Matthew 28:9

(Verse 9.) And behold, Jesus met them, saying: Greetings. Those who were searching, those who were running in this manner, deserved to meet the risen Lord, and first to hear, Greetings: so that the curse of the woman Eve would be overturned in women. But they drew near and held his feet, and adored him. These came near and held his feet, because they adored him. But she, who sought the living among the dead, and still did not know that the Son of God had risen, rightly hears: Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father (John 20:17).

They who thus desired, and who thus ran, merited to have their rising Lord come to meet them; whence it follows, And, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. The women ought first to hear this Hail, that the curse of the woman Eve may be removed in these women.

Therefore after then they had departed with fear and joy, "Behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail." But "they held Him by the feet," and with exceeding joy and gladness ran unto Him, and received by the touch also, an infallible proof, and full assurance of the resurrection. "And they worshipped Him." What then saith He? "Be not afraid." Again, He Himself casts out their fear, making way for faith, "But go, tell my brethren, that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." Mark how He Himself sends good tidings to His disciples by these women, bringing to honor, as I have often said, that sex, which was most dishonored, and to good hopes; and healing that which was diseased. Perchance some one of you would wish to be like them, to hold the feet of Jesus; ye can even now, and not His feet and His hands only, but even lay hold on that sacred head, receiving the awful mysteries with a pure conscience. But not here only, but also in that day ye shall see Him, coming with that unspeakable glory, and the multitude of the angels, if ye are disposed to be humane; and ye shall hear not these words only, "All hail!" but also those others, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world."

(Verse 8.) And they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, running to tell his disciples. The women's minds were filled with mixed emotions, fear and joy: one because of the greatness of the miracle, the other out of longing for the risen one; and yet both stirred up a feminine fervor. They went to the apostles, so that through them the seed of faith might be scattered. (Verse 9.) And behold, Jesus met them, saying: Greetings.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, Rejoice! And they came and grasped His feet and worshipped Him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell My brethren that they should go into Galilee and there shall …

But the teacher says to her: "Do not touch me." Not because the Lord after the resurrection refused the touch of women, since of the two coming to his tomb it is written: "They approached, and held his feet." But the reason why she should not touch him is also added when he continues: "For I have not yet ascended to my Father." For in our heart Jesus ascends to the Father when he is believed to be equal to the Father.

(Hom. ubi sup.) The Lord is rightly seen by His disciples in Galilee, forasmuch as He had already passed from death to life, from corruption to incorruption; for such is the interpretation of Galilee, 'Transmigration.' Happy women! who merited to announce to the world the triumph of the Resurrection! More happy souls, who in the day of judgment, when the reprobate are smitten with terror, shall have merited to enter the joy of the blessed resurrection!

Hereby He showed that He will meet with His help all those who begin the ways of virtue, and enable them to attain to everlasting salvation. It was told above how He rose when the sepulchre was closed, to show that that body which had been shut up therein dead, was now become immortal. He now offers His feet to be held by the women, to show that He had real flesh, which can be touched by mortal creatures.

And behold Jesus met them. Here the meeting with Christ is set forth. And first the meeting is set forth; second, the greeting; third, the women's reverence. He says therefore and behold Jesus met them. And rightly does he say that he met them, because …

This interview with Christ was unexpected, or ever they were aware, Cant. vi. Note, Christ is nearer to his people than they imagine. They needed not descend into the deep, to fetch Christ thence; he was not there, he was risen; nor go up to heaven, for he was not yet ascended: but Christ was high them, and still in the word is nigh us.

And as they went to tell his disciples,....

THESE holy women, these consecrated Maries, shall be our instructors tonight. They were highly-favored to be the first witnesses for our risen Lord! Do you wonder why He chose them? Was it because their hearts were tender and they were very sad at His death, more sad than the men? And is He not known to come, first, to those who need Him most and to pour in oil and wine where the wound gapes widest? It may be so.

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.

