Greetings, Comfort, & Direction from the Otherside
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Matthew: A Mentor Commentary The Messenger from God (28:5–7)
prophecies. For ēgerthē is a ‘divine passive’: God the Father raised Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit, thereby honoring his beloved Son; lauding his obedience unto death; and ratifying the new covenant established by his atoning sacrifice.
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Over the last weeks, our government, along with those around the world, have been very clear that we are all in this together, not jus tthis pandemci, but this battle. Measures used that haven’t been used since the whole population was mobilized to contribute to the war effots against facism in WWII. And you may think that Easter is a nice diversion, a peaceful, inspiring thought that all shall be well. And while I do hope that you find God’s message of Easter to and for you, comforting and inspiring in the deepest way, it is not an escape from this war, this struggle that we are in.
Those of you who have battled cancer or Gilian Barr’s disease who have been a death’s door, no what I am talking back. You have felt this universal battle so cosely - made for life, but death is closing in - and every fibre of our bodies and psyche scream live live. Yes we’re in a battle for life against death.
But there is another battle that Easter reveals. It is the battle for faith versus unbelief. Perhaps you’ve felt this too. IN a general way if you’ve been abused, betrayed, cheated on, if you’ve been burned, and hope has run out and life has or a relationship, or work life hasn’t turned out the way you wanted it - may lose faith in the ‘goodness’ of humanity and this world - once bitten twice shy - and it would take trust, faith to believe in love, common good - but in our battle so often despair and isolation take over. But in a deeper way Easter reveals a battle between faith and unbelief in terms of your relationship with the living God - between His Word, yes His commands, His interpretation of life, but more specifically His promises, and most specifically His astounding promise of resurrection, re-birth to eternal life in Jesus; and this battles against life as the same bloody thing, just on our own steam with God.
And that brings us to the greatest battle of all, because the battle for life and the battle for faith, are all just aspects of the battle between good and evil. Between God and the one whom the Bible describes as the Deceiver, whose main business is to trick the whole world to live without God and His Word and His Christ, without redemption, to stay in the fear of death. And as Matthew tells the story of our Saviour’s resurrection appearance back into our world, it is in this battle that he tells what Jesus resurrection means. And the main characters are not just the women who though losing the battle with death, who though struggling with doubt and indeed despair, unable to see the Christ and God’s plan - still are those who hold to faith and ultimately Christa and are transformed. But the other side of the battle we see these temple guards, they are what the story begins and ends with, and they would seal the tomb, they even after the earthquake, and the central part of the story the manifestation of God in a the angel after they see the tomb is empty. What are they found doing? They lie at about the resurrection, they push down its truth, they concoct a convenient explanation that will satisfy those who just want to get on with life as normal without the victory of the Resurrection in this battle for life, faith, the triumph of goodness in eternal life.
In the science world, it would be a bit like stumbling upon the greatest discovery of radium, radioactivity, or electromagnetism or quantum physics - can’t completely understand it - doesn’t fit with your current way of understanding the world, so imagine as a scientist, you say inconvenient let’s continue with our old models. And you stash those new unfitting truths away robbing the world of x-rays, electronics, and nuclear medicine.
And so this Easter, I want you to consider with Matthew whether you are responding to the truth of Christ resurrection like the women, the two Mary’s or are you responding to Easter more like these guards. Are you claiming the victory over death, unbelief, and a life without God with the two Mary’s, or boxing up and pushing away both the Living Resurrected Christ, but also the significance of His work on the Cross and the Resurrection?
The Key Truth: Embrace Jesus’ resurrection to be a participant in victory over death, unbelief, and evil.
