Matthew 28:1 provides additional proof of two Sabbaths occurring that week. However, the Bible's translators, confused by the Greek wording of this verse, have consistently mistranslated it. Matthew writes, "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn . . . ." The wording of the original text, though, reads, "after the Sabbaths" - plural!
"2. seven days, a week"-New Testament Greek Lexicon, Copyright © 2001-2010, Heartlight, Inc.
"By synecdoche (naming a part for the whole), the term "Sabbath" also came to mean simply a seven-day week in Jewish sources by the time of the Septuagint, namely, the interval between two Sabbaths. Jesus's parable of the Pharisee and the Publican describes the Pharisee as fasting "twice a week" (Greek dis tou sabbatou, literally, "twice of the Sabbath")."-"Sabbath". WikiPedia. 3-20-2010 at 12:35 PM. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbath
"In the end of the Sabbath - Οψε δε σαββατων. After the end of the week: this is the translation given by several eminent critics; and in this way the word οψε is used by the most eminent Greek writers."-Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, chapter XXVIII, Commentary on Matthew 28
Still, I would feel much better if I had some contextual support for this. Do we have any insight into the context? Yes! Let's look at some context.
And in that context, what Matthew is telling us, in his peculiarly Hebrew way, is "at the end of the previous week, as the first day of the next week began to dawn..." Matthew is saying nothing at all that the other Gospel writers did not also say. He simply says the same thing in a different, and very Hebrew, fashion.
I want you to know that there are some who claim that Matthew 28: 1 supports a Saturday resurrection. This is simply not possible. The phrase "in the end" literally means "after" not "during" and most certainly not "several hours before" - because Jesus died several hours before sunset and in Armstrong's scenario He would have been resurrected at the same time. I have read people who assert "began to dawn" is a forgery added later. Based on what scholarly evidence? None. In their minds, if the Bible does not support their belief, then the Bible is wrong. But for us who take a less ideologically fundamentalist approach to the pursuit of truth, Matthew 28: 1 precludes a Saturday resurrection. As do all of the other Gospels.
Want more evidence? OK! I'd love to!
A SECOND SABBATON
"Opse de sabbaton, ho epiphosko eis heis sabbaton..."
Look at the very same phrase once again in NKJV English:
"Now after the Sabbath [sabbaton], as the first day of the week [sabbaton] began to dawn..."
This is entirely consistent with the Strong's Concordance definition of the word. It can be singular or plural, one Sabbath or … a whole week.
4521 Sabbaton: the Sabbath (that is, Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension a se'nnight, that is, the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications: - sabbath (day), week.
LOST IN MISTRANSLATION
Let us now transliterate this into HWA's thinking in order to illustrate something:
"Now after the Sabbaths [sabbaton], as the first day of the weeks [sabbaton] began..."
The main problem? Neither of those are valid translations.
He taught the first sabbaton means "a Holy Day and a Sabbath in one week" - which is never an acceptable translation of sabbaton - and the next appearance of sabbaton means "the first week of the seven week count to Pentecost" - which is never an acceptable translation of sabbaton.
How can he do this?
The answer is simple and straightforward: he just assigned a meaning to it that isn't there. Our ignorance of the Greek takes care of the rest.
TIMING IS KEY
Did I lose you? To simplify - the second sabbaton cannot be referring to the first Sabbath in the count to Pentecost because that day was a week later.
A Thursday holy day can't be the first Sabbath in the count.
The Saturday prior to the resurrection can't be the first Sabbath in the count.
The day of the resurrection cannot be the first Sabbath in the count because Sunday isn't the Sabbath.
What this proves is that it cannot be translated, "first of the Sabbaths" as Herbert Armstrong said. The second sabbaton cannot be translated "seven Sabbaths" or "weeks"; it has to be "week." Sadly, in order to make this change, HWA is forced to improperly pluralize the already plural sabbaton to become "weeks" as in "first of the weeks." None of that fits in grammatically or chronologically. Therefore it cannot mean what Herbert Armstrong says it means.
To work around this crippling problem, HWA points to Deuteronomy 16: 9 and proclaims this seven-week count to Pentecost itself as a whole, and not any specific Sabbath, must be what Matthew is talking about. But that does not solve the problem.
This is grasping at straws, as neither the direct words of Matthew nor the context gives us any indication at all that the count to Pentecost is what is being referred to. Nor is there any tradition, at that time or any other, of referring to the count to Pentecost as sabbaton.
The count to Pentecost is not an option here. What HWA did to work around his dilemma is wholly improper! Therefore it absolutely, positively cannot mean what he says it means. His explanation cannot stand.
BY ANY OTHER NAME
I remind you, valued reader, that translating languages is not a grab-bag. Languages have rules. You can't just make things up as you go along. We have to translate as the author would have understood, or we aren't actually translating at all. Sabbaton does not refer to the count to Pentecost. Sabbaton does not refer to a combination of different types of Sabbaths, like a Holy Day and a weekly Sabbath. Sabbaton is never translated 'holy day'.
In Colossians 2: 16, Paul separates "Sabbath day" (sabbaton) from "holyday" (heorte) in the same sentence. They are separate. The only annual high day in the entire Septuagint (the Old Testament that the Apostles used) that is ever called sabbaton is the Day of Atonement (LEV. 23: 32). The Greek sabbaton is never used in reference to the first day of Unleavened Bread in the Septuagint. In the New Testament, no annual high day is ever referred to as sabbaton. Not one! Rather sabbaton is always translated "Sabbath" "Sabbaths" or "week".
Add to that the testimony of Mark who says, "Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath" (MAR. 15: 42). The phrase "preparation day" here is from the Greek word 'paraskeue', and the entire phrase "the day before the Sabbath" is from one Greek word: 'prosabbaton'. What can we know about these words?
What you will never completely glean from the Bible, but can glean from other ancient sources, is that the Jews referred to every day by a number according to its place in the week. Sunday is the first day of the week, Monday is the second day, and so forth. What we were told in Armstrongism is that only the seventh day had a proper name: Sabbath. But that's not entirely true. In time, Friday also received a name. Friday was called "prosabbaton" prosabbaton means the day before sabbaton. In other words, prosabbaton is the proper name for Friday.
You could also see the deuterocanonical book of Judith, chapter 8 verse 6: "And she fasted all the days of her widowhood, except for the eves of the sabbaths [prosabbaton] and the sabbaths, and the eves of the new moons and the new moons, and the feasts and solemn days of the house of Israel." This is a fine example where you can see the weekly Sabbath again distinct from annual holy days.
Again and again we see that Armstrong wasn't getting his doctrine from the Bible, he was trying to force his doctrine into the Bible.
"We keep the eighth day [Sunday] with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead"-Epistle of Barnabas, 15: 9 (70-130 A.D.)
"But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration."-Justin Martyr, First Apology, chapter LXVII [67] (130-165 A.D.)
