Matthew 28:5 - Exposition

The angel answered and said. The women arrived probably while the guards were lying unconscious on the ground. They saw them, and they saw the angel rotting on the stone, or, according to St. Mark, "a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe;" St. Luke says that "two men stood by them in dazzling apparel," i.e. first one had shown himself, and then another. Doubtless innumerable angels were thronging around, and one or more became visible to certain persons as they were capable of receiving spiritual impressions, or as these spirits were directed to show themselves. The women spake not, were too affrighted to ask questions; hut their amazed look, their blank surprise, were themselves interrogative, and the angel replied to their inward emotion. Fear not ye ( ὑμεῖς , emphatic). The soldiers have cause to fear; they are the enemies of the Lord; but ye are his friends, and need feel no alarm. Ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. Ye are seeking him, to do honour to his body; I know your pious intention, but it is useless. The angel shrinks not from the mention of Christ's shameful death, which is now his glory, "the power of God and the wisdom of God" ( 1 Corinthians 1:23 , 1 Corinthians 1:24 ). "It was the good pleasure of the Father through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross … whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens" ( Colossians 1:19 , Colossians 1:20 ). The crucifixion "was not simply a temporary incident in the life of Christ. It is an eternal principle in his kingdom" (Milligan).