5: The angel’s appearance would scare anyone. However, he was there for the benefit of those whom he now spoke to. He knew who they were coming to find. Jesus would from this point on be identified as the one who was crucified. Rather than avoiding that appellation, the angel uses it as if it is the most common…

3: The angel looked like a blot of lightning. This simply means that one looking at him would see lightning to the same degree that they would see his bodily form. Also, his clothing was the whitest white that one might care to imagine. We often miss the significance of clothing. Angels need not cover…

2: Before the women had arrived these things had already taken place. The earthquake may not have extended very far, but it was apparently quite intense at that place. The angel which here descended was not sent to bring Jesus to life, or to rescue him from the sealed tomb. He had already risen. The…

1: The Sabbath would have ended around sunset on Saturday evening. The dawning of the new day was Saturday evening and Sunday morning. It was at this time that these two made their way to the tomb, which they had just been to Friday evening. Personal Journal Entry #12056Prayer Journal Entry #12056Daily Bible Reading: Numbers…

65: The Jews already had several companies of Roman troops at their disposal for the guarding of the temple. Pilate would not spare extra troops for this project, but gave them permission to use the ones they had.66: So, Pilate expended no effort on this project himself, but the Jewish leaders did as much as they…

64: The Jewish leaders wanted official sanction to guard the tomb. They wanted witnesses to the fact that they had made it secure. This way they could argue against any who made claims concerning resurrection. They did not want his disciples to somehow gain the advantage with the people that Jesus had secured. They were…

62: The next day was Saturday, the Sabbath. Thus, on a Sabbath day these men who had such scruples about keeping the Sabbath were quite busy.63: They remembered Jesus’ words about his resurrection. This is quite ironic. Some have surmised that Judas reported this to them, but that is highly unlikely. They could have only been remembering…

61: Mary Magdalene and the aunt of Jesus both sit nearby. they were there for tow reasons. First, they were morning in silence. Public morning for a criminal thus condemned would be illegal. However, sitting in grief would be allowed. Also, they were there to see how the body was laid and where it was laid, so…

59: There have been many conjectures as to how the body was taken from the cross. It really does not matter. In fact, the specific details of methods in connection with the crucifixion are mentioned by the gospel writers only for the purpose of highlighting fulfilled prophecy. Since there is no prophecy concerning a good…

57: At the evening, which was close to the end of the Jewish day and the beginning of the next, we see yet another amazing part of God’s plan. Two who were secretly disciples of Christ, Joseph and Nicodemus, moved his body to the proper place. Arimathaea was a place not too far from Jerusalem,…