Matthew 28:2
in Matthew 28Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it.
KJV
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
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This verse in Matthew 28
Commentary
26 notes on this verseAnd, behold, there was a great earthquake. Our Lord, Son at once of God and man, according to His twofold nature of Godhead and of flesh, gives a sign one while of His greatness, another while of His lowliness. Thus, though now it was man who was crucified, and man who was buried, yet the things that were done around show the Son of God.
This site's exposition
the angel of the Lord descended from heaven
on Matthew 28:2-4
The great earthquake and the angel's descent are Matthew's own record of the resurrection's outward sign, though the text is careful that the stone is rolled back for the women's benefit and the guards', not to let Jesus out, since the risen body already passes through grave clothes and later through locked doors. The angel's countenance like lightning and raiment white as snow echoes the same glory language Matthew used of the transfigured Christ at 17:2, the messenger clothed in a measure of the glory his message now announces. The keepers, hardened Roman or temple soldiers under a sealed and guarded stone, become as dead men before a single unarmed messenger, the chapter's first and starkest contrast between fear that paralyzes and fear that sends running with joy.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
An angel descended and rolled back the stone. He did not roll back the stone to provide a way of escape for the Lord but to show the world that the Lord had already risen. He rolled back the stone to help his fellow servants …
According to Matthew, the angel sat upon the stone which had been rolled from the tomb, whereas Mark says that upon entering the tomb the women were astounded to see a young man sitting on the right, dressed in a white robe. This discrepancy would be troubling unless we understand that Matthew remained silent concerning that angel whom they saw when they entered the tomb and Mark remained silent concerning that angel whom they saw sitting on the stone outside the tomb. If this be the case, the women saw two angels and heard from them about Jesus progressively; first from the one who sat on the stone outside the tomb and then from the one whom they saw sitting on the right when they entered the tomb. They went into the tomb then because they had been exhorted to do so by the angel sitting outside, when he said, "Come and see where the Lord was placed." Upon entering, as it is written, they saw and heard similar things from the angel sitting on the right side of the tomb, who is mentioned by Mark but ignored by Matthew.If this explanation fails to satisfy, we certainly ought to understand that when they entered the tomb they were in some sort of walled enclosure which, it is reasonable to believe, had been established as a secured location in front of the rock from which the tomb was cut. According to this scenario, the angel whom they saw sitting on the right side of the tomb would have been in the same space as the angel who Matthew says was sitting on the stone which, at the time of the earthquake, had been rolled back from the entrance to the tomb, that is, from the sepulcher cut from the rock.
(de Cons. Ev. iii. 24.) It may disquiet some, how it is that according to Matthew the Angel sate upon the stone after it had been rolled back from the sepulchre, whereas Mark says that the women having gone into the sepulchre, saw a young man sitting on the right hand. Either we may suppose that they saw two, and that Matthew has not mentioned him whom they saw within, nor Mark him whom they saw without the sepulchre; but that they heard from each severally what the Angels said concerning Jesus. Or the words, entering into the sepulchre, (Mark 16:5.) may mean entering into some enclosed place, which probably there might be in front of the rock out of which the sepulchre was hewn; and thus it might be the same Angel whom they saw sitting on the right hand, whom Matthew describes as sitting on the stone which he had rolled back.
(Serm. 77 et 74.) If the earth thus quaked when the Lord rose again to the pardon of the Saints, how will it quake when He shall rise again to the punishment of the wicked? As the Prophet speaks, The earth trembled when the Lord rose again to judgment. (Ps. 76:8.) And how will it endure the Lord's presence, when it was unable to endure the presence of His Angel? And the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven. For when Christ arose, death was destroyed, commerce with heaven is restored to things on the earth; and woman, who had of old held communication to death with the Devil, now holds communication to life with the Angel. (Serm. 74.) He said not 'rolled,' but rolled back; because the rolling to of the stone was a proof of death; the rolling it back asserted the resurrection. The order of things is changed; The Tomb devours death, and not the dead; the house of death becomes the mansion of life; a new law is imposed upon it, it receives a dead, and renders up a living, man. It follows, And sat thereon. He sat down, who was incapable of weariness; but sat as a teacher of the faith, a master of the Resurrection; upon the stone, that the firmness of his seat might assure the sted fastness of the believers; the Angel rested the foundations of the Faith upon that rock, on which Christ was to found His Church. Or, by the stone of the sepulchre may be denoted death, under which we all lay; and by the Angel sitting thereon, is shown that Christ hath by His might subdued death.