"On the day of the preparation, then, at the third hour, He received the sentence from Pilate, the Father permitting that to happen; at the sixth hour He was crucified; at the ninth hour He gave up the ghost; and before sunset He was buried. During the Sabbath He continued under the earth in the tomb in which Joseph of Arimathæa had laid Him. At the dawning of the Lord’s day He arose from the dead, according to what was spoken by Himself, “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of man also be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” The day of the preparation, then, comprises the passion; the Sabbath embraces the burial; the Lord’s Day contains the resurrection."-Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Trallians (98-117 A.D.)
This is a blow to anyone who says the "evil" Catholic Church started the Friday tradition. These same ones claim, with no evidence, the Catholic Church was started by Constantine. Well, Justin Martyr predates Constantine by a century and a half. Barnabas even more so! This evidence means one of two things: either the Catholics are innocent of the charges, or the Catholic Church is a lot older than people would like to admit.
If this is what Matthew meant, there should be some other evidence for it somewhere else in the Bible. There is none. Silence. There is a butchered translation of Matthew 28: 1 and nothing besides. No other support in the Bible. No other support in ancient history.
So far I have shown:
- Sabbaton cannot be translated as Armstrong asserts.
- There are not two Sabbaths (one weekly and one annual) hidden here.
- The seven sabbath count to Pentecost is not an option.
- Armstrong's timing is all wrong because the context is all wrong.
- The word prosabbaton specifically refers to Friday.
- The three other Gospels agree against Armstrong.
- All professional Greek translators agree against Armstrong.
- Respected commentaries align against Armstrong.
- All early accounts outside the Bible witness against Armstrong.
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, 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, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
a. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb: They came to finish the preparation of Jesus’ body, which was cut short by the Sabbath (Luke 24:1-3). So after the Sabbath on Sunday (the first day of the week), they came to the tomb – fully expecting to find the dead body of Jesus.
b. There was a great earthquake: Matthew alone notes this earthquake. The earthquake did not cause the stone to be rolled away; if anything, the angelic rolling of the stone prompted the earthquake.
i. “The earth shook both at Christ’s passion and at his resurrection; then, to show that it could not bear his suffering; now, to show that it could not hinder his rising.” (Trapp)
ii. Some think this was not a normal earthquake, but refers to the disturbance of the guards at the tomb (Matthew 28:4). “Seismov, a shakingor commotion of any kind: probably the word means no more than the confusion caused among the guards by the angel’s appearance. All this had taken place before the women reached the sepulcher.” (Clarke)
c. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it: When the women came to the tomb, they saw the stone rolled away and an angel sitting on the stone. The door to the tomb was wide open.
i. “Indeed there needed not any angel at all to remove the stone, if this had been all he had come down for; He that was quickened by the Spirit, could by the same power have rolled away the stone; but as it was fit that the angels, who had been witnesses of his passion, should also be witnesses of his resurrection.” (Poole)
ii. The stone that enclosed the body of Jesus in the tomb had been like the gate of a prison cell, trapping the body of Jesus in the grave. Now it became a place of rest, as the angel sat on it.
2. (4-6) The angel’s message.
And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
a. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men: The Roman soldiers responsible for guarding the tomb were terrified. The angelic presence made these professional soldiers tremble and faint.
i. “He does not appear to have drawn a flaming sword, nor even to have spoken to the keepers; but the presence of perfect purity overawed these rough legionaries.” (Spurgeon)
ii. “The resurrection of Christ is a subject of terror to the servants of sin, and a subject of consolation to the sons of God; because it is a proof of the resurrection of both, the one to shame and everlasting contempt-the other to eternal glory and joy.” (Clarke)
b. He is not here, for He is risen: For the first time, the followers of Jesus – these faithful women – heard what they did not expect to hear. They heard that Jesus was not in the tomb, but risen to resurrection life.
i. There are several examples in the Bible of people being resuscitatedbefore this, such as the widow’s son in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). Each of these was resuscitated from death, but none of them were resurrected. Each of them was raised in the same body they died in, and raised from the dead to eventually die again. Resurrection isn’t just living again; it is living again in a new body, based on our old body, perfectly suited for life in eternity. Jesus was not the first one brought back from the dead, but He was the first one resurrected.
ii. We should also say that Jesus still is risen. He ascended into heaven and continues to reign as resurrected man, still fully man and fully God.
iii. In Israel, one may see many graves and tombs – there is an ocean of tombs on the Mount of Olives, and vast sea of graves outside the eastern wall of the temple mount. You can see the tomb of David or the tomb of Absalom – but you won’t find the tomb of Jesus anywhere. He is not here.
iv. As He said reminded these women – and all the disciples – that they should have expected this. It was just what He promised.
c. Come, see the place where the Lord lay: The stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out. John 20:19 tells us that Jesus, in His resurrection body, could pass through material barriers. It was rolled away so that others could see in and be persuaded that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.
i. “The invitation to see the place where he lay is appropriately addressed to the same people who had watched the body being deposited – so there is no possibility of a mistake.” (France)
ii. “Come and see the niche in which he was laid-it is now empty; nor was there any other body in the place, for the tomb was a new one, in which no man had ever been laid, John 19:41; so there could be no deception in the case.” (Clarke)
iii. The fact of the resurrection is clear enough. We must also grapple with the meaning of the resurrection. Simply, Jesus’ resurrection proved that His death was an actual propitiation for sin and that the Father had accepted it as such. The cross was the payment, the resurrection the receipt, proving that the payment was fully accepted.
iv. Those women were later grateful that the angel told them to see the place where they laid Him. It would have – it should have – been enough to merely hear the testimony of the angel. Nevertheless, when they sawit, it gave them ground to stand on even more solid than the testimony of an angel. “One eye-witness is better than twenty ear-witnesses; men will believe what you have seen if they do not believe what you have heard.” (Spurgeon)
· When we see the place where they laid Him, we see that the Father did not forsake Jesus.
· When we see the place where they laid Him, we see that death is conquered.
· When we see the place where they laid Him, we see that we have a living friend in Jesus.
3. (7-8) The angel’s instructions to Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany.
“And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
a. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead: The angel commanded them to be the first messengers of the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. Since these women were some of the few people courageous enough to publicly identify themselves with Jesus, it was an appropriate honor.
i. “Not first to them who were the heads of the Church, as it were, but first of all to lowly women, did the Lord appear; and the apostles themselves had to go to school to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to learn that great truth, ‘The Lord is risen indeed.’” (Spurgeon)
b. He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him: This assured the women they would see the resurrected Jesus. He wasn’t simply raised from the dead; He was raised to continue His relationship with them.
i. Conceivably, the angel might have said: “He is risen, and has ascended to heaven!” That would have been better than knowing He was dead; but the truth was far better. He was risen, and risen to have and continue a real relationship with His disciples.
c. Ran to bring His disciples word: The women – filled with fear and great joy – did exactly what the angel told them to do. He told them to go quickly and they did.
i. “Saints running in the way of obedience are likely to be met by Jesus. Some Christians travel to heaven so slowly that they are overtaken by follies or by faults, by slumber or by Satan; but he who is Christ’s running footman shall meet his Master while he is speeding on his way.” (Spurgeon)
4. (9-10) Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany meet a risen Jesus.
