Matt 28:1-10; What a Difference a Week Makes!

"After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Introduction

The Easter morning story in Matthew had its distinctive and very attractive features. It is the only account that has such a major role for the angel; it is the only account that has an earthquake; it is the only account where the guards act as if they are dead. Thus, we are brought into an imaginative world of narration that makes us want to slow down and savor each word of the story. In this essay I will look at three things: (1) the angel's appearance; (2) the angel's words; and (3) the women's worship.

The Angel's Appearance (vv. 1-4)

The women appear at the tomb. Where are the men? What are they doing on the first day of the week? Sleeping in? The women seem to be the ones who care for the basic institutions of life, the ways people come into and go out of the world. So, they are there on the first day of the week. But what they see there defies explanation. There is a seismos, an earthquake, which reminds us of the story from last week where the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem shook people up as if it was an earthquake. That was only a "literary" earthquake; here we have the real thing. Then, as if the drama wasn't complete, an angel descended from heaven and rolled away the stone. Since Christ had already risen, it is improper to call this a "resurrection story," as RT France reminds us. This story is a testimony to resurrection. So, we are immediately forced to think about how Jesus could have been raised from the dead and passed through the thick stone.

But our questions are not answered because the action continues right away. We then see an angel sitting upon the stone (v. 2). The picture is so compelling. The earthquake, the stone rolling away, thunder and lightning so to speak, and the angel is just sitting there. Nothing more. But we are not finished. Then we look at the angel's garments, and we see lightning and white garments. This part of the story reminds us of the transfiguration, where the celestial figures had clothes of shining white. Then, we see, in v. 4, how the exposion of the event had a dramatic effect on the guards. Rather than being made more alert, more heightened in their senses, they become as dead. The ones who were most alive and were supposed to guard the dead one are now as if dead and the one who was dead is now alive. They were afraid and acted as if dead; the women were afraid and acted even more alive. The presence of the divine in their midst was so powerful that it caused a "division" in the house. The tension in the air is palpable.

The Angel Speaks to the Women (vv. 5-7)

We aren't finished, by any means. In fact, we are just beginning. It isn't as if the "setting of the scene" in vv. 1-4 is mere window dressing, however. Our senses are heightened; our heart is stimulated; our mind is engaged. We are ready to hear what now will happen. The words are matter of fact, as if the fear of the women is unjustified. 'Don't be afraid,' the angel says. When I read those words my first thought is that there are loads of reasons to be afraid. Something dramatically different has just happened. Certainly it would take quite some time to try to "work out" all the implications of the angel's words, but the women don't have time for that now. If they are curious, they can look to the place where Jesus was placed, but he isn't there. No use looking at an empty place. It is just empty. So the women are brought back to their senses and need to listen to more words. Go and tell the disciples that not only is Christ risen but that he goes before them to Galilee.

Now that brings a new dimension to the story. It copies the story in Mark, but the word "Galilee" has a deep theological significance in Mathew--it is "Galilee of the nations," the place where Jesus will begin his ministry. Already, by having the disiciples go on to Galilee, we learn that something dramatic is happening--the Gospel will go forth from the place where it began. The disciples are to return to their roots, to drink deeply from those roots, and then to go forth into the world.

The women, and only the women, are then the recipients of this most sacred and powerful tradition. When we consider that under Jewish law the women are not considered to be the most reliable witnesses, we are enthralled and engaged. Truly it is the weak things of the world that will shame the wise.

Worship (vv. 8-10)

The women, who were afraid previously, now depart from the tomb "with fear and joy." Though the story in Mark's Gospel ends with everyone being afraid (Mk. 16:8), here we have a word of joy added to that of fear. It would be unrealistic if the note of fear disappeared. They women had seen something of such compelling importance and power, something so out of their experience of the world, that fear is the only proper reaction. But the further words to the women allay those fears and bring the dimension of hope to full flower. How could they not, then, also feel joy? So, as they ran with their fear/joy, they met someone even more elevated than the angel. They saw Jesus. We are not told how they recognized him or in what "form" he appeared. Perhaps the women were wondering what "form" Jesus had assumed, for this is the only Gospel which tells us that they took his feet and worshiped. The story, which begins so powerfully with visual images, now closes with one--the women gripping Jesus' feet. The Greek word suggests a strong grip, a grip that says, as it were, "We are not going to let you go...." It is the sort of grip that Jacob demonstrated with the night visitor in Gen. 28--"I will not let you go until you bless me." And then the verse simply concludes with, "and worshiped him." As simple as that. Just as the words of the angel to the women were simple--he is risen--so the words that conclude the women's response here are simple, "And they worshiped." So much fear and so much joy--leads to the only logical conclusion, worship.

Conclusion

Jesus reiterates the word of the angel (v. 10) to go and meet him in Galilee. That will be the place where the mission begins, one that will eventually reach to the ends of the earth (Matt. 28:18-20). We are the recipients of the fervor, focus and faith of the original disciples. And especially, on this Easter Day, we celebrate that, with all our hearts.

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