Mark xvi.2. very early in the morning, the first of the week, the women set out for, and reached the sepulchre. This diffi- Lightfoot (a) has attempted to illustrate the various ex- Τῇ ἐπιφωσκέσῃ, at the dawning, is used for σῦν τῇ ἑω ἐπί pwokson, along with the dawning morn. λ0, the proper meaning of this word seems to be, that they set out from their homes at this time. The word pxopat signifies both, to go to, or, set off to, as well as, to arrive at, any place. Mark xvi. 1, 2. του Διαγενομένε σαββάτε, λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς oabbárov. After the sabbath was thoroughly past, very early on the first day of the week. Here διαγενομένω σαββάτε, is explanatory of Matthew's ὀψὲ oalbárov: dia, in composition strengthening the signification. Towì includes the whole time of the early watch; and, to mark the dawn, Mark adds λíav, “ very," which is especially put elliptically for ivvvxov λíav, by Mark himself, i. 35. very far in the night. The rowi was the epithet given to the last watch, from three in the morning to six; the time therefore implied by St. Mark was probably about four o'clock, or a little after. Luke expresses the time, τῇ δὲ μίᾳ τῶν σαββάτων ὄρθρα βαθέος. On the first day of the week, while the rising [sun] was deep, sunk beneath the horizon. The morning twilight begins as soon as the sun arrives within eighteen degrees below the horizon, for then the smallest stars disappear. This phrase also is used by the best classical writers: Aristophanes, Thucydides, Aristides, &c. use it, and Plato explains it, Η ε πρωΐ ἔτι ἐσιν; πανὺ μὲν ἔν—ὄρθρος βαθύς. “ 19 it not yet early-surely it is-the rising [sun] is deep."-Crito, p. 32. It is not, however, of so much importance to consider, in this place, the passage of St. Luke, as he relates the time at which the second party proceeded to the sepulchre (c). John expresses the precise time of the pw, or "early watch,” differently from Mark. Τῆ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων, πρωί, σκοτίας ἔτι ἔσης. "On the first day of the week, early, while it was still dark. This is more definite than St. Mark. Exoria should not be rendered "dark," as in our translation. It is a diminutive of σκοτός. Πρωΐ, ὑπ ̓ ἡοι, δι σῦν τεύχεσι θωρῆχε OEVTEC. Early about morn, they armed with their weapons, where ὑπ ̓ ἡοι, seems to be a contraction of ύποφωσκέσης έω, sublucente Aurora. The first part only of the second verse of Mark xvi. is inserted in this section, on the supposition of Townson, and more particularly of Cranfield, who considers the latter clause only, to relate to the arrival of the women at the sepulchre, while the former refers to the time of their leaving home (d). The principal difficulty in reconciling these various accounts Jerusalem. Mt.xxviii.1. as it began to dawn, towards the first day of the week, Jerusalem. went Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. arises from the expression here used by St. Mark, the word Mark xvi. 2. They came to the sepulchre, Mt.xxviii.2. JOHN XX. 1. 1 And on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene cometh early unto the sepulchre. SECTION VIII. After they had left their Homes, and before their arrival at MATT. XXviii. 2-4. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the is agreeable to the series of St. Matthew's narration. We shall The words of the section, then, may be thus paraphrased : Mark xvi. 2. John xx. 1. at about four in the morning, the first day While it was still dark, Matt. xxviii. 1. as the dawn of the first day of the week was Mark xvi. 2. beginning, Mary Magdalene, and the and go to the tomb, Matt. xxviii. 1. to view the tomb. (a) The distinction of twilight among the Rabbins is thus given by Lightfoot-1. ¬w xnx The bind of the morning, the very first perceptible light of the dawn, the women went towards the sepulchre. 2. when the difference between purple and white משיביר בין תכלת ללבן may be distinguished. 3. ' when the east begins to lighten. Bishop Horsley has supposed that the women saw the (a) Markland ap. Bowyer, p. 135. Jerusalem. Mt.xxviii.3. 4. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment Jerusalem. white as snow : And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. SECTION IX. The Bodies of many come out of their Graves, and go to MATT. xxvii. part of ver. 52. and ver. 53. Mtxxvii.52. And many bodies of the saints which slept arose, Matt. xxvii. 