from the sepulchre, they saw two Angels, received from one of them the glad tidings, and at once left the place.

The whole of what has been stated, from the entrance of the first party to the leaving of the second, would not occupy more than twenty-five or thirty minutes; and does not require so much. Peter and John next arrived at the sepulchre, followed by Mary Magdalene. The Apostles soon left the spot; but Mary remained; and not much more than half an hour after sunrise, this grateful woman, after having received a suitable preparation of mind for the unexpected joy, first saw her risen Lord. The interview might end about a quarter before seven.

The other Mary' and her companions from Bethany, would at that time be hastening over the Mount of Olives; and after our Saviour had parted from Mary Magdalere at the sepulchre, he approached them, and gave them also a message to his brethren.'-These women might at this time be about two miles from the sepulchre; but it is obvious, from Luke xxiv. 31, and John xx. 19, that, in these calculations of time, we are not required to take into account any thing but the movements of the women: as respects our Lord himself, all, on that day, bears the character of supernatural; and in the above statement, the approach of our Lord to the women who were hastening to Bethany, is supposed to have taken place immediately after his appearance to Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre.

During the later part of the day the Lord appeared unto Simon, as well as to the two disciples on the way to Emmaüs; and in the evening he presented himself to the Apostles, who (except Thomas) had assembled together-we may presume in consequence of the joyful tidings of the morning, and in the chamber where they ate the passover with their Lord three evenings before. Thus closed the glorious day-the birth-day of our 'lively hope' of 'an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.'

The following scheme may contribute to elucidate the succession of visits to the Sepulchre. It is framed npon the supposition that some of the women who came with Mary Magdalene saw the Angel who had rolled away the stone, before they entered the Sepulchre. See note +, p. 287. If the reader do not see sufficient reason to adopt this supposition, he may erase the words, "are accosted by an Angel without the Tomb, and then go within".

Salome and companions from are accosted by an Angel within) return to their abode-say on

{

Jenter the Sepulchre and see no return to their abode, and perhapsafterwards to Bethany.

one:

sees two Angels, and afterwards)
the Lord himself:

+ That is Mary the mother of James and Joses; see ver. 56 and 61 of the preceding chapter, pp. 278, 279. Μαρια ή Μαγδαληνη might well be rendered Mary the Magdalene,' or 'Mary of Magdala,' wherever the name occurs.

† σεισμος εγενετο μεγας. The next clause, beginning with γαρ, for, assigns a reason for what precedes; and best accords with the rendering of σεισμος to denote alarm or agitation: Wakefield renders it disturbance. Also in ver. 4, it is said that the guards εσεισθησαν, were alarmed.

• St. John's account is confined to what related to Mary Magdalene, with himself and Peter; though the words of Mary 'we know not, imply that there were others with her. By its distinct relation, the less defined account of Matthew, and the general statement of Luke (ver. 10, 11), must be explained; and it is very easy to perceive how both of the latter might have originated in the accounts of the different women on the morning of the Resurrection. See the Observations at the commencement of this Section.

+ The faithful Translator of Matthew's Gospel, if not the Evangelist himself, must have considered the Angel as first addressing the women without the sepulchre, and then conducting them within: see εκάθητο, was sitting, ver. 2; ὑμεις, ye, ver. 5; and δευτε, come, ver. 6. Mark's record distinctly represents the whole communication of which he speaks, as made within the sepulchre. We may sup. pose that the other Mary,' with one or two others, came up before Salome, and the woman (or women) with her, had come within sight of the stone; and that the former set received the first communication from the Angel without the sepulchre and, further, that when Salome, &c, entered the sepulchre, an Angel, (either the same, or the other of the two mentioned by Luke), was 'sitting' by the spot where the body of Jesus had lain, and told them what had been told the others; adding to all together, what is recorded in Matthew, ver. 7, and Mark, ver. 7. In this supposition there appears no improbability; and it has the advantage of exactly combining both records. On the other hand, St. Matthew's account does not minutely coalesce with St. John's, (see Note on ver. 1); and considering the extreme eagerness of mind which must have attended the fist narrations of the several women, very minute accordance in the details is not to be expected. Those who have been engaged in examining the narratives of transactions at once agitating and unexpected, will, if the former view be less satisfactory to their minds, be ready to admit that the account given in Matthew might easily arise from the more definite account in Mark, taken in connection with the information which Matthew alone had received from the soldiers, as to the descent of the Angel, &c. The arrangement in the text is made on the former supposition, as most suited to St. Matthew's record.

Or, he hath been raised up, ηγερθη. So also in the next verse: and in Mark, ver. 6.

7

MATT. XXVIII.

MARK XVI.

$ And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white robe; and they were affrighted. But he saith unto them, "Be not af frighted: ye are seeking Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified: he hath arisen; he is not here: see! this is the place where they

And go quickly, laid him. 7 But go and tell his disciples your way; tell his that he hath arisen disciples, and Peter, from the dead; and, that he goeth before lo, he goeth before you to Galilee: there you to Galilee; there ye will see him, as ye will see him: lo, he said unto you." I have told you."

• "his of course refers to St. Mark's informants: they either said nothing till they had heard of the appearance of our Lord himself; or, they said nothing to any one on the way.

† όρθρου βαθεος. This expression seems most suitable to the period before sun-rise; and the visit to the sepulchre recorded by St. Luke being independent of that recorded by Matthew and Mark, we might place it before the other, if the circumstances connected with Mary Magdalene, recorded by St. John, rendered this more probable. Luke alone mentions Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward; and it is most probable that she and her companions would come from the northern part of the city: see the Ob. servations at the beginning of tl is Section, p. 284. For the antecedent of 'they,' see p. 279.

away from the sepulchre; 3 and the women entering in found not the body of the Lord Jesus.+ * And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed concerning this, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and, as they were afraid, and bowed down the face to the

earth, they said unto

them, "Why are ye

seeking him that is
living among the
dead? He is not here,

but hath arisen. Re

member how he spake
unto you while he

was yet in Galilee,

ανδρες

* τινες. Αs these ar distinct from the women, it is probable that they were men, perhaps Chuza himself, Joanna's husband and one or more of his friends. They might have come to roll away the stone.

† They appear to have come out from the sepulchre, before the Angels accosted them.

Or, hath been raised up, ηγερθη. In ver. 7 the verb is avaστηναι.