This is an instance of the mercy of God the Father, to supply the ministry of heavenly power to the Son on His resurrection from the grave; and he is therefore the proclaimer of this first resurrection, that it may be heralded by some attendant token of the Father's good pleasure.
19 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers5 voices
The earthquake is the might of the resurrection, when the sting of death being blunted, and its darkness illuminated, there is stirred up a quaking of the powers beneath, as the Lord of the heavenly powers rises again.
The rolling back of the stone signifies the opening of Christ's sacraments, which were covered by the letter of the Law. For the Law having been writen on stones, is here denoted by the stone.
(Vers. 2, 3.) And behold, there was a great earthquake. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and approaching, rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. And His appearance was like lightning, and His garment like snow. Our Lord, the one and the same Son of God and Son of Man, according to both natures, divinity and flesh, now demonstrates signs of His greatness and humility. Therefore, even in this place, though He is a man who was crucified, who was buried, who was confined in a tomb, whom a stone held back, yet the things that happen outside reveal the Son of God: the sun fleeing, darkness falling, the earth shaking, the veil torn, rocks split, the dead raised, the ministry of angels, which from the beginning of His nativity confirmed Him as God. Gabriel came to Mary, while Joseph speaks with the angel; the same announces it to the shepherds, afterwards the chorus of angels is heard saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will (Luke II). He is tempted in solitude, and after victory immediately served by angels. Now also the Angel comes, the guardian of the Lord's tomb, and in white garments signifies the glory of the triumphant. Moreover, as the Lord ascends to heaven, two angels are seen on the Mount of Olives, promising the apostles according to the Saviour's coming (Acts I).
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 89 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
"But in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 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 of the tomb, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow." After the resurrection came the angel. Wherefore then came he, and took away the stone? Because of the women, for they themselves had seen Him then in the sepulchre. Therefore that they might believe that He was risen again, they see the sepulchre void of the body. For this cause he removed the stone, for this cause also an earthquake took place, that they might be thoroughly aroused and awakened. For they were come to pour oil on Him, and these things were done at night, and it is likely that some also had become drowsy.
"His appearance," says the Evangelist, "was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow." The brightness of his countenance is distinguished from the brilliance of his clothing. His face is compared with lightning from heaven and his garment to snow falling upon the earth. Listen …
The Medieval Church3 voices
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 …
(ubi sup.) The earthquake at the Resurrection, as also at the Crucifixion, signifies that worldly hearts must be first moved to penitence by a health-giving fear through belief in His Passion and Resurrection. (ubi sup.) Forasmuch as Christ is both God and man, therefore there lack not amidst the acts of His humanity the ministrations of Angels, due to Him as God. And came and rolled back the stone; not to open the door for the Lord to come forth, but to give evidence to men that He was already come forth. For He who as mortal had power to enter the world through the closed womb of a Virgin, He when become immortal, was able to depart out of the world by rising from a sealed sepulchre. (ubi sup.) And rightly did the Angel appear standing, who proclaimed the Lord's coming into the world, to show that the Lord should come to vanquish the prince of this world. But the Herald of the Resurrection is related to have been seated, to show that now He had overcome him that had the power of death, He had mounted the throne of the everlasting kingdom. He sate upon the stone, now rolled back, wherewith the mouth of the sepulchre had been closed, to teach that He by His might had burst the bonds of the tomb.
And behold there was a great earthquake. Here the angel revealing is treated. And first the arrival of the angel is touched upon; second, his work; third, his appearance; fourth, the effect. The second is at and coming, he rolled back the stone; the third …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
An angel of the Lord had rolled away the stone and sat upon it - St. Luke and St. John speak of two angels that appeared: but it seems as if only one of them had appeared sitting on the stone without the sepulchre, and then going into it, was seen with another angel, sitting, one where the head, the other where the feet of the body had lain.
It struck a terror upon them, to see themselves baffled in that which was their business here. They were posted here, to keep a dead man in his grave --as easy a piece of service surely as was ever assigned them, and yet it proves too hard for them.
And behold there was a great earthquake,....
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.
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
A great earthquake - Σεισμος, a shaking or commotion of any kind: probably the word means no more than the confusion caused among the guards by the angel’s appearance. All this had taken place before the women reached the sepulchre.
As the holy women went towards the sepulcher in the twilight of the morning, desirous to embalm the body of Jesus, they recollected that the huge stone at the door of the tomb would be a great impediment in their way and they said one to another, "Who shall roll away the stone?" That question gathers up the mournful enquiry of the whole universe. They seem to have put into language the great sigh of universal manhood, "Who shall roll away the stone?" In man's path of happiness lies a huge rock which completely blocks up the road.