I. Seek Comfort & Victory in Death at Jesus’ Tomb
Take note with me of the context that Matthew captures for Resurrection Sunday. This is often neglected, but the gospels record that just as prophesied Jesus’ disciples including the apostles would be scattered, they all would fall away, I suppose even John who was there at the foot of the Cross with Jesus mother Mary. But who was left, and who was last to leave the cross? We saw that on Good Friday, from a distance, those women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph. And who was there at the end of that Day of Preparation, a day before the 7th day Sabbath, remember high holy days, two Sabbaths days in a row. And the Thursday sundown with the Passover meal and the Friday until sundown were called the day of Preparation. And so Jesus died on that Passover day of preparation, and who is there when the body of our Lord is taken down, and according to prophesy, is not thrown into the valley of gehenna in a common grace to be burned or consumed in the garbage dump.
A member of the Council who didn’t give his consent, a secret believer, Joseph of Arimethea, gives his newly bought family grave. After the victory of the Cross, his glory begins, buried in a rich man, honourable mans tomb. And we read as they wrapped his body in a clean linen shroud. They dressed the Lord of Life, like a wound in death. And the big question is can he heal even death itself? And they lay their hopes away, and bury all their dreams of the kingdom that Jesus would bring. And rolled a great stone to the entrance, and Jerusalem lies in silence for the Friday night, the beginning of the last Jewish the day, Sabbath:
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
There is trembling love and devotion, hope against hope, faith in the face of death and doubt. Here is the first truth - you can only experience the victory of Easter, if you have first stayed near the wonder of Christ’s death!
II. Both Trusting Doubt & Defiant Unbelief are Confronted by God’s Miracle
And Matthew contrasts this with what the guards are up to. The body has been buried, the tomb stone rolled, but on this Saturday, they consider the wonders of the Cross and of who Jesus was claiming to be, how that would change their world - and their chief priests, they have no peace, no rest. They go to Pilate and say - we’ve got to keep this Jesus, even if just His body in that tomb. He claimed that after three days he would rise from the dead! Pilate says: you’ve got your own guard of soldiers, even on this Sabbath, you go make it secure as you can, cement it seal it up. And even more station a guard there.
So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
you’ve got your own guard of soldiers, even on this Sabbath, you go make it secure as you can, cement it seal it up. And even more station a guard there. And what you need to see is that Matthew says you’ve got to see this contrast in our world, and even in your own self if you want to understand what Jesus is doing on resurrection Sunday. Whether you are more an unbelieving guard or a grieving Mary wanting to believe but struck down in grief, recognize the battle in our world in our lives - how can we believe in the Christ, in God’s Word, His Power of Resurrection!? Sunrise dawns, and who is at the tomb, there they are both parties - the guards and the Marys. They both are there attending to a defeated and dead Jesus, what will God do to change their lives?
And what you need to see is that Matthew says you’ve got to see this contrast in our world, and even in your own self if you want to understand what Jesus is doing on resurrection Sunday. Whether you are more an unbelieving guard or a grieving Mary wanting to believe but struck down in grief, recognize the battle in our world in our lives - how can we believe in the Christ, in God’s Word, His Power of Resurrection!? Sunrise dawns, and who is at the tomb, there they are both parties - the guards and the Marys. They both are there attending to a defeated and dead Jesus, what will God do to change their lives?
And here I want you to carefully note what God does, not to raise Jesus from the dead, that’s not recorded in the gospel, the mystery of Christ actually rising from the dead, his soul rejoining his body, his heart beginning to beat again. Not just a coming back to life again, like he had done with Lazarus, where Lazarus brought back to life - subject to all the brokenness, to sickness and death - to life just in this broken world again. But the miracle and wonder of Jesus coming back to life - with resurrection, transformed life, no longer subject to corruption, same body in some way bu tin others set free from fallen limitations, more substantial and wonderful. Not a ghost but Resurrection Life, Resurrection Body - but like the first creation - no one witnessed those 6 days of wonder, so too this second creation, the new creation in the darkness of that tomb, is not what God shows us. But what does he show us is how the Resurrection and more importantly the meaning of the resurrection is given to the two Marys. Watch it now! This is the centre of Matthew’s account of the Resurrection
III. The Earthquake, Empty Tomb, & the Angel Direct us to Experience Christ’s New Creation
C. The Earthquake, Empty Tomb, and the Angel Herald a New Creation
God’s response wasn’t to show them Jesus rising fro the dead. That already happened, in the same way he had passed out of the grave clothes, and death could no longer bind him, and they will find those grave clothes lying neat folded beside the inner chamber, so too he has passed through the grave back into life. But God wants to show us more than the miraculous fact that Jesus arose. God wants to show us what it means.
