The Kingdom is a Resurrected Life St. Matthew concludes his gospel speaking of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, since this is the mystery of the kingdom: 1- The Vacant Tomb 1-10 2- Bribing the Soldiers 11-15 3- The Encounter at Galilee 16-20 + + + 1- The Vacant Tomb: (Matt 28:1) “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the weak began to down, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. As soon as the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, Clopa’s wife, they ran to look at the tomb. Their love attracted them to the tomb so as to encounter Lord Jesus. They offered what they possibly could on their part. But as for God’s part himself; he has offered them ‘the resurrected life’ in the person of the Lord Jesus, the risen from the dead. For their sake, being as representatives to the Gentile church and the Jews, God sent His angel, and an earthquake occurred, and the stone was rolled for the angel to sit on; the angel scared the guards and https://coptic-treasures.com/ received the two women. When man carries out a simple task from his heart, such as the two women’s visit to the tomb, God is found to have performed wonderful things for them. The resurrection happened after the Sabbath, at dawn on Sunday. The Lord did not wait till Sunday is over, which is the third day. St. John Chrysostom says concerning this, “If He had risen after the guards had left, after the third day, they would have obtained what they wanted, and what they resisted and objected to. This is why the Lord was ahead of them and He rose before, for it was necessary He rises as they were guarding watchfully.” (Matt 28:2-4) “ 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 …. Was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.’ The resurrection was fulfilled with the power of His authority. It was He who in obedience yielded Himself in the hand of His Father, accepting death and accepting resurrection, even though He had said (John 10:18) “I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” In authority He rose, and the stone was there as before, as well as sealed. As the bishop Paul El Boshy says, “ The Lord rose although the rock was sealed on the grave door, just as He was born of a virgin as the prophet Ezekiel had prophesied. As for the rolling of the stone by the angel, from the grave door, this is to proclaim was …, it was thought His body, and the angel of the Lord descended to roll away the stone from the door for us, and he sat on it. Similarly, the resurrection happened in our inward life. Our old self was demolished , and it offered us by means of the baptismal waters, the resurrected life, or the new man in God’s image. By means of the resurrection the heavenly hosts descended to us, to roll away the stone that has locked the door of our graves. Then we meet then in love partnership and brotherhood through Christ Jesus the risen from the dead. + Just as when He yielded up His spirit the earth shook, likewise in His resurrection He made the earth shake, so as to declare that He who died is the One to rise. Bishop Paul El Boshy + The angels who conveyed he good news to the Bethlehem shepherds, are now declaring His resurrection message. The Heavens and all its hosts declare Him. The higher spiritual hosts proclaim the Son, that He is God, even when in the body. St. Cyril the great The angel descended proclaiming the good news of the Lord’s resurrection. He seared the guards and terrified them so much that they seemed as if dead. The angel moreover thrilled the heart of the church in the person of the two women, for he said to them (Matt 28:5,6) “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is raised, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” The angel has given them a divine gift ‘Do not be afraid.’ As for the mystery of them not being afraid.’ As for the mystery of them not being afraid, that https://coptic-treasures.com/ is, of being blesses in peace, it is due to the fact that Christ, the crucified has risen! It was not possible that He stays in the grave, for death cannot imprison Him, and neither could corruption touch Him. He, who unites himself with Him, can never have death come close to him. Therefore, there is no opportunity for any fear, but rather, this person is blessed with the joy of the resurrection perpetually. St. Cyril El Orshilimy speaks on behalf of the angel “I do not tell the guards not to be afraid, but I am telling you too. As for them, let them fear until they touch with their own hands, and … they would witness, saying (Matt 27:54) ‘truly this was the Son of God! But as for you, do not be afraid for (John 4:18) “but perfect love casts out fear.” The angel calls the Lord Jesus ‘Jesus the crucified’ even though He has rise; for the crucifixion has been a particular quality of the Lord as a work of salvation surpassing all time limits. He will always be the crucified Messiah, the Risen from the dead. + The angel did not say “I know you are asking for my Lord” but he said openly “I know that you seek Jesus the crucified” because the cross is a crown and not a shame. St. Cyril El Orshilimy The angel offered them a message for preaching the resurrection among the disciples (Matt 28:7) “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.” By this heavenly message, the woman has regained her honor. In old time, she had preached to Adam the devastating message in paradise, but now she is preaching the good news of the resurrection to the disciples! + She was previously a servant to death. But now she has become released of her crime, by serving the voice of the saintly angels, for she is the first to preach the news concerning the joyful mystery of the resurrection. St. Cyril the great What is amazing is that as soon as they ran in great joy and yet fear to preach, they met the Lord Jesus who gave them peace, and allowed them to touch His feet and kneel down to Him in worship it is as if when man is released to serve and to preach in real joy, it is at this moment that God is transfigured inside him, and offers Himself, so as this person touches Him and worships Him, and he is supported in his mission of preaching. (Matt 28:8-10) “So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying, ‘Rejoice’.” So they come 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’ “ 2- Bribing the Soldiers: https://coptic-treasures.com/ (Matt 28:11-15) “Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards 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.” This is truly amazing; the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate the Gentile, saying that the Lord is deceiving, for He has declared ahead of time of His resurrection (Matt 27:63). This was instead of the Jews preaching to the Gentiles of the Messiah, they came forward preaching the ingratitude and disobedience. It is as if they shut the door of faith against themselves, whereas it has been opened to the Gentiles. Now when the Lord has risen, the Roman soldiers came to testify of the resurrection to the Jewish leaders. Unfortunately they did not accept their testimony they rather offered bribery to share them their misleading and denying the resurrection. What these people did, confirmed the resurrection all the lore; for the news spread that the body was not in the grave, and as for the theft, this was unacceptable. For how did the guards know that the apostles have stolen Him? And why have they stolen Him on a Sabbath when work was not allowed? Can the unarmored apostles steal Him from the soldiers? And what need was there for all of this? 3- The Encounter at Galilee: (Matt 28:16-20) “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me 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.’ The site of the meeting was in Galilee, that is ‘the declaration’. It is not possible for the servant to preach or make disciples to the Lord, or baptize, unless the Lord declares Himself in him inwardly. He would then taste and experience, and he offers nothing of himself, but what is declared to him by the Lord. + After His resurrection Jesus was seen on the mountain in Galilee. There, they worshiped Him, but some doubted; and this doubting of theirs, has increased our faith. St. Jerome The fact that Galilee was the site chosen for the disciples to meet the Lord Jesus, the One risen from the dead, this means the renewal of the covenant. For in Galilee the Lord has chosen most of His disciples, and has https://coptic-treasures.com/ sent them on their preaching mission. Because they were weakened in the crucifixion events, He brought them back to the very same site, granting them the power of his resurrection, so as to start a new, carrying new possibilities and potentials. The Lord has come to us as our own representative. He obtained every authority for our account, and said ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth! It is as if He wished to provide all what He has o His apostles, and hence they would have His authority in their mission in His … as agents to Him! He has granted then the divine authority by His fiery Holy Spirit, and as St. Cyril the great says, “Yes, look out, for the divine and sanctified fire has spread out to all the nations by means of saintly preachers.” He stressed on the donation of baptism, together with the preaching and making disciples. As St. Jerome says, “after His resurrection, also, when He sent them to the other nations of Gentiles, He commanded them to baptize them in the mystery of the Trinity.” When the disciples were given the preaching mission, as well as that of making disciples, and baptizing, He then offered Himself in their midst, in the church, performing the work Himself through them. + Because He committed them to such an overwhelming mission as this, He said, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the edge.” It is as if He is saying “Do not say the work you are burdened with a difficult one. It is I who is able to do all things easily with you”. He did not say He wished to be with them alone, but rather with the believers who will follow them. Because the apostles would not be living till the end of the age, He rather addresses all those who would believe in Him, as if they are one body. St. John Chrysostom + His body was carried to heaven, but yet, He does not withdraw His greatness from the world. No angel or archangel could forgive sins. It is only the Lord alone who is able to say ‘I am with you’. If someone sins, he is not forgiven unless he repents. St. Ambrosias Therefore You are with us, O Lord. We do not have one single day without You. Without Your presence nest to us we cannot live. You are with us particularly in the mystery of Your body and Your blood. Father John of Kronstadt An important notice: You can refer to many of the sayings of our fathers concerning the Lord Jesus entering into Jerusalem, till His resurrection in our book ‘The divine love of God’, so as to avoid repetition.
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