Matthew 28a

28: 1.  After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 

 Jesus was laid to rest late Friday afternoon when the tomb was sealed with a huge stone. Saturday, the Sabbath, was quiet, except for the arrival of the soldiers who were deployed at the request of the priests and elders. When they arrived, all was in order. The tomb remained sealed, otherwise the leaders and the soldiers would have immediately raised the cry. Jews were restricted to walking no more than a half mile on the Sabbath, and so there were no visitors on Saturday.

 Now, on the morning of the first day of the week, which we now call Sunday, the faithful women head to the tomb again. Just as a reminder, we have already established that the men have disappeared, gone into hiding. It is the female followers of Jesus who are persistent in standing by for support at the crucifixion, at Jesus’ death, at the interment in the rock-cut tomb, and now after a Sabbath-break, they are back at the tomb. 

 Why were they there? Matthew only says that “they went to see the tomb.” 

 The other gospels. Mark and Luke both say that the women came back after the Sabbath carrying spices with which they intended to anoint the body. Only Mark notes that they belatedly asked themselves, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” John agrees that the women were early back at the tomb although, like Matthew, he gives no reason other than to keep watch.

28: 2-4.  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. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 

 This is the second earthquake mentioned in Matthew’s gospel; none are mentioned in the other gospels. As I said before, Matthew reports them because he wants to emphasize to the reader that Jesus’ death and resurrection were supernatural events with repercussions in nature as well as in the lives of women and men. This time there seems to be a causal link between the arrival of ‘an angel of the Lord’ and the earthquake.

 No such angel has been seen in Matthew's gospel since Jesus’ birth (chapters 1 and 2) and his temptation in the wilderness (Chapter 4). His behavior here seems like a performance to show that God is not anxious about what is happening because God is completely in control. After all, who does such a feat as rolling back a megalith, and then casually sits down on the stone as if this happens every day? 

 Notice the contrasts in this part of the story. The angel was powerful and yet calm. The brawny soldiers of mighty Rome were so overcome with fear that they fainted. Jesus was dead but now he is on the loose. The soldiers who were sent to make sure Jesus remained dead now fall on the ground as if they were dead. Truly, the death and resurrection of Jesus turns everything upside down in nature and in society. Power will never be seen the same anymore.

 That is why dictators, men who, above all else, desire power, are quick to neuter the priests and pastors who might oppose the way tyrants treat the weak and the poor in society. Dictators stay in power by dehumanizing easy targets, Jews, gays, Gypsies, and ethnic minorities, as Hitler did. Dictators divide the people, invent policies to keep them agitated, and foment hate by blaming the minorities.

 Herman Goring, Hitler’s right-hand man, on trial at Nuremberg after World War II, said, “The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country” (quoted in Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, Survival of the Friendliest, 2021, page 164). Yes, it does.

28: 5-7.  But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 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.” 

 What is happening here? Jesus has been raised from the dead, and everything has changed. Forgiveness and restoration are in, vengeance and oppression are out. No follower of Jesus, no real church, will ever be on the right side of God if they accuse and condemn other people. That is what the Devil tries to do. He is The Accuser, but the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church of Jesus Christ.

 Everything is shaken to its core, including people’s sense of reality. What they thought was true, is not. So, the angel says to the women: “Do not be afraid.” Then something remarkable happens. Christ’s resurrection heralds a new age, a firm foothold for the upside-down kingdom of God. This Good News (gospel) of God’s forgiveness and love now demonstrated in Jesus’ death and resurrection is entrusted to God’s ambassadors: the women! They are commissioned to go and tell the story. Is this true? Or is it a misreading of the text?

28: 8-10. So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

 What the angel said, Jesus now confirms is true. Jesus repeats the calming words: “Do not be afraid.” How many times have you heard that from God? How many times would you like to have heard it, but it seemed faint, and the command seemed absurd in your situation? Think it over. Who is in charge?

 The women worship Jesus. In fact, they are the first little flock of believers who rightly respond to the risen Lord with worship. 

 Jesus confirms that the angel's commission is true. "Go and tell my brothers and sisters.” So, it is the female disciples who first proclaim the Good News on Easter Sunday morning: ‘He is Risen!’