God does with three events that are described happening all at the same time. Look at it:
And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
The drama of our passage is here, don’t rush over these details to get to the Resurrected Christ, God is expalining what his Son’s resurrectio nwhich aleayd happened with these three dramatic events happening at the same time.
And you must ask yourself, when else in Scripture do we have angel descending and an earthquake? This is Mt. Sinai, the Angel of the Covenant descended from heaven to mediate the covenant, and the earth-quaked. It’s a picture of God’s presence come to His people on earth. Look at the description:
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
We rush over these details to get tot he Risen One, not realizing the message God gives with Easter. There was lightning -multicolored flashes of glory - brilliance in earthquake - Elijah at Sinai too. Mount of Transfiguration. There was a quaking of the city on Palm Sunday, then a literal one at the Crucifixion that opened the graves of faithful righteous ones, sign of victory. But now on resurrection morning after Christ rose, God sends an earthquake as a token of his presence, and he sends an angel. But look where is that angel, he moves the rock, not to let Jesus out, he’s risen already, but so that we might look in and see that empty tomb. If God descending on Mt Sinai meeting with His people setting up the Old Covenant kind of pinnacle of the old era, what is the pinnacle of the new this earth quake that reveals an empty tomb. And Look where the angel is now, if angels where not so fierce and awe-inspiring - if every time angel appears -the only reaction is to fall to the ground in holy fear - the scene would have been funny,
This great one, appears out of now here in earthquake and lightening, rolls away the stone. And then jumps up on that stone, and sits on it. I’ve climbed so many boulders and sat on them. In front of the kids, it kind of means, look what I can do. And that stance of sitting in the Bible - is the stance of Kings - their session - the beginning of their reign and rule. God is announcing - death has been beat at its own game. Christ in dying on our behalf - has answered and solved an conquered death! This is the first victory you must believe this morning, and take hold of - death, pandemic, punishment at end of life, judgment day - can’t have victory if you are without Christ -
Oh, death remains the last enemy until heaven, but as man on death bed said to me, I am not afraid of death any more, Christ’s victory sure and I have peace, no fear … testifying to real experience - you and i should have that too. But he did say the actual dying part that scares me, part of the curse remains to be defeated, but death its self, say like John Donne, death be not proud, for you too must die!
And Matthew carefully records that people who embrace Christ's resurrection have entered a new era, a new situation, a new covenant a new creation. Look how the resurrection chapter begins with Jewish eyes.
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week,
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
The old era, like the creation was a work of six days, when completed and fulfilled the reward would be the Sabbath Victory and Perfect Rest. In sense the Jews lived hoping that each week would complete the labour of the world and then enter God’s rests! But remember Jesus 6th word from the Cross, just before committal. Jesus said it is completed -
he fulfilled the Old Covenant in every way, even the Covenant of Works, as our substitute - perfected life and offered up to the LORD, Says in triumph it is done. And for the last time seventh day Sabbath, God and Christ, and the thief on the Cross, and the those who had gone before - on that Saturday - they rested! But what comes on Sunday - eighth day in the OT - when Noah stepped out of the ark, when children of old covenant circumcised to live a new life, eighth day is the day of the new creation, the new life. The eight day, the Christian Sabbath, the Lord’s Day, the Day of Resurrection - not something we earn in six days, but Christ has earned it, and so we begin each week - with the rest Christ won, with the victory. There’s God’s attestation of victory over death and the beginning of the new creation, the kingdom of His Christ.
