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Jerusalem.

very early in the morning, the first day of the Mark xvi. 2. week,

dià, in composition strengthening the signification.

Πρωϊ includes the whole

time of the early watch; and, to mark the dawn, Mark adds Xíav, “ very," which is especially put elliptically for evvvxov díav, by Mark himself, i. 35. "6 very far in the night."

The ρwi was the epithet given to the last watch, from three in the morning to six; the time therefore implied by St. Mark was probably about four o'clock, or a little after.

Luke expresses the time, τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων ὄρθρου βαθέος. “ On the first day of the week, while the rising [sun] was deep," sunk beneath the horizon.

The morning twilight begins as soon as the sun arrives within eighteen degrees below the horizon, for then the smallest stars disappear. This phrase also is used by the best classical writers: Aristophanes, Thucydides, Aristides, &c. use it, and Plato explains it, Η οὐ πρωΐ ἔτι ἐστιν ; πανὺ μὲν οὖν ὄρθρος βαθύς. "Is it not yet early-surely it is—the rising [sun] is deep.”—Crito, p. 32. It is not, however, of so much importance to consider, in this place, the passage of St. Luke, as he relates the time at which the second party proceeded to the sepulchre (c).

John expresses the precise time of the rpwi, or early watch," differently from Mark. Τῇ δὲ μιὰ τῶν σαββάτων, πρωί, σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης. “ On the first day of the week, early, while it was still dark." This is more definite than St. Mark. Exoria should not be rendered "dark," as in our translation. It is a diminutive of σκοτός. Πρωΐ, ὑπ ̓ ἠοῖ, οἱ σὺν τεύχεσι θωρήχθεντες. "Early about morn, they armed with their weapons," where vπ' noi, seems to be a contraction of vπopwσkovσns ew, "sublucente Aurora."

The first part only of the second verse of Mark xvi. is inserted in this section, on the supposition of Townson, and more particularly of Cranfield, who considers the latter clause only, to relate to the arrival of the women at the sepulchre, while the former refers to the time of their leaving home (d).

The principal difficulty in reconciling these various accounts arises from the expression here used by St. Mark, the word toxoμat being supposed, by commentators, to signify both to arrive at the sepulchre, or to leave their own homes to go there. "Those who support the latter opinion," says Mr. Cranfield, "have no doubt the best of the argument, and have offered very probable reasons for the justness of their plans (e)." However, as some have objected to this opinion, it may be proper to see how far the setting out of the women admits of incontrovertible proof, by a comparison with one text and the other; in order to which, it is necessary that we should first bring in view the following words of St. Mark, Καὶ λίαν πρωϊ—ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, xvi. 2. The word πρwi signifies the last quarter of the night, called the morning watch, consisting of the three hours next before the rising of the sun, and ended at it (ƒ). The

(c) Vide section x. and note. (d) West on the Resurrection, third edition, p. 38, 39. (e) See Godwin's Moses and Aaron, lib. iii. p. 81, 82. and Bishop Newcome's Harmony of the Gospels, notes, p. 58. (f) See Cranfield's observations in loc.

John xx. 1. while it was yet dark,

Mat. xxviii. 1. as it began to dawn, towards the first day of the week, went Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.

Mark xvi. 2.

They came to the sepulchre,

Mat. xxviii.1. to see the sepulchre.

phrase λíav rρwi, must denote the beginning, or not long after the beginning, of this watch, and also the dawning of the day; as will easily appear from another passage in the same Evangelist, which is, πρwî čvvvxov Xíav, chap. i. 35. The word čvvvxov, as it stands here, I suppose to signify the darkness of the night; and St. Mark appears to have used it explanatory of λíav πpwt. The meaning, therefore, of the whole phrase seems to be, towards the ending of the night, or near the dawning of the day; and perhaps the words may admit of a more proper translation than that we find in the established version, viz. “Very early in the morning, towards the dawning of the day." It might hence be fairly concluded, had we no other argument to go upon, that Xíav πρwî (xvi. 2.) signifies somewhat the same time as λíav πρwi, (i. 55.) But that the phrase alludes to the dawning of the day, appears evident from the parallel place in St. John, where the words oкorías erɩ ovσng, are designed to shew in what part of his put the act of the women took place. It is also worthy of regard, that St. Matthew likewise, in the parallel passage, speaks of the act of the women as taking place at the dawn. The word λíav, therefore, is used in a very emphatic and significant sense, and every way concurs to shew that St. Mark meant to point out by it, the early part of the morning watch, or the beginning of the dawn. But the same Evangelist, (xvi. 9.) has dropped the very significant Xiav, and only says, that Jesus arose πрwî. This variation of expression, in respect of different facts, denotes that what the one described as taking place Xiav πρωΐ, very early in the morning," did happen prior in time to that which took place, πρшì, only "early in the morning." The dropping of an adjunct of a superlative sense, and using the word of positive import only, by itself, is a strong indication of this. When the women now arrived at the sepulchre, they were almost instantly acquainted by the angelic vision that Jesus was risen. He arose therefore before the women arrived: but his resurrection took place πρшi, only "early in the morning;" consequently St. Mark has used the verb pxoμαι, to express some other act of the women which took place λίαν πρωϊ, 66 very early in the morning," before Jesus arose; and what can this be but their setting out from their homes? Now the rest of the Evangelists express, by the