And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
a. As they went to tell His disciples: The women met Jesus as they obeyed the command to tell the news of the resurrection.
b. Jesus met them, saying “Rejoice!”What else could Jesus say to these women? What else could they do other than rejoice?
i. The old King James Version translates “Rejoice!” with All hail!France observes, “‘Hail!’ represents the normal Greek greeting, an almost homely ‘Hello!’ in contrast with the fearsome appearance of the angel.”
c. So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him: When the women met Jesus, they felt compelled to worship Him. An hour before, they thought everything was lost because they thought Jesus was dead. Now they knew everything was gained because Jesus was alive.
i. Notably, Jesus received the worshipof these ladies. If Jesus were not God, it would have been terribly sinful for Him to receive this worship. But being God, it was good and appropriate for Him to receive it.
d. Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me: Jesus told the women to do the same thing that the angel told them to do.
i. My brethren: “This is the first time our Lord called his disciples by this endearing name: they no doubt thought that their Lord would reproach them with their past cowardice and infidelity; but, in speaking thus, he gives them a full assurance, in the most tender terms, that all that was passed was buried for ever.” (Clarke)
5. (11-15) The cover-up of the resurrection begins with the bribery of the guards.
Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
a. Tell them, “His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept”: This cover-up attempt shows the darkness of these priests. They knew the truth of the resurrection, yet they rejected that truth.
i. A large sum of money: “The Greek is literally ‘sufficient money’ – it would need to be large!” (France)
b. While we slept: The cover-up also shows their foolishness. If it was true that the guards were asleep, they could not know that it was His disciples that stole the body of Jesus.
i. To believe this, we have to believe:
· All the soldiers were asleep – all of them!
· All the soldiers violated the strict law of the Roman military against sleeping on watch, punishable by death.
· All the soldiers slept so deeply that none of them were awakened by the work and exertion and noise necessary to roll away the stone and carry out the body.
· All the soldiers were so soundly asleep – yet they knew who it was who did this.
ii. Clarke rightly comments, “Here is a whole heap of absurdities.”
c. This saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day: Through the years, there have been many objections suggested to the resurrection of Jesus. Some say He didn’t die at all, but just swooned or fainted on the cross and spontaneously revived in the tomb. Others say He really died, but His body was stolen. Still others suggest He really died, but His desperate followers hallucinated His resurrection. A plain, simple understanding of these evidences of the resurrection of Jesus answers all of these theories, and shows they take far more faith to believe than the Biblical account does.
i. “I suppose, brethren, that we may have persons arise, who will doubt whether there was ever such a man as Julius Caesar, or Napoleon Bonaparte; and when they do, – when all reliable history is flung to the winds, – then, but not till then, may they begin to question whether Jesus Christ rose from the dead, for this historical fact is attested by more witnesses than almost any other fact that stands on record in history, whether sacred or profane.” (Spurgeon)
ii. We sometimes sing: “You ask me how I know He lives; He lives, He lives inside my heart.” But that is not the best way to prove Jesus lives. He lives because the historical evidence demands we believe in the resurrection of Jesus. If we can believe anything in history, we can believe the reliable, confirmed testimony of these eyewitnesses. Jesus rose from the dead.
B. The great commission.
1. (16-17) The disciples meet Jesus at Galilee.
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
a. The eleven disciples went away into Galilee: Matthew doesn’t tell us about the Jerusalem appearances of Jesus to His disciples, as John does. Matthew was more interested in showing that the promise of Jesus in Matthew 26:32 was fulfilled.
i. To the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them: “The meeting place would be some familiar haunt…only imperfectly recorded in the Gospels.” (Bruce)
b. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him: This was not their first meeting with the risen Jesus; but it was an important one. At this meeting, they received their apostolic commission.
c. They worshiped Him; but some doubted: The natural reaction to encountering the risen Jesus is worship, even if some had to overcome uncertainty and hesitation – probably from feeling it was too good to be true, and lingering shame from having forsaken Jesus during His suffering.
i. “When they recognized him, it was natural that they worshipped him, but the whole experience was so mysterious and overwhelming that some doubted…The verb distazodoes not denote a settled unbelief, but a state of uncertainty and hesitation.” (France)
ii. “Dunn sees Matthew’s mention of this doubt as ‘a genuine historical echo’ – those who were there would never have forgotten the conflicting emotions and beliefs in that unique experience.” (France)
iii. The fact that some of the disciples doubted argues against the theory that their seeing Jesus was simply a hallucination born of a desperate desire to see Him.
2. (18-20) Jesus instructs His disciples regarding their duty after His departure.
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
a. All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth: This commission that follows is given in light of the authority of Jesus. This indicates that this is an authoritative command, not a suggestion. It is the same idea as if an officer reminded a private of his rank before he gave the order. Because He has this authority, He can send whomever He wills to do whatever He pleases.
i. “‘All’ dominates Matthew 28:18-20and ties these verses together: allauthority, all nations, all things, all the days.” (Carson)
ii. “Power in the hands of some people is dangerous, but power in the hands of Christ is blessed. Oh, let him have all power! Let him do what he will with it, for he cannot will anything but that which is right, and just, and true, and good.” (Spurgeon)
iii. “We believe in this power, and we rest in it.” (Spurgeon)
· We do not seek any other power.
· We defy every other power.
· We know our powerlessness will not hinder the progress of His kingdom.
· We give all our power unto Him.
iv. “If Jesus Christ were not equal with the Father, could he have claimed this equality of power, without being guilty of impiety and blasphemy? Surely not; and does he not, in the fullest manner, assert his Godhead, and his equality with the Father, by claiming and possessing all the authority in heaven and earth?” (Clarke)
b. Go therefore: Because Jesus has this authority, we are therefore commanded to go. It is His authority that sends us, His authority that guides us, and His authority that empowers us. His work and message would continue to the world through His disciples.
i. “These verses thus magnificently conclude the final section…but they also bring the whole Gospel to a dynamic conclusion, which is in fact more a beginning than an end.” (France)
ii. Jesus said, “Go” to some very imperfect disciples. “Who is to go out of that first band of disciples? It is Peter, the rash and the headstrong. It is John, who sometimes wishes to call fire from heaven to destroy men. It is Philip, with whom the Savior has been so long, and yet he has not known him. It is Thomas, who must put his finger into the print of the nails, or he will not believe him. Yet the Master says to them, ‘Go ye; all power is given unto me, therefore go ye. You are as good for my purpose as anybody else would be. There is no power in you, I know, but then all power is in me, therefore go ye.’” (Spurgeon)
c. Make disciples of all the nations: The command is to make disciples, not merely converts or supporters of a cause. The idea behind the word disciples is of scholars, learners, or students.