But keep watching, the big deal isn’t just the Resurrection or God’s action in attesting to it, but the big action, is God bringing this truth of Resurrection into the lives of those who have faith and who turning to Jesus will be re-made. Don't you want that?
IV. Belief in the Resurrection Enlists You in Service of the Living Jesus
Look again at the contrast between those who come with faith to the empty and those who come in unbelief, fighting just to keep life the same. Look at the soldiers who sought to keep Christ sealed up in death, look at the fate of all who refuse to believe in resurrection:
And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
They are like zombies, they have testimony of the greatest event and life in the universe right beside them, but they chose just living like the living dead, without God in this world , without the healing of the Resurrection, life as normal and even worst life without meaning or promise!
But look now at the women, they too tremble with fear but it is a different fear. It is the fear of the Lrd that drives out all othersfears. And look at God’s resosne to those who come seeking Jesus at the empty tomb:
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
This is the fundamental command of the Bible, most repeated to believers - Do not be afraid. Look what God acknowledges - you are seeking the Messiah , the Rescuer, the lover and Saviour of your souls! Did you know that in the NT fear and love are opposites. And the angel announce you don’t need to fear if you find the Crucified One. It is true that he’s risen, and yet the angel says He remains the crucified one. And the verb tense is important - in an ongoing way the Crucifixion effects continue forever. Do you know why God raised Jesus up - it wasn’t just so death loses and we can live forever.
If Jesus had died some other way, and then rose from the dead we’d all still be in fear of God, we’d still be in our sins, His death and resurrection would’t have changed anything in us. But listen to how the NT describes the significance of the Cross with the Resurrection.
because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
They go together:
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
This is the question of your belief in the significance of the Resurrection. Do you not only believer that Jesus rose again on the third day, but do you believe that He has forgiven all your sin, he took your punishment and earth and hell, and He rises to come to us and say - your justified, your right with God and now reconciled, you can live in this new covenant, this new creation, this Messianic kingdom. You are His agents in this world?
The angel says: Check it out - there is evidence - everyone knew what tomb he was buried in, there was no mistake, he was truly dead, and his is gone, no corpse, and he tell s them. Now you women, I’ve enlisted you in the great commission, and you are the first to go on the Mission of the new creation, the new kingdom in Christ.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead,
Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
Understand, of the vast company of the dead, did you see it in New York City, having to bury in mass graves, usually … that vast company of the dead, God raised Jesus up as the firstfruits of those who’ve fallen asleep. But now go to tell his disciples, and with his disciples go to the world. We all long for this truth that death won’t end it all, that its paradise after this life not hell. But apart from Christ there is no certainty of this and so how many of our neighbours thus conclude - like many in the Roman empire - darkness, spark of life in this world, then back to darkness. But in Christ as Easter Christians what a simple and powerful testimony we have - I am going to live forever that’s what Jesus says! And beyond the comfort of resurrection life beyond death, we have new purpose to bring this new creation, new kingdom of Christ to the world!
May it be that we go from Easter like these women - with awestruck fear and great joy - quick to tell each other and all around us the good news!
But is Easter just the hope of surrviving death, is it is just the idea of a new kingdom, new creation of Jesus survign. Look at the goal of Easter. This is why God sends the message of the empty tomb to us.
E. Easter is Meeting the Living Jesus & Becoming Like Him
The women go on their way - and they are happy and they have purpose and so should we. But their is something missing if this is all that Easter is. Last couple holiday meals have been quite special for our family. Older boys have had girlfriends for a couple years now, now on major holidays we are not rushing to our parents in Guelph or Palmerston - but now girl friends come and boy our table seems big and the fellowship at that meals is something we all look forward too. This year of course, though girl friends back home too, they are not coming into our house - and it really feels like something is missing. You widows and widowers know this even more poignantly. Empty chairs at empty tables.
Well Easter without the Living Christ would be something like that if the story ended here. But Matthew pulls out all the stops for the last scene here.