THESE holy women, these consecrated Maries, shall be our instructors tonight. They were highly-favored to be the first witnesses for our risen Lord! Do you wonder why He chose them? Was it because their hearts were tender and they were very sad at His death, more sad than the men? And is He not known to come, first, to those who need Him most and to pour in oil and wine where the wound gapes widest? It may be so. Was it because they had been the more faithful of the two and, while some men had denied Him and all had forsaken Him, the women were last at Golgotha, as they were now, first, at the sepulcher? Did their Lord reward them by dealing with them as they had dealt with Him? That is but His pattern. "If you will walk contrary unto Me, then will I also walk contrary unto you," said the Lord to Israel. And He also said, "I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me." These holy women did seek their Lord early on the morning of His Resurrection and they found Him to a certainty before all others! Was this because Jesus had found the women more spiritual than the Apostles? Certainly, I think that was the case. They had attained the very climax of love, washing His feet with their tears. They had reached the very center of discipleship—one of them had chosen the good part, and sat at His feet. Sometimes, where there is less power of understanding, Jesus does give keener powers of perception, and though Mary Magdalene and the other Mary would never have become Pauls, yet they were of quick eye, like John, and were, therefore, the most fit to see the Savior in the dawning of the morning—and so they were permitted to have the first glimpse of Him. At any rate, be it how it may, they were the first to see their risen Lord—and we will try to learn something from them, tonight.

ON Sabbath mornings, lately, we have been meditating upon the sorrows of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been, in thought, traveling with Him from dark Gethsemane to still darker Golgotha. We have pictured Him under accusation before Caiaphas, Herod and Pilate. We have, in imagination, heard the cruel shouts of the Jews, "Away with Him! Crucify Him!" These solemn events have been full of pain to us—even the bliss that comes to us through the Cross of Christ has been toned down with intense sorrow as we have thought of the agonies our Savior endured there.

ON Sabbath mornings, lately, we have been meditating upon the sorrows of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been, in thought, traveling with Him from dark Gethsemane to still darker Golgotha. We have pictured Him under accusation before Caiaphas, Herod and Pilate. We have, in imagination, heard the cruel shouts of the Jews, "Away with Him! Crucify Him!" These solemn events have been full of pain to us—even the bliss that comes to us through the Cross of Christ has been toned down with intense sorrow as we have thought of the agonies our Savior endured there. But as soon as we get to the other side of the Cross and realize that Christ has risen from the dead, everything is calm, quiet and peaceful! There are none of those rough winds and stormy blasts that come sweeping around us as we stand outside Pilate's palace and Herod's judgment hall. All is spring-like—summer-like, if you will—yes, and autumn-like, for there are most luscious fruits to be gathered in the garden wherein was a new sepulcher out of which the living Christ arose in all the glory of His resurrection from the dead! There was just one painful memory during the interview which Christ had with His disciples, when he said to Peter the third time, "Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me?" And "Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Do you love Me?" But all the rest of the manifestations of our Lord to His disciples were singularly placid, joyful, restful. So, dear Friends, I want it to be with you, now, as you enter into the spirit of the scene described in our text.

And as they went to tell his disciples - This clause is wanting in the Codex Vatican, and Codex Bezae, and in twenty others, and in most of the versions. The omission is approved by Mill, Bengel, and Schmid. Griesbach leaves it in the text with a note of doubtfulness. It appears to be superfluous. To connect this with the next clause, the particle και, and, is obliged to be suppressed in all the translations. I think the verse should begin with, And behold he goeth, etc., and the former clause be suppressed. Probabiliter delenda, says Professor White, in his Crisews Griesbachianae, speaking of the preceding words. Jesus met them - Christ bestows his graces and consolations by degrees, first by his angels, and then by himself. He does not reveal himself to incredulous and disobedient souls; he appears not even to these women till he has tried their faith and obedience by his ministering angels. All hail - Anglo-Saxon, Health be to you! Χαιρετε, Be ye safe, rejoice. And they held him by the feet, and worshipped him - This kind of reverence is in daily use among the Hindoos: when a disciple meets his religious guide in the public streets, he prostrates himself before him, and, taking the dust from his teacher’s feet, rubs it on his forehead, breast, etc. See Ward’s Customs.