52, 53.-Καὶ πολλὰ σώματαἠγέρθη. Καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῶν μνημείων μετὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν αὐτοῦ, ἐἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν. This seems to be the best way to read this passage. When he yielded up the ghost, the graves opened: and after his resurrection the bodies of those who had been dead went into Jerusalem, and appeared to their friends. They were the first fruits of the resurrection (a). The Jews believed that in the time of their Messiah the bodies of their patriarchal ancestors should arise from the dead. It is demanded, why did the patriarchs so earnestly desire to be buried in the land of Israel? Because they died in that land, and in that land they shall live again in the days of their Messiah (b) -and again, the promised land is called 8, the land of their desire, because the patriarchs enjoyed there many blessings. Jacob desired to be removed to that land, because he and his ancestors should there live again, in the days of the מפני שהם חיים תחלה לימות המשיח-Messiah There is another tradition to be found also in the book Sohar, which speaks in such an evidently Scriptural manner on the subject of the future resurrection, that it is most probable it has been borrowed from the writings of St. Paul (c). There is certainly no absurdity in the supposition of Fleming, that many of the saints of the Old Testament might have now risen, and been miraculously revealed to some of the more depressed of our Lord's disciples. Neither is it impossible that this might have been a part of the expectation of Abraham, when he rejoiced to see the day of Christ, and he saw it, and was glad (d). Klopstock, in his Messiah, has made a most beautiful use of the opinion, that the spirits of the Patriarchs, and others of the Old Testament saints arose at this time. How great must have been the astonishment of the people, and of their rulers, when they passed by the sepulchres of the dead, to behold them open, and the bodies that had been buried visible, and slowly and gradually, perhaps, recovering from the repose of death. Here would have been seen the venerable figure of some aged Patriarch, bursting the cearments of the tomb, the folds and wrappings of the embalmer. There might be seen the beloved form of some cherished child, or parent, over whose recent grave the flowers had not yet ceased to bloom-who was still lamented, and still wept, bearing witness to the great event. It is not impossible that many of those who had bebeld the actions, and believed in the words of the Son of God, while on earth, were now restored to life, and were permitted to appear to their friends, as an undeniable evidence of the truth of Christ's resurrection, and of his conquest over death and the grave. The tombs of Mtxxvii.53. Mark xvi. 3. And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and Jerusalem. went into the holy city, and appeared unto many, SECTION X. Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and Salome, arrive at ver. 1. And they said among themselves, 2, at the rising of the sun 10 # the rich and the poor opened to the gaze of the astonished The veil which hides the future world from the intrusion of (a) Grotius apud Bowyer's Critical Conjectures, p. 132. (b) Brescith Rabba, sect. xcvi. fol. 93, 4, and Schemoth Rabba, sect. xxxii. fol. 131. 2, ap Schoetgen, Hora Hebraicæ, vol. i. p. 237. (c) Sohar Chadasch, fol. 45. 1. ubi de Messia sermo est, quod tempore Jubilæi venturus sit, quando buccina clangent: Et a clangore, et sonitu buccinarum evigilabunt Patres nostri in medio spelunca, 2 ppbno et surgent in spiritu, et venient ad eos, ap Schoetgen. (d) In the unpubfished papers of Lord Barrington, in a letter to Dr. Lardner, I find some very curious and original ideas on this subject. 10 I have adopted the emendation of text in this passage proposed by Mr. Cranfield, after a careful consideration of the reasoning of Archbishop Newcome and Dr. Benson. The text requires only to be pointed differently, and without any alteration of the Greck Vulgate text, the whole passage is made consistent. The original reads thus: ver. 2. Aíav лрwì tŷs pặc σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου, ver. |