkness and misery of this world. But now most fitly night goes before day, when, through faith in the resurrection, we are brought back from the darkness of sin and the shadow of death to the light of life, by the bounty of Christ.

After he has completed the mysteries of the Lord's passion, the Evangelist treats of the triumph of the Lord's resurrection; and it is divided. For first it is shown how the disciples came to know Christ's resurrection through hearing; second, how through sight, so that …

After the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the tomb. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and …

In the end of the sabbath,.... This clause is by some joined to the last verse of the preceding chapter, but stands better here, as appears from Mar 16:1, and intends not what the Jews call the sabbath eve, for that began the sabbath; but what they call מוצאי שבת, "the goings out of the sabbath"; and as Mark says, Mar 16:1, "when the sabbath was past": that is, when the sun was set, and any stars appeared.

Their attendance on Christ not only to the grave, but in the grave, represents his like care for those that are his, when they have made their bed in the darkness. As Christ in the grave was beloved of the saints, so the saints in the grave are beloved of Christ; for death and the grave cannot slacken that bond of love which is between them.

In the end of the sabbath - The word “end” here means the same as “after” the Sabbath - that is, after the Sabbath was fully completed or finished, and may be expressed in this manner: “In the night following the Sabbath, for the Sabbath closed at sunset, as it began to dawn,” etc. As it began to dawn toward the first day of the week - The word “dawn” is not of necessity in the original. The word there properly means as the first day “approached,” or drew on, without specifying the precise time.

Mt 27:61). to see the sepulchre--with a view to the anointing of the body, for which they had made all their preparations. And, behold, there was--that is, there had been, before the arrival of the women. a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, &c.--And this was the state of things when the women drew near.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

The principal subject of these verses is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. It is one of those truths which lie at the very foundation of Christianity, and has therefore received special attention in the four Gospels. All four Evangelists describe minutely how our Lord was crucified: all four relate, with no less clearness, that he rose again. We need not wonder that so much importance is attached to our Lord’s resurrection: it is the seal and headstone of the great work of redemption which he came to do.

The principal subject of these verses is the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. It is one of those truths which lie at the very foundation of Christianity, and has therefore received special attention in the four Gospels. All four Evangelists describe minutely how our Lord was crucified: all four relate, with no less clearness, that he rose again. We need not wonder that so much importance is attached to our Lord’s resurrection: it is the seal and headstone of the great work of redemption which he came to do. It is the crowning proof that he has paid the debt which he undertook to pay on our behalf, won the battle which he fought to deliver us from hell, and is accepted as our surety and our substitute by our Father in heaven. Had he never come forth from the prison of the grave, how could we ever have been sure that our ransom had been fully paid ( 1 Corinthians 15:17 )? Had he never risen from his conflict with the last enemy, how could we have felt confident that he has overcome death and himthat had the power of death, that is the devil? 2:14 )? But thanks be unto God, we are not left in doubt: the Lord Jesus really “rose again for our justification.” True Christians are begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” They may boldly say with Paul, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ, that died—yea rather that is risen again.” ( Romans 8:34 Rom. 4:25 , 1 Peter 1:3 ) We have reason to be very thankful that this wonderful truth of our religion is so clearly and fully proved. It is a striking circumstance that of all the facts of our Lord’s earthly ministry, none are so incontrovertibly established as the fact that he rose again. The wisdom of God, who knows the unbelief of human nature, has provided a great crowd of witnesses on the subject.

In the end of the Sabbath - Οψε δε σαββατων. After the end of the week: this is the translation given by several eminent critics; and in this way the word οψε is used by the most eminent Greek writers. Thucydides, lib. iv. chap. 93, της ημερας οψε ην - the day was ended. Plutarch, οψε των βασιλεως χρονων - after the times of the king. Philostratus οψε των Τροικων - after the Trojan war. See Rosenmuller. In general the Jews divided their natural day, which consisted of twenty-four hours, into day and night. Their artificial day began at the rising and ended at the setting of the sun; all the rest of the time, from the setting to the rising of the sun, they termed night: hence the same word, in Hebrew, signifies both evening and night. Gen 1:5; Mar 6:47. Matthew has employed the word in this extensive sense here, pointing out the latter part of the Jewish night, that which immediately preceded the rising of the sun, and not that first part which we call the evening. The transaction mentioned here evidently took place early on the morning of the third day after our Lord’s crucifixion; what is called our Sunday morning, or first day of the next week. Came - to see the sepulchre - That is, they set out at this time in order to visit the tomb of our Lord, and also to weep there, Joh 11:31, and to embalm the body of our Lord, Luk 24:1. St. Matthew omits Mary Salome, mentioned by Mark; and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, mentioned by Luke. The other Mary was the wife of Cleopas, and mother of James and Joses, mentioned before, Mat 27:56. Were not Mary and Salome two distinct persons?

On the third day the friends of Christ coming at daybreak to the place found the grave empty and the stone rolled away.