i. Make disciples reminds us that disciples are made. Disciples are not spontaneously created at conversion; they are the product of a process involving other believers. This making of disciples is the power of spreading Christianity.
d. Of all the nations: In His previous ministry, Jesus deliberately restricted His work to the Jewish people (Matthew 15:24) and previously sent His disciples with the same restriction (Matthew 10:6). Only in rare exceptions did Jesus minister among the Gentiles (Matthew 15:21-28). Now all of that is in the past, and the disciples are commissioned to take the gospel to all the nations. There is no place on earth where the gospel of Jesus should not be preached and where disciples should not be made.
i. “The aim of Jesus’ disciples, therefore, is to make disciples of all men everywhere, without distinction.” (Carson)
ii. “Christ commands them to go and baptize the nations: but how much time was past before such a journey was taken! And when the time was now come that this work should be begun, Peter doth not enter upon it without a previous admonition given him from heaven.” (Lightfoot, cited in Clarke)
e. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Significantly, when Jesus told them to go to all the nations, He did not tell them to circumcise those who became disciples. Instead, they were to baptize them, suggesting the break with traditional Judaism.
i. “In the name is literally ‘into the name’, implying entrance into an allegiance.” (France)
ii. The words and context certainly indicate that it is disciples who are baptized, those of age who can be taught and who can observe the things Jesus commanded.
iii. Those who favor infant baptism answer, albeit unconvincingly: “But it doth not therefore follow, that children of such professors are not to be baptized, for the apostles were commanded to baptize all nations; children are a great part of any nation.” (Poole)
iv. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: “The experience of God in these three Persons is the essential basis of discipleship. At the same time the singular noun name (not ‘names’) underlines the unity of the three Persons.” (France)
f. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you: Disciples are made through teaching. This teaching is not with words only, but with the power of the always-present Jesus. He will be present with His people until the job of making disciples is done – until the end of the age.
i. “Hitherto Jesus alone has been the teacher, and the verb has not been used by Matthew of his disciples’ ministry. Now they take over his role of teaching.” (France)
ii. The content of the teaching must be all things that I have commanded you. The followers of Jesus are responsible to present the whole counsel of God to those who are made disciples.
g. Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age: Jesus sent His disciples with a mission to fulfill, but He did not send them alone. The promise of His constant presence was more than enough to strengthen and guide the disciples as they obeyed Jesus in making disciples of all the nations.
i. The promise of His presence is complete. “The English adverb ‘always’ renders an expression found in the New Testament only here – strictly, ‘the whole of every day’. Not just the horizon is in view, but each day as we live it.” (Carson)
ii. His presence means privilege, because we work with a Great King. Paul understood this principle well in 1 Corinthians 3:9, where he wrote: For we are God’s fellow workers. Since Jesus promised, “I am with you always,” then we work together with Him in all our service. We certainly work for Jesus, but more than that, we work with Jesus.
iii. His presence means protection, because we are never out of His sight or supervision.
iv. His presence means power, because as we fulfill this great command, we work in His name.
v. His presence means peace, because it always reminds us that the church belongs to Jesus. It is His church, and His work. How, then, can we worry?
vi. “When Christ saith, ‘I will be with you,’ you may add what you will; to protect you, to direct you, to comfort you, to carry on the work of grace in you, and in the end to crown you with immortality and glory. All this and more is included in
The climatic chapter in Matthew—the victory of the Lord Jesus over death. Without this event in Christ's life, His ministry would have been a failure. The resurrection demonstrates that He is indeed the Lord of life (1 Corinthians 15:12-20).
The Empty Tomb (Matthew 28:1-8)
The tomb is empty on Easter Sunday. The women that come to anoint the body of a dead man instead find an angel telling them that Jesus has risen, just as He said!
Matt. 28:1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
After the Sabbath, The word Sabbathrefers to the Sabbath Day, or 'Saturday,' namely, the seventh day of the week (see also Matthew 12:2). The Greek word Sabbath is often found in the plural form. For example, of the 68 times the word is used in the New Testament, 24 times we find it in the plural. In the Septuagint the word Sabbath is found 107 times— 80 times it being in the plural form.
However, both in the singular and in the plural, it is invariably translated as a singular the Sabbath (see Matthew 12:10-12, Luke 4:16, Colossians 2:16). The word Sabbath can also occur as a true plural (Acts 17:2).
The names of other Jewish Holidays are often plural in form but singular in meaning (i.e. Matthew 26:17 the feast of unleavened bread—the word unleavened is plural in Greek).
as the first day The next day would be regarded as 'the first day of the week,' namely, Sunday. All four gospels agree that it was on early Sunday morning a group of women went to the tomb of Jesus. In present-day usage, Monday is often regarded as 'the first day of the week.'
of the week The word translated week is also the Greek word Sabbath. The word is also used in Greek as a period of seven days or a week (Luke 18:12, John 20:1). The form of the word here is also plural as is the case of After the Sabbath. Again we want to stress, the form is plural but the meaning is singular week.
was dawning, There are some commentators who see this group of women coming on Saturday night at the end of the Sabbath (McNeile, Gundry).
Mary Magdalene The women whom Jesus cast out seven demons.
and the other Mary The other Mary was the mother of James and Joseph.
went to look at the tomb. The fact that only women are mentioned shows that the story was not invented.
Matt. 28:2 And behold, a great earthquake had occurred; for the angel of the Lord descended out of heaven and came and rolled away the stone and was sitting upon it.
And behold, a great earthquake had occurred; This is possible the same earthquake that is recorded in Matthew 27:51, 52. It is also possible that it is an aftershock of that earthquake. The fact that an earthquake occurred testifies to the divine significance of the event.
for the angel of the Lord descended out of heaven and came and rolled away the stone and was sitting upon it. Mark calls this individual a young men, Luke has two men, and John two angels. When the accounts are put together we find that there two angels at the tomb of Jesus whose appearance looked like that of young men.
Matt. 28:3 And his appearance was as lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
Note on a variant reading: Codex Sinaiticus does not have the phrase And his appearance.
And his appearance was as lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The appearance of the angels matches similar appearances of angels at Jesus' birth.
Matt. 28:4 From the fear of him the ones guarding were shaken, and they became as dead men.
From the fear of him the ones guarding were shaken, and they became as dead men. The guard is terrified by the appearance of this angel.
Matt. 28:5 And the angel said to the women, You stop being afraid, for I know that you are seeking Jesus, who was crucified.
Note on a variant reading: Codex Sinaiticus does not have the phrase to the women.
And the angel said to the women, You stop being afraid, You is emphatic. These are the same words the angel spoke to Joseph (Matthew 1:20). The soldiers had shown fear but it was not necessary for Jesus' disciples to be afraid.
for I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified one; They are looking for someone who has died.