And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
Like when the angel appeared and announced Jesus birth the beginning -BEHOLD - Immanuel - God with us. And now a the end of the gospel - BEHOLD - daughter of Zion - KING Coming into city to die, but through defeat of death - victory!
And now BEHOLD, as one commentator put it - Guess what,
And behold another quaking - that cracks open the tomb - and the climax: The Living Christ back from death, with Resurrection life - just like with the disciples - not rebuke why fell away, very first word = GREETING, Literally BE GLAD, A greeting like All Hail, Jesus says I wish you health and happiness. Greetings. And you know what ghosts never depicted with feet - strange - but they take hold of real substantial feet - they hold the Savior of the World who has come to them.
He is still fully human and he his near. But not just human - they worship HIm as the lviing God who has come for them.
And he repeats the message the angel said to give the others:
and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
What a promise - Jesus had given it before,. I am not going to leave you as orphans. Don’t you feel a little cut off, in this self-isolating pandemic - kingdom of God collapsed, ground to a halt like our economy for those disciples. But Jesus says, I’m not going to leave orphans , but I will come to you. I will teach you, direct you, protect you - send you as the Father sent me. I will be with you even as I physically go to the Father to reign, I will be with you to the end of the age.
And here Jesus says, we will have a rendezvous, and I am going before them. If Jesus truly risen and the Saviour of the World, would you expect him to make good on this promise. He says He will go before us. The image of a shepherd, doesn’t drive his sheep like a cow boy with cattle or buffaloes - he is shepherd with a sheep, just a little ahead, with the sheep, leading them. Jesus the Good Shepherd will surely gather his scattered sheep (cf. 26:31, 56) and renew his fellowship with them—essential preparation for their mission (28:18–20).He comes to us by His Word and by His Spirit - and leads us. And he sends us to the world and say, I’ve been lifted up for the suffering and the sinning, and after I’ve been lifted up - after the message of the Cross goes, out, I will draw all people to myself. Has he drawn you, has he appeared to you, even from heaven drawing you into dear fellowship by His Spirit.
We can get through this pandemic, and through the isolations of this life, we can a people who have met with Jesus and become part of his resurrection, his new creation, we can go from this place led by Him, and one day when we make that final journey, through death. Experience that he’s drained all the poison out of death, and look at the promise:
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
Passing through lock doors, suggests didn’t require removal of his grave-cloths, rather PASSED THROUGH the clothes, leaving them neatly in place vs. Lazarus bound by them, likewise passed throug the STONE , or wall of the TOMB = not because just spirit, but heavier or dense matter passed through light , like water passes through air, steel pipe through water; Christ transformed body pushes through!
28:7 Behold I have told = go announce = VICTORY ACCOMPLISHED
RAISED NOT JUST FROM pangs of death hanging on the CROSS< listen raised from the THE DEAD (nekron) vast company of the dead!!! = God raised him and made him the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep!
= picture assembly spiritually alive yet physically dead - like little seeds, waiting to sprout to life = X FIRST ONE .
curcified one = forever known, death is why those bodies rose up, why Jesus rose up… it was death that defeated death!
Mark, they did go in, in fact where angel addressed them,
Quickly go tell, can’t wait to spread this good news… with promise RENEWAL ANTICIPATED= Christ going before us = in presence of RISEN KING = change them
Why go before and precede his apostles in Galilee:? ‘precede,’ as is clear from the following words in 28:7, ‘There you will see him,’ and from Jesus’ repetition of this promise in 28:10. Jesus the Good Shepherd will surely gather his scattered sheep (cf. 26:31, 56) and renew his fellowship with them—essential preparation for their mission (28:18–20).
