SEV Biblia, Chapter 28:2
Y he aquí, fue hecho un gran terremoto; porque el ngel del Seor, descendiendo del cielo y llegando, había revuelto la piedra del sepulcro , y estaba sentado sobre ella.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 28:2
Verse 2. A great earthquake] seismov, a shaking or 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 sepulchre. The angel of the Lord descended from heaven] Matthew is very particular in this, to show that the word angel is not to be taken in the sense of an ordinary messenger, who might have come from Joseph of Arimathea, or from any other; but in the sense of an extraordinary messenger, who descended from GOD, out of heaven, for this very purpose. It is likely that the angel had descended, rolled away the stone, and was sitting on it, before the women reached the tomb.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. And behold there was a great earthquake , etc.] Or there had been one; which, how far it reached, and whether further than the spot of ground in which the sepulchre was, is not certain: it was an emblem of the shaking of the earth by the preaching of the Gospel, the sound of which was now to go after Christs resurrection to the ends of the world; and a prelude of the general resurrection, when the earth shall be shaken, and the graves opened, and the dead come forth; and was a symbol and token of the presence and majesty of Christ, at whose rising, as at his death, the earth shook and trembled. Think whether the watch could now be asleep, as they afterwards gave out, ( Matthew 28:13). The Persic version renders it very wrongly; and there was great consternation and fear; which was the consequence of the earthquake, and the descent of the angel, and was so great that it was not possible for the keepers to sleep, if ever so much inclined: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven ; perhaps Gabriel, who brought the news of the conception of Christ to the virgin, and of his incarnation to the shepherds, and might be the same angel that strengthened him in the garden: nor is this any contradiction to the other evangelists, which speak of two angels, ( Luke 24:4) ( John 20:12), for Matthew does not say there were no more than one, though he makes mention but of one. And came and rolled back the stone from the door ; of the sepulchre, which by Joseph, or his orders, was put there, and was sealed by the Jews. This might be done, that way might be made for the risen body of Christ to pass out of the sepulchre; for to suppose, as some do, that he penetrated through this stone with his risen body, is not to be credited: it is true, he could have caused the stone to have given way, or removed it himself, and put it in the place again; as he caused the doors of the house in which the disciples were, to open and shut so quick, that they could not discern it when he appeared in the midst of them, ( John 20:19); (see Acts 12:10), but he might choose to do it by the ministry of an angel, which is no ways derogatory to his power and majesty, but rather agreeable.
Moreover, this might be done, that the women might have access to the sepulchre, and enter into it, which was the thing they were concerned about by the way, who should roll away the stone for them. Besides, this the angel did, as a token that Christ was risen, and to let the guard know as much, who, if they thought fit, might come and see what was done; but chiefly the stone was rolled away by the angel, as an emblem of the acquittance and discharge of Christ, as the surety of his people. He had taken upon him their sins; he had bore them in his body on the tree; he had suffered and died for them, and was laid as a prisoner in the grave; and now full satisfaction being made, an angel is sent from heaven to roll away the stone; thereby signifying, that the debt was fully paid, and he was now legally discharged. It is added, and sat upon it ; thereby showing who it was that rolled it away; that it was done by him, not by the earthquake, nor by any human power: he sat there defying the guard of soldiers to come nigh; and waiting for the coming of the women, to tell them the good news, that their Lord was risen; and as the keeper of the sepulchre, that no corpse might be brought and laid in the room of Christ, and it be said that he was not risen. This posture of the angel does not contradict what other evangelists say of this, and the other angel, that they stood by the women, and also were sitting in the sepulchre, ( Mark 16:5 Luke 24:4 John 20:12), for each was true: when the women first came, the angel sat upon the stone; after that, with the other, stood by them; when having invited them to the grave, placed themselves, sitting the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Christ had lain.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Christ rose the third day after his death; that was the time he ha often spoken of. On the first day of the first week God commanded the light to shine out of darkness. On this day did He who is the Light of the world, shine out of the darkness of the grave; and this day is from henceforward often mentioned in the New Testament, as the day whic Christians religiously observed in solemn assemblies, to the honour of Christ. Our Lord Jesus could have rolled back the stone by his ow power, but he chose to have it done by an angel. The resurrection of Christ, as it is the joy of his friends, so it is the terror an confusion of his enemies. The angel encouraged the women against their fears. Let the sinners in Zion be afraid. Fear not ye, for his resurrection will be your consolation. Our communion with him must be spiritual, by faith in his word. When we are ready to make this worl our home, and to say, It is good to be here, then let us remember ou Lord Jesus is not here, he is risen; therefore let our hearts rise, an seek the things that are above. He is risen, as he said. Let us neve think that strange which the word of Christ has told us to expect whether the sufferings of this present time, or the glory that is to be revealed. It may have a good effect upon us, by faith to view the plac where the Lord lay. God quickly. It was good to be there, but the servants of God have other work appointed. Public usefulness must be chosen before the pleasure of secret communion with God. Tell the disciples, that they may be comforted under their present sorrows Christ knows where his disciples dwell, and will visit them. Even to those at a distance from the plenty of the means of grace, he wil graciously manifest himself. The fear and the joy together quickene their pace. The disciples of Christ should be forward to make known to each other their experiences of communion with their Lord; and shoul tell others what God has done for their souls.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S σεισμος 4578 N-NSM εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S μεγας 3173 A-NSM αγγελος 32 N-NSM γαρ 1063 CONJ κυριου 2962 N-GSM καταβας 2597 5631 V-2AAP-NSM εξ 1537 PREP ουρανου 3772 N-GSM προσελθων 4334 5631 V-2AAP-NSM απεκυλισεν 617 5656 V-AAI-3S τον 3588 T-ASM λιθον 3037 N-ASM απο 575 PREP της 3588 T-GSF θυρας 2374 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ εκαθητο 2521 5711 V-INI-3S επανω 1883 ADV αυτου 846 P-GSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
28:2 {There was a great earthquake} (seismos egeneto megas). Clearly not the earthquake of #27:51. The precise time of this earthquake is not given. It was before sunrise on the first day of the week when the women made the next visit. Matthew alone relates the coming of the angel of the Lord who rolled away the stone and was sitting upon it (apekulise ton liqon kai ekathto epanw autou). If one is querulous about these supernatural phenomena, he should reflect that the Resurrection of Jesus is one of the great supernatural events of all time. Cornelius ... Lapide dares to say: "The earth, which trembled with sorrow at the Death of Christ as it were leaped for joy at His Resurrection." The Angel of the Lord announced the Incarnation of the Son of God and also His Resurrection from the grave. There are apparent inconsistencies in the various narratives of the Resurrection and the appearances of the Risen Christ. We do not know enough of the details to be able to reconcile them. But the very variations strengthen the independent witness to the essential fact that Jesus rose from the grave. Let each writer give his own account in his own way. The stone was rolled away not to let the Lord out, but to let the women in to prove the fact of the empty tomb (McNeile).