Matt. 28:6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was laying.
Note on a variant reading: Some manuscripts read come see the place where the Lord was laying rather than come see the place where He was laying.
He is not here, You have come to the wrong place. The only people here are dead!
for He has risen The greatest news humanity has ever received! The resurrection itself is never described in Scripture. Seemingly no one saw Jesus leave the tomb.
just as He said, These refer to the predictions that Matthew records (Matthew 12:40; 16:21; 17:9, 23; 26:32). These predictions should have been known by the Lord's followers. Luke adds, And they remembered His words (Luke 24)
come They were standing at a distance because of the presence of the guard.
see the place where He was laying. They are at the correct tomb but Jesus is not there any longer!
Matt. 28:7 And go quickly and tell His disciples, 'He is risen from the dead, and behold He will go before you into the Galilee; there you shall see Him.' Behold I have told you.
Note on a variant reading: Some manuscripts do not have the words from the dead.
And go quickly and tell His disciples,This shows that His disciples had not left Jerusalem. The angel would not have asked them to do something impossible. Therefore we know that they had not yet left for Galilee at this time.
'He is risen from the dead, Luke adds, just as He said.
and behold Matthew's favorite word used again to get our attention.
He will go before you into the Galilee;Jesus predicted this meeting in Galilee (Matthew 26:32).
there you shall see Him.' Matthew emphasizes the Galilean appearances. From the other gospel writers we know that Jesus also appeared in Jerusalem. The fact that Jesus said He would rise upon the third day (Saturday night/Sunday) demands at least one appearance in Jerusalem. The disciples could not have traveled the sixty mile to Galilee by Sunday morning.
Behold I have told you. The angel emphasizes the message they are to give.
Matt. 28:8 And the women hurried away quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and they ran to tell to His disciples.
And the women hurried away quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy,One could only imagine the emotions they were experiencing.
and they ran to tell to His disciples. The women obey the angelic command.
The Risen Christ (Matthew 28:9, 10)
Jesus meets the women returning from the tomb.
Matt. 28:9 And behold, Jesus met them, saying, Greetings. And they came, took hold of His feet, and worshipped Him.
Note on a variant reading: After beholdmany manuscripts read and as they were going away to announce to His disciples behold.
And behold, Jesus met them, saying, Greetings. Jesus meets and greets them along the way.
And they came, took hold of His feet, and worshipped Him. They do the proper thing and worship Him.
Matt. 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, Stop being afraid, go tell My brothers to go to the Galilee, and there they will see Me.
Note on a variant reading: Codex Sinaiticus does not have the word My.
Then Jesus said to them, Stop being afraid, Though there is no explanation of their emotions they obviously were afraid when they saw Him.
go tell My brothers This is the only place in Matthew where Jesus call His disciples My brothers.
to go to the Galilee, This does not rule out the appearances in Jerusalem.
and there they will see Me. Jesus basically repeats the words of the angels
The Report of the Guards (Matthew 28:11-15)
The guards tell the religious leader what happened.
Matt. 28:11 And while they were proceeding away, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all these things that had happened.
And while they were proceeding away,We now pick up the narrative of the guards.
some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all these things that had happened. They first tell the priests what happened.
Matt. 28:12 And after they gathered together with the elders, they took a large sum of money and agreed to give it to the soldiers.
And after they gathered together with the elders, they took a large sum of money and agreed to give it to the soldiers. First, they paid Judas to betray Him, now they pay the guards to lie about His resurrection.
Matt. 28:13 saying, You must say, 'His disciples came at night and stole His body while we were sleeping.'
saying, You must say, 'His disciples came at night and stole His body while we were sleeping.' A ridiculous assertion. How do you know that the body was stolen if you were sleeping? Why not a resurrection?
Matt. 28:14 And if this thing gets to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.
And if this thing gets to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. They offer to defend them in front of the governor. Admitting they have fallen asleep on duty could have cost them their lives.
Matt. 28:15 And they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.
And they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day. At the time Matthew wrote this gospel, this story was still the party line.
The Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20)
Jesus gives His disciples their final commission.
Matt. 28:16 And the eleven disciples went into the Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus directed them.
And the eleven disciples went into the Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus directed them. We now move several weeks from the resurrection. The eleven disciples obey and go to Galilee to meet Jesus. The significance of Galilee is that the gospel will go out to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
Matt. 28:17 And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted.
And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. The word translated doubted has more the idea of hesitation. Exactly who doubted is open to question. It is possible that there were others present apart from the eleven.
Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, All authority in heaven and upon the earth has been given to Me.
Note on a variant reading: Codex Sinaiticus does not have the words to them.
And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, All authority in heaven and upon the earth has been given to Me. Jesus can make the claim to all authority.
Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and into the name of the Son, and into the name of the Holy Spirit,
Note on a variant reading: Many manuscripts do not have therefore.
Go therefore This is a command in the original Greek. It is not the great suggestion, if you go, but rather the great commission!
and make disciples of all the nations,This the responsibility of the church.
baptizing them into the name of the Father, and into the name of the Son, and into the name of the Holy Spirit,These are three distinct persons. The Greek text makes it clear.
Matt. 28:20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. And behold, I Myself am with you always, even until the conclusion of the age.
Note on a variant reading: At the end of the book some manuscripts have the word amen.
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you. And behold, I Myself am with you always, even until the conclusion of the age.While the disciples go out and evangelize the world, Jesus has promised to be with them always (Hebrews 13:5).
Summary to Chapter 28
On Easter Sunday morning the women come to the tomb to finish the anointing of Jesus' body only to find the stone removed, the guard fainted, and the seal broken. In addition, Jesus' body is gone. An angel at the tomb informs them that He has risen from the dead—just as He said.
They are then instructed to tell His disciples that He will meet them in Galilee. On their way they meet the risen Christ who repeats the same message.
Meanwhile the guards come to the religious leaders and tell them what occurred. They are told to say they were asleep and that the disciples stole His body. Matthew tells us that this story was still around at the time of the writing of His gospel.
Some time later the meeting in Galilee occurs where Jesus delivers the Great Commission, they are to go into all the world and make disciples. The gospel ends with the promise of Jesus to be with them always.
The days of the crucifixion, entombment and resurrection are given in CLEAR sequence and with considerable CLARITY in all four gospels as Preparation Day, Sabbath and the first day of the week. There is ABSOLUTELY NO ROOM for two full days to intervene between the crucifixion and the resurrection -- as some believe -- without violating the scriptures by adding or reading into these verses something that is simply not there.