J. Knox Chamblin, Matthew: A Mentor Commentary, Mentor Commentaries (Ross-shire, Great Britain: Mentor, 2010), 1468.
Like frist creation, time = 8th day dawns, new era, but like frist creation, want scientific enightnement account, disappointed, leaves shrouded in mystery = want proof of Creation = look with wide-eyed wonder at this world; yes testimonies all over the place, want evidence of resurreciton - testimony of words, prophesy, significance = and then THERE IS THE ONE - never produced body, attested more than any other event … transfromed people … was crucfied = perfect not aorist passiive, passive, divine passive, Father by power of Spirit.
ot account of Resurrection (whichi s asusmed), but manifestation of the Risen Lord…
ot account of Resurrection (whichi s asusmed), but manifestation of the Risen Lord…
Resurreciton only brings joy to those SEEKING HIM… rest stay in fear!
Goes before you, like Shpeherd before His flock… not driving htem..
Behold, as “Check this out” “Guess what?”, invited “SEE” come in investigate,
First appearance, witensses chosen, not credbile legal, not scientific, but eye-witness of women, not chosen …
Think of Daughters of Eve, as C.S. Lewis termed it, watch as frist temptation, brings Adam’s first and fatal sin of the human race, but not they watch, first wtiness es go and tell - of what revereses it all.. feet of them that bring good news…
fear and joy, - often go together, wedding, become parents, - point of Psalter of the Bible…
Emotional touchy feely, ten toes, feet and worshipped, 10x in Matthew…
Angel - presence causes the earth quake, cause soldiers quake and dead… no revive them, But revive faith of women… faith and priorities in this world… will see risen one in person, need strengthened fatih, need Jesus to come to you - and JOY = heart of experience fear and trembling, attracted…
Angel sat in victory
Why Sunday - concrete time, place, point is not evidence of resurrection, but empty tomb = earthwauke not to let Jesus out, women and us in… as miraculous and inexplicable as first creation… not science ,but wtiness, faith with facts - faith seeking udnerstanding = “I love it when a plan comes together!”
Last from Cross are first to the tomb = will you and I linger here! Like QEII says
Angel not just directing in vision, dream, but God intervenes, Jewsus in woudn’t give a sign, but here God does with angel actually comoing down from heaven. = sign move stone which J of Arimathea = rich man’s grave; but more not common grave, can’t find, saw and was guarded…
Matthew’s story not Jesus coming out, focus on women and what stone means to them, sends an angel = interp res… = angels real event of past, but not visible / describable…
for Matthew is that in the resurrection of Jesus God himself actually acted with clear, visible, and traceable consequences. That is why he has the angel descend from heaven, shake the earth, and open the tomb. He creates a powerful sign, unmistakable for all, including the guards, that God is at work here
Ulrich Luz, : A Commentary, ed. Helmut Koester, Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 2005), 596.
Angel action to frustrate strategy of Jewish leaders and enable the women to see the tomb.
3-4 no fous on Jesus res, but on angel’s appearance… bright white, flashing of lightning… = fear inside convulsion of soldiers!.
why a source of joy to women… ?
5-6a BEhold, I told you = most imporant part of text = he alone speaks, women remain silent… God removes fear with i. word of encouragement … Fear not, only God can overcome this fear = perfect love drives out fear, if angel doesn’t see and appears, wathc out wrath on the way!
, reassure of their INTENTION = Q Have you come looking for Jesus - angel says wrong intention now since NOT HERE = ssearch was in vain - not find living Christ in since RAISED in past… Crucified .. was rasied = Xn faith… perfect particple = contniues to be Crucified One…
Predictions: for Matthew Res not a new beginning but a divine confirmation of Jesus word and way - for women a new begiining…
NEED OF Angels isn’t to open for Jesus, nor like Gospel of Peter to prop up weak Christ, but to open eyes of pious WOMEN = lost in fear, can’t see miracle…
= proclamation of word, not actually going inside as basis of faith… you and me too
v.7 commission go quicly… Jesus has been raised from the dead…
Focus not on his resurrection to normal life like Lazarus: in contrast to, say, the resurrection of Lazarus—must remain invisible. “Christ on rising did not return to the familiar manner of life, but to a kind of immortal and God-like condition.” That is why the resurrection of Jesus itself cannot be seen, and only believers can see him after his resurrection.