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.
As the holy women went towards the sepulcher in the twilight of the morning, desirous to embalm the body of Jesus, they recollected that the huge stone at the door of the tomb would be a great impediment in their way and they said one to another, "Who shall roll away the stone?" That question gathers up the mournful enquiry of the whole universe. They seem to have put into language the great sigh of universal manhood, "Who shall roll away the stone?" In man's path of happiness lies a huge rock which completely blocks up the road. Who among the mighty shall remove the barrier? Philosophy attempted the task, but miserably failed. In the ascent to immortality the stone of doubt, uncertainty and unbelief stopped all progress. Who could remove the awful mass and bring life and immortality to light? Men, generation after generation, buried their fellows—the all-devouring sepulcher swallowed its myriads. Who could stop the daily slaughter, or give a hope beyond the grave? There was a whisper of resurrection, but men could not believe in it. Some dreamed of a future state and talked of it in mysterious poetry, as though it were all imagination and nothing more. In darkness and in twilight, with many fears and few guesses at the truth, men continued to enquire, "Who shall roll away the stone?" Men had an indistinct feeling that this worm could not be all—that there must be another life—that intelligent creatures could not all have come into this world that they might perish. It was hoped, at any rate, that there was something beyond the fatal river. It scarcely could be that none returned from Avernus—there surely must be a way out of the sepulcher.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
There was a great earthquake - Rather there “had been.” It does not mean that this was while they were there, or while they were going, but that there “had been” so violent a commotion as to remove the stone. The word rendered here as “earthquake” does not of necessity mean that the convulsion extended to the earth, but only that there had been such a concussion as to remove the stone. And sat upon it - Sat upon it when the keepers saw him, Mat 28:4. It is not said that he was sitting when he appeared to the women. From Luke it would rather appear that he was standing.
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
G.K. Chesterton1874–1936
The Everlasting Man, Part II Ch. 3 "The Strangest Story in the World" (1925)
proposed
On the third day the friends of Christ coming at daybreak to the place found the grave empty and the stone rolled away.
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἰδοὺ | idou | behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| σεισμὸς | seismos | an earthquake | G4578 → | 14 times |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | there was | G1096 → | 667 times |
| μέγας· | megas | great; | G3173 → | 243 times |
| ἄγγελος | angelos | an angel | G32 → | 175 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| κυρίου | kuriou | of [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| καταβὰς | katabas | having descended | G2597 → | 81 times |
| ἐξ | ex | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| οὐρανοῦ | ouranou | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| προσελθὼν | proselthon | having come | G4334 → | 86 times |
| ἀπεκύλισεν | apekulisen | he rolled away | G617 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λίθον | lithon | stone | G3037 → | 58 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκάθητο | ekatheto | he was sitting | G2521 → | 91 times |
| ἐπάνω | epano | upon | G1883 → | 19 times |
| αὐτοῦ. | autou | it. | G846 → | 5565 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἰδοὺbehold
idouG2400 →200 times
σεισμὸςan earthquake
seismosG4578 →14 times
ἐγένετοthere was
egenetoG1096 →667 times
μέγας·great;
megasG3173 →243 times
ἄγγελοςan angel
angelosG32 →175 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
κυρίουof [the] Lord
kuriouG2962 →711 times
καταβὰςhaving descended
katabasG2597 →81 times
ἐξout of
exG1537 →911 times
οὐρανοῦheaven
ouranouG3772 →272 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
προσελθὼνhaving come
proselthonG4334 →86 times
ἀπεκύλισενhe rolled away
apekulisenG617 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
λίθονstone
lithonG3037 →58 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκάθητοhe was sitting
ekathetoG2521 →91 times
ἐπάνωupon
epanoG1883 →19 times
αὐτοῦ.it.
autouG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 16:26Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
it leads to
- Acts 4:31
After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
- Acts 5:19
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
- Acts 12:7
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his…
- Acts 12:10
They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one…
- Psalms 146:7
He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,
- Acts 4:31
Through
John 20:1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
it leads to
- Mark 16:9
Early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had driven out seven demons.
- Matthew 27:60
and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.
- John 19:25
Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.
- Mark 16:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on 22 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS 3.63; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 863: “The Stone Rolled Away” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man, Part II Ch. 3 "The Strangest Story in the World"; Hilary of Poitiers, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 89; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Peter Chrysologus, Commentary (church-history corpus); Peter Chrysologus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Peter Chrysologus, SERMONS 75.6; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.