Some among the Churches of God wish to make room for intervening days by claiming there were TWO SABBATHS between a Wednesday crucifixion and a Saturday afternoon resurrection. According to their theory the first Sabbath of this period was the first high or holy day of Passover -- which supposedly fell on the Thursday; and the second was a weekly Sabbath which supposedly fell on the regular Saturday of the week. To support this theory the adherents point to the fact that the Sabbath in Matthew 28:1 is in the PLURAL form and literally reads "at the end of the Sabbaths." This text is viewed by many as "a vital text" that supposedly "proves that there were TWO Sabbaths that week with a day in between." The first Sabbath (Thursday) allegedly was "the annual high-day Sabbath of the Days of Unleavened Bread" while the second was "the weekly Sabbath, Saturday."
It is true that in Matthew 28:1 we find a plural form of the word "Sabbath" that is almost always translated into the singular form: "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre" (RSV). If you consult the original Greek you will find that this verse should be translated as follows -- "After the sabbaths[σαββάτων -- plural], when it was growing light on the first day of the week..." (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures) Also, the phrase "toward the dawn of the first day of the week" is translated from the original Greek which literally says "to the [day] lighting up into one [first] of sabbaths" -- notice the plural form again.
Herbert W. Armstrong of the Worldwide Church of God noticed the plural form of "Sabbath" in his booklet The Resurrection Was Not on Sunday but, unfortunately, he came to the wrong conclusion --
"A vital text proving that there were two Sabbaths in that week has been obscured by almost every translation into English. Only Ferrer Fenton's version has this point correct.
"Turn to Matthew 28:1. In the common versions it says, 'In the end of the Sabbath,' or more correctly, 'after the Sabbath.' Notice that both of these renderings use the singular -- Sabbath. But in the original Greek the word is in the plural. Fenton renders it correctly by saying, 'After theSABBATHS,' although the remaining part of the verse he has not translated quite correctly. In a footnote to this text, he says, 'The Greek original is in the plural, "Sabbaths" ' "(page 13).
At this point Armstrong jumps the tracks and plunges into the ditch by saying:
"According to Mark 16:1, Mary Magdalene and her companions did not buy their spices to anoint the body of Jesus until after the Sabbath was past. They could not prepare them until after this -- yet after preparing the spices they rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment! (Luke 23:56.)
"Study these two texts carefully.
"There is only one possible explanation: After the annual high-day Sabbath, the feast day of the days of Unleavened Bread -- which was Thursday -- these women purchased and prepared their spices on Friday, and then they rested on the weekly Sabbath, Saturday, according to the commandment (Ex. 20:8-11)
"A comparison of these two texts proves there were TWO Sabbaths that week, with a day in between. Otherwise, these texts contradict themselves" (ibid., page 13).
Unfortunately, Armstrong's theory here is colored by his belief that the Messiah was put to death in the middle of the Gregorian week (Wednesday), which makes him force scripture to fit this erroneous hypothesis. He is right, however, in stating that there were TWO Sabbaths that week -- but there was NOT a day in between -- they were BOTH on the SAME day!
These conclusions reached by Armstrong and others are TOTALLY UNTENABLE because NOWHERE do the gospels suggest that two Sabbaths intervened (one after another, with a day in between) between the day of the crucifixion and that of the resurrection. The whole scenario about the spices has once again been taken right out of context and twisted, pulled, pushed and stomped on to fit the Wednesday-Saturday myth that these people are trying to promulgate! Although we may never know for sure, the explanation for the apparent contradiction in Mark 16 and Luke 23 can be quite simple. Let's view these verses --
"That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they returned and PREPARED SPICES and fragrant oils. And they RESTED ON THE SABBATH according to the commandment (Luke 23:54-56).
"Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Salome BOUGHT SPICES, that they might come and anoint Him" (Mark 16:1).
Obviously, in Luke 23, the women already had some spices on hand so they were able to start preparing them BEFORE the weekly Sabbath began at sunset. However, they realized they didn't have enough spices on hand to complete the preparation, so "when the Sabbath was past" they went out and purchased some more to complete the job. Nice and straight-forward -- no need to twist and distort the passages to mean something they clearly do not! For more information on this subject, read our article Was Yeshua the Messiah Really in the Grave for Three Days and Three Nights?
Now let's tackle the question of the "two Sabbaths" which, in principle, Armstrong has right! While it is true that the Sabbath in Matthew 28:1 is in the PLURAL, the proponents of the "3-day and 3-night" theory totally overlook the fact that there were TWO SABBATHS ON ONE DAY -- the weekly Sabbath AND the first high day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!
That the day after Yeshua's death was a weekly Sabbath can be clearly demonstrated by Luke 23:56, which reads: "On SHABBAT the women rested, IN OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDMENT." What "commandment" is this? The FOURTH COMMANDMENT of course! In reference to this verse the Jewish New Testament Commentary makes this clarifying statement:
"It is sometimes claimed that the New Testament says nothing about keeping the fourth commandment. This verse contradicts that claim, so it is important for a Jewish understanding of the New Testament. ON SHABBAT THE WOMEN RESTED, IN OBEDIENCE TO THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT (Exodus 20:8-11, Deuteronomy 5:12-15; also Exodus 16). Of course they did! They observed Shabbat EVERY WEEK" (David H. Stern, p. 150).
Obviously the WEEKLY SABBATH is the focus of verses 54 and 56.
When correctly translated, Matthew 28:1 should read: "After the Sabbaths, when it was growing light on the first day of the Sabbaths, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to view the grave." The phrase "when it was growing light on the first day of the Sabbaths" is translated from the original Greek which literally says "to the [day] lighting up into one [first] of sabbaths" -- notice the plural form once again.
The phrase "into one [first] of sabbaths" is a reference to the first day from which the count to Pentecost starts -- which is made up of seven Sabbaths or weeks followed by 50 days.
Charles A. L. Totten, in his The Gospel of History: An Interwoven Harmony of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John combines Matthew 28:1, Luke 24:1 and John 20:1 to come up with a very interesting rendering -- notice!
"And early after the-Sabbaths, it-being yet dark, -- in-the deep twilight of-daybreak, upon the first-day of-the first-week, of the seven Weeks [after which the 50-day count begins], -- went Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, unto the tomb, bringing what aromatics they-had-prepared [and certain-others with them], to-see-unto the burial" (Destiny Publishers, Merrimac, MA 1972, page 345, section 877).
The exact same thing can be found in Mark 16:2 where the Greek literally says: "And exceedingly early to the one [first] [day] of the sabbaths(σαββάτων) they are coming upon the memorial tomb..." which in the usual English translation reads "And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen" (RSV). We have to be very careful, the English renditions can quite often mask the true meaning of these verses in the original Greek.
The word "Sabbath" is also in the PLURAL in Luke 24:1 and John 20:1, showing that this particular weekly Sabbath was also a high day.
There is one scripture where there are two Sabbaths on the same day -- John 19:31 -- but the original Greek word for "Sabbath" is in the singular (σαββάτω) Notice! "Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (FOR THAT SABBATH WAS A HIGH DAY)..." (RSV). Now what "high day" could this be? My Bible references it to Exodus 12:16 -- the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! If this day had been a regular week day, John would have said, "FOR THAT DAY WAS A HIGH DAY." But, instead, he said" for that SABBATH was a high day"! In this instance we still have two Sabbaths falling on the SAME day!