Extra Cavlinsticum = bodily in heaven, then on earth? on eplace… not everywhere physically : the concern is to make a dogmatic statement: The risen Jesus is bodily in heaven in the sense of the extra Calvinisticum, not everywhere present in the sense of a doctrine of ubiquity—for example, in the Eucharist.
Early church - stone of fear … earthquak ein heart of repentance.. In later interpretations it represents the law written on stone tablets that bars entrance to the sacraments (the “body of Christ”!), or applied to the individual it is the “stone of fear” or the “stone of troubles”:
Reformers not allegorical but…Calvin women = eyes of the world foolish, but opened…
PROBLEM - was reducing Resurrection to merely historical fact, then doubted, then rejected, but fact with SIGNIFICANCE which is Matthew’s focus! = REal resurrection happened, but miraculous and unexpectdd - now certififed by angel…
he rolls it from (my) heart’s door. Hallelujah!
Of course, then the earthquake is internalized
Ulrich Luz, : A Commentary, ed. Helmut Koester, Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 2005), 602–603.
Ulrich Luz, : A Commentary, ed. Helmut Koester, Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 2005), 600.
Matt only action iwth people soliders and women, in certifying… ANGEL SPEAKS = resurrectin is a message that neight humans discover nor rationally infer! = most important part of text is angel’s explanation… = not mere facts, but words of consolation and Christ’s first word = GREETINGS, ALL HAIL… key = meets them in their situation and SEND WITH A TASK FOR THEM!
= the women are involved and become participants in Christ’s Resurrection!!!!
= key why Matthew frames resurrection, 2-4 women not mentioned, fear of soliders and then suddenly v.5 angels and women begin, but frames whoel account with perspective of the women.
MOVEMENT must happen in you and me - angels accepts they are looking for Jesus’ body… but recedes to background - RISEN - now what heard and experienced JOY AND FEAR GO TELL
in West HE IS RISEN = perplex vs. joy… great joy.” It speaks indeed of an action of God that bursts open not only tombs but perhaps even conceptual worlds in which we are imprisoned
Ulrich Luz, : A Commentary, ed. Helmut Koester, Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 2005), 605.
Appearance to the Women
vv.9-10 suddenly somehwere on the way Jesus confronts women - now Jesus , nothing about how he looks, but just how he GREETS with “REJOICE” χαίρετε, deepens joy they already have… no details but VENERATION and corporeality,.. LIKE MAGI = worshipp and many sick , and disicples in the stormm… = sametime earthly and risen Christ- repeated DON”T BE AFRAID
Meeting with Christ, not with just another human, but a divine meeting
brothers not just disciples, not fallen = the word “brothers” indicates that for Jesus they are not definitively fallen; their unfaithfulness has not abolished his faithfulnes
Big church point for you and me: expression of Christ’s humility. It is an expression of his acceptance. Christ does not despise the disciples because of their flight.16 He is before them with his grace, and even before he meets them in Galilee he calls them “brothers” even though he could have called them “traitors.” By calling them “my brothers” he implies that, in the sense of *, the disciples will be God’s sons and Jesus’ fellow heirs.18
Matthew 21–28: A Commentary on Matthew 21–28 Interpretation
The fathers contrasted this typologically with Genesis 3. Here Jesus removed the curse that had been put on women because of Eve. “Because death came from that [scil. female] gender, to it was first granted the glory, the vision, the fruit, and the message of the resurrection.”20 John Chrysostom emphasizes in this passage that with this meeting with the women Christ “brought the extremely dishonored [female] gender to honor (τό μάλιστα γένος ἀτιμωθὲν εἰς τιμὴν ἄγων) and to joyful hopes and healed the misery.” “The female gender has acquired both release from condemnation and the reversal of the curse.”22 One finds such sentences in almost all of the later church fathers.
Ulrich Luz, : A Commentary, ed. Helmut Koester, Hermeneia—a Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 2005), 607.