After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for He has been raised just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him.’ Behold, I have told you." Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced His feet, and did Him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

Matthew presents the resurrection as a great intervention of God inaugurating a new order. The empty tomb was surrounded by miraculous phenomena: A great earthquake, an angel arriving with the appearance of lightning and snow-white clothing, guards paralyzed with fear, the angel delivering a message and rolling back the stone that covered the Lord’s tomb, the risen Lord greeting the women.

Of importance in proving Jesus’ resurrection was the empty tomb. It was the first day of the Christian week when the women came to it. It was Jewish custom to visit the tomb of their beloved departed for at least three days after burial. Jesus’ friends couldn’t visit on the Sabbath, because that would be breaking the Law of Moses, so by Sunday the women’s overpowering love for Jesus could wait no longer: Early in the morning, when it was still dark, they went to the tomb. The women alone had remained faithful to the end, and now they became apostles to the Twelve Apostles.

In retrospect, one might say that some First Testament passages had suggested the resurrection (for example, Ps 16:10; Hos 6:2; Jon 1:17; 2:1), and that the Apostles should have understood. But, while it may be true that life may be fully understood only when viewed backwards, it must be lived forwards. The Apostles didn’t yet understand the Scripture about Jesus rising from the dead; this phenomenon was unique in all the history of the world.

SOURCE: "366 Days with the Lord," ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.