Other Sources
Aside from the Bible, the fact that the weekly Sabbath was also the first high Holy Day (Nisan 15) of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, is understood by numerous researchers. Writes Alfred Edersheim in The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah --
"The Sabbath about to open was a 'high day' -- it was both a Sabbath and the second Paschal Day [Nisan 15], which was regarded as in every respect equally sacred with the first -- nay, more so, since the so-called Wavesheaf as then offered [the next day] to the Lord" (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI 1990, Book V, page 613)
Jack Finegan also noticed this much overlooked fact --
"This day of Preparation for the Passover was also a day of Preparation for the SABBATH which, in this case, COINCIDED WITH PASSOVER DAY and thus was a 'high day' (John 19:31)" (Handbook of Biblical Chronology (Revised Edition), Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., Peabody, MA 1998, page 355, section 607).
Samuele Bacchiocchi writes of this scripture in his book God's Festivals in Scripture and History (Part 1) --
"It is interesting to note that in the particular year of Christ's death and resurrection, the two different methods of reckoning concurred on the date of Pentecost. This is because, according to the Johannine chronology of the passion...Passover (Nisan 15 fell on a [weekly] Sabbath, and the offering of the wave sheaf on Sunday (Nisan 16). This fulfilled the Pharisaic interpretation of Leviticus 23:15, which counted...from the day after Passover (Nisan 16). Amazingly, it also fulfilled the Sadducean interpretation, which counted...from the first Sunday [actually, the First Day of the Week -- the term 'Sunday' was unknown at this time] after Passover" (Biblical Perspectives, Berrien Springs, MI 1995, page 170).
H. L. Strack and P. Billerbec, in their book Kommentar zum Neuen Testament aus Talmud und Midrash (Munich, 1922-1928) state that in later Rabbinic literature the seventh-day Sabbath is regarded as a "high day" if it falls on Nisan 15, and they show numerous examples in support of this.
Bo Reicke, author of The New Testament Era: The World of the Bible From 500 B.C. to A.D. 100 understood this when he wrote --
Since a holy day was approaching (Mark 15:42), the Jews asked the procurator to have the bodies taken away (John 19:31-37). Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy member of the Council, saw to Jesus' burial in a tomb that belonged to him...Immediately after the subsequent Sabbath came the morning of the Day of First Fruits, which had to be observed by the presentation of a sheaf (Hebrew, omer) in the Temple (Lev. 23:11) and which was also the day [Nisan 16] from which the Feast of Weeks...was calculated. On this morning some women sought to show their respect to the Lord by bringing spices and perfumes, but found that he was no longer in the tomb (Matt. 28:6; John 20:2) (Fortress Press, Philadelphia, PA 1981, pp. 187-188).
Yeshua died on the afternoon before the Passover began -- on Nisan 14. At the time of Yeshua's death the Passover (1st Day of Unleavened Bread) fell on the weekly Sabbath -- as it did every year according to the lunar calendar kept by the Judahites during this time. The "preparation" day was for BOTH the Passover AND for the weekly Sabbath.
The One Exception...
We have seen that when the Greek word for "Sabbath" is in the plural form it refers to two Sabbaths on the SAME day -- the weekly Sabbath and one of the annual Sabbaths -- but is this true in every instance in the New Testament scriptures?
There are a number of very important events noted in the New Testament that happened on the Day of Pentecost, which would have gone unnoticed if it were not for the specific use of the phrase "the day of the Sabbaths" (ήμέρατών σαββάτων). The word used for "Sabbaths" in this phrase is shabbaton(σαββάτων) -- a non-Greek word borrowed from the Hebrew where it is used to describe an annual festival day. What makes the difference are the preceding words in the phrase -- "the day of the" (ήμέρα τών).
The term "shabbaton" (neuter plural) is also used to refer to a "week" of days -- in other words what is referred to as a regular week. Whether "shabbaton" refers to "Sabbath days" (plural) or to a "week" must be determined by the context.
In the New Testament we find the Greek expression "the Day of the Sabbaths" (ήμέρα τών σαββάτων) mentioned three times. While many have claimed this phrase refers to the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 15), it actually refers to the Day of Pentecost. This phrase has also been misunderstood and mistranslated as "Sabbath" (singular) in most English translations. Why is this?
Most people have completely overlooked the fact that these three passages in the New Testament refer to Pentecost.
The first place the expression ("the day of the Sabbaths") is used in the New Testament is Luke 4:16. We read: "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been reared; and, according to his custom on the day of the Sabbaths (ήμέρα τών σαββάτων), he entered into the synagogue and he stood up to read" (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures). Thisverse clearly demonstrates that Yeshua's custom was to observe Pentecost!
It should be noted that the synagogue attendant handed Yeshua the scroll of Isaiah. This shows that the synagogue liturgy required Isaiah to be read that day. If so, this indicates that the Messiah read the regular triennial cycle selection from the prophets that accompanied the sequential readings from the five books of Moses. It is interesting that the section that the Messiah quoted was that which paralleled the readings from the Law of Moses for Pentecost on the second year of the triennial cycle. See the chart accompanying the article on the "Triennial Cycle in the Jewish Encyclopedia," Funk and Wagnalls, 1906. This is an indication that this event in the synagogue in Nazareth occurred on Pentecost.
Some people have pointed out that this day could not have been either Passover or Tabernacles (Sukkot) because the Judahites were required by YEHOVAH's Law to be in Jerusalem for these occasions. While this is true -- it also applied to Shavuot or Pentecost. The reason the Messiah is seen here in Nazareth attending a local synagogue, instead of being in Jerusalem on Pentecost, is because the "pilgrimage" law only applied to those Judahites living in the kingdom or province of Judea. Nazareth was in Galilee -- and thus Judahites from here were exempt from traveling to Jerusalem every year to attend the three feasts.
The second place where the phrase "the Day of the Sabbaths" (ήμέρα τώνσαββάτων) is found is Acts 13:14:
"They, however, went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia and, going into the synagogue on the day of the Sabbaths [ήμέρα τώνσαββάτων], they took a seat (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures).
Here Paul was observing "THE DAY OF THE SABBATHS" -- better translated "the day of the weeks" -- the very same day as the vast multitude of Judahites did in the synagogues!
The third place where the phrase "the Day of the Sabbaths" is found is where Paul holds services on the banks of a river, because there was no Judahite synagogue in the town. We read:
"And on the day of the Sabbaths [ήμέρα τών σαββάτων] we went forth outside the gate beside a river..." (ibid.).
Here we find Paul and his company celebrating Pentecost with Judahites in a synagogue, and also beside a river because this particular town did not have a synagogue.
Paul said we are to follow him as he followed the Messiah. Paul observed Pentecost on the day that was counted from the day after the weekly Sabbath which happened, as we have seen, to always occupy the SAME DAY as the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread! The counting started on the First Day of the Week -- which was Nisan 16! This was how all the Judahites started the omer count to Pentecost.
In every case where the word "day" is used, or implied by the context (such as in "THE DAY OF THE SABBATHS [better 'WEEKS'])", one and only one day is meant: the day of Pentecost. However, if the Greek word for "Sabbath" is in the plural (σαββάτων) -- and is NOT preceded by the "day of the" (ήμέρα τών) -- then we should understand that two sabbaths -- an annual Holy Day AND the weekly Sabbath fall on the SAME day.
To try to use the plural form of "Sabbath," found in Matthew 28:1, to support a "Wednesday" crucifixion, and a "Thursday" high Holy Day followed by a "Saturday" weekly Sabbath is totally untenable. When the term "Sabbath" is found in the plural form by itself in the New Testament, it refers to ONE day only and the events that fall within it, i.e. two sabbaths on the ONE day! There is no case for a Passover Sabbath which precedes the weekly Sabbath by several days.
It is a fact that not only did the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread fall on the weekly Sabbath during the year of the Messiah's death, but it ALWAYS fell on the weekly Sabbath -- every year -- year in and year out! Why? Because the weekly Sabbath is determined by the phases of the moon, just like the annual Sabbath days! For more information on this, write for our articles Have We Been Observing the Sabbath At the Wrong Time All These Years? and From Sabbath to Saturday: The Story of the Jewish Rest Day.
haven't, please read the introduction. For the moment, I am leaving points 1-3 as they mainly define that "evening" can be used to describe what we would call the afternoon, the time between noon and sunset and that is a legitimate use of the word.
Point #4 is reproduced (with only some minor formatting changes) in the shaded portion below. The examination and commentary of it follows.
#4. Something very interesting is revealed and confirmed in Matt 28:1. Notice:
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher."
Notice carefully that which is being stated. We are told that the two Mary's came to the sepulcher at the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawn [G2020] towards the first day of the week. This clearly indicates that the end of the Sabbath came just before dawn [G2020] on the first day of the week! The word "dawn [G2020]" in Matt 28:1 continues to confirm this Biblical truism. "Dawn" is translated from the Greek word "epiphosko" and could be translated as: "begin to grow light, dawn." Matt 28:1 could be translated as follows:
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to grow light toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher."
Is it not so clear that the end of the Sabbath (or the end of any day) came as it began to grow light the next day? In other words, the Sabbath did NOT end before sunset, but before the following sunrise! Notice the following translations of this same scripture:
"Now late on the Sabbath ... as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week ..." (Matt 28:1, American Standard Version)
"Now late on Sabbath, as it was the dusk of the next day after Sabbath ... " (Matt 28:1, Darby)
If it was "late on the Sabbath" and beginning "to dawn toward the first day of the week" when the two Mary's went to the sepulcher, it should be plainly obvious that the Sabbath does not end at sunset! Meditate deeply on this important Truth, and allow the Bible to interpret itself!
Following is my commentary on the above. This commentary represents my best understanding of the subject of the timing of the Biblical day of rest but please note that it is just that. I do not claim to be completely correct. You need to study this and any subject for yourself and make your own decision.
Indeed Matthew 28:1 is interesting:
"In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher." (Matt 28:1)
There are a few translation issues here which I have dealt with in my book about the resurrection: In the Heart of the Earth: The Secret Code that Reveals What Is In the Heart of God.
End
"End" is translated from the Greek word "opse" which is described as:
3796 oqe opse op-seh'
from the same as 3694 (through the idea of backwardness); (adverbially) late in the day; ; v
AV-in the end 1, even 1, at even 1; 3
1) after a long time, long after, late
1a) late in the day, i.e. at evening
1b) the sabbath having just passed, after the sabbath
1b1) at the early dawn of the first day of the week
The word "opse" is used in two other verses which will help us determine how the Bible uses the word:
"And when even was come, he went out of the city." (Mark 11:19)
This verse seems to be referring to Jesus leaving Jerusalem for the night before returning the next morning. The following is more obvious:
"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:" (Mark 13:35)
Jesus here mentions the four watches of the night, the evening being the first one.
Dawn
The word "dawn" is translated from the Greek word "epiphosko"which is described as:
2020 epifwskw epiphosko ep-ee-foce'-ko
a form of 2017; TDNT-9:310,1293; v
AV-begin to dawn 1, draw on 1; 2
1) to grow light, to dawn
This is consistent with the meaning of evening being the dark part of the day. It was towards the end of the evening or dark part of the day, shortly before dawn, when they came to the tomb. This is consistent with the accounts in the other gospels.
First day of the week
The phrase "first day of the week" is also mistranslated as is described in detail in the book In the Heart of the Earth: The Secret Code that Reveals What Is In the Heart of God. "Week" is translated from the word "sabbaton" which always means the Sabbath. The resurrection was not on the first day of the week at all. This idea has been promoted from very early in the Christian era as a means to bolster Sunday sacredness. See more details about Jesus' resurrection.
It is not the end of the sabbath (near sunset) as it is beginning to dawn (early in the morning.) That is pretty obvious and it is that discrepancy that has, in part, brought about the sunrise start to the Sabbath idea. It is clear in scripture that "even" is also used in reference to sunset:
"And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils." (Mark 1:32)
Here are some more-correct, literal, English translations of Matthew 28:1:
"Now it is the evening of the sabbaths. At the lighting up [dawn] into one of the sabbaths came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to behold the sepulcher." (Matt 28:1, The Concordant Literal New Testament)"And on the eve of the sabbaths, at the dawn, toward the first of the sabbaths, came Mary the Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre," (Matt 28:1, Young's Literal Translation)
"But late in the sabbaths, at the dawning into the first of the sabbaths, Mary the Magdalene and the other Mary came to gaze upon the grave." (Matt 28:1, KJ3 Literal Translation)
It is pretty obvious that these events happened early in the morning starting while it was yet dark and while it was still Sabbath. They continued on and:
"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." (John 20:19)
Now we have an event happening the same day and still on Sabbath (mistranslated, in both cases, as "first day of the week). It is later in the day yet still on Sabbath. "Evening" is used here either because it is at the point of sunset (about to become the next day) or it is referring to evening as late in the afternoon (before sunset). Clearly, in scripture, "evening" can refer to the time the sun sets:
"And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils." (Mark 1:32)
Here is a diagram to illustrate that the events from John 20:1 (before sunrise, yet on Sabbath) to John 20:19 (on Sabbath) happened the same day.
There was an event while it was yet dark - before sunrise and an event late in the day. Both are described as being on Sabbath. Clearly, the Sabbath includes both the light and dark portions of the day and does not start at sunrise.
You cannot have events happening
before and after sunrise and both be on
Sabbath if the Sabbath starts at sunrise.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment