Matthew 28.1-10, 16-20 1 The Sabbath was over, and it was almost daybreak on Sunday when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ψὲ δὲ σαββάτων, τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων ἦλθεν Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον. What does ψὲ δὲ σαββάτων mean literally? What does τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων mean literally? Why did the women come to the tomb? According to Mark 16.1, why did they go to the tomb? Who is the other Mary? 2 Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord's angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 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. καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας ἄγγελος γὰρ κυρίου καταβὰς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ προσελθὼν ἀπεκύλισεν τὸν λίθον καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ. Most English versions read an angel of the Lord, but is this some generic angel or the angel of the Lord? Cf. the footnote in the Bible. (Where are the women when this shaking occurs?) 3 The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ἦν δὲ ἡ εἰδέα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀστραπὴ καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ λευκὸν ὡς χιών. Who else in Matthew s gospel appeared in white / λευκὸς clothing?
4 The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move. The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ ἐσείσθησαν οἱ τηροῦντες καὶ ἐγενήθησαν ὡς νεκροί. Note the wordplay in the Greek. What happened to the earth in verse 2? What happens to the guards here? Who is νεκρός now? Who is alive now? 5 The angel said to the women, "Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was nailed to a cross. The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν ταῖς γυναιξίν μὴ φοβεῖσθε ὑμεῖς, οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον ζητεῖτε (What happened to the guards? Are they still at the tomb?) Note the tense of φοβεῖσθε. How will you translate this imperative used with μὴ? τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον: Note the tense! How do you capture the force of the tense in your translation? What is the function of this participle? It is in attributive position, but do you take it as an adjective or a substantive? 6 He isn't here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed. He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἠγέρθη γὰρ καθὼς εἶπεν δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο. Note carefully the tense and voice of ἠγέρθη. What would be your initial translation of this verb? Now compare the translations of this verb in the,, V. What do you note? Look up ἐγείρω in a lexicon (noting how its voice is treated) and also check the note in the Bible. Conduct a search on all the passive forms of ἐγείρω in Matthew. Where in Matthew had Jesus previously said that he would be raised? What is the subject of ἔκειτο? Note how the translates! Check the textual variants!
7 Now hurry! Tell his disciples that he has been raised to life and is on his way to Galilee. Go there, and you will see him. That is what I came to tell you." "Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, "He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message." Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.' Listen, I have told you!" Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." 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." καὶ ταχὺ πορευθεῖσαι εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἠγέρθη ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἰδοὺ προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε ἰδοὺ εἶπον ὑμῖν. Note the tense and mood of πορευθεῖσαι. Note the tense and mood of εἴπατε. Now note how each of the versions translates these verbs together. (Cf. Boyce Grammar, Participles, Circumstantial, Attendant/Coordinating.) 8 The women were frightened and yet very happy, as they hurried from the tomb and ran to tell his disciples. The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. So they left the tomb quickly with fear great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Καὶ ἀπελθοῦσαι ταχὺ ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου μετὰ φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς μεγάλης ἔδραμον ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ. As with the previous verse, note how ἀπελθοῦσαι and ἔδραμον are handled. Do φόβος and χαρά occur together elsewhere in the Bible? 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. They went near him, held on to his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. But Jesus met them, saying, "Greetings!" They came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἰησοῦς ὑπήντησεν αὐταῖς λέγων χαίρετε. αἱ δὲ προσελθοῦσαι ἐκράτησαν αὐτοῦ τοὺς πόδας καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. Note that the αἱ functions here as a pronoun to indicate change of subject: they, i.e., the women.
10 Then Jesus said, "Don't be afraid! Tell my followers to go to Galilee. They will see me there." Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there." Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there." Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." τότε λέγει αὐταῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς μὴ φοβεῖσθε ὑπάγετε ἀπαγγείλατε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου ἵνα ἀπέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, κἀκεῖ με ὄψονται. μὴ φοβεῖσθε: Same thing said to the women in v. 5. Note that in the English versions go is repeated: Go and tell to go With greater elegance, the Greek avoids this redundancy. 16 Jesus' eleven disciples went to a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus had told them to meet him. Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. So the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. Οἱ δὲ ἕνδεκα μαθηταὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν εἰς τὸ ὄρος οὗ ἐτάξατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, What mountain is this to which Jesus had directed them? 17 They saw him and worshiped him, but some of them doubted. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν προσεκύνησαν, οἱ δὲ ἐδίστασαν. οἱ in the phrase οἱ δὲ can sometimes be used like a third person pronoun: And they (Cf. Mt 2.5; 8.32 and with αἱ in v. 9 above) Why might this be an issue? Why do all the translations have some as the subject? Cf. the note in the Bible. What did the women do when they saw in v. 9? How is διστάζω different from ἄπιστος, the term used of Thomas in John 20.27?
18 Jesus came to them and said: I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Then Jesus came up and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς λέγων ἐδόθη μοι πᾶσα ἐξουσία ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ [τῆς] γῆς. προσελθὼν ἐλάλησεν: cf. verses 7 and 8 above ἐδόθη: Note the voice. Who is the agent of the giving? (Cf. how The Message version treats it.) 19 Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, πορευθέντες οὖν μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, It is important to note the mood of the verbs. μαθητεύσατε is: πορευθέντες, βαπτίζοντες, and διδάσκοντες (in verse 20) are all: What sort of circumstances might you use in translation? Be sure to see the note in the Bible. 20 What is the root meaning of μαθητεύω? βαπτίζοντες εἰς τὸ ὄνομα: Note the preposition. and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μεθ ὑμῶν εἰμι πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος. How does this verse connect with Matthew 1.23? What is τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος? Look up the meaning of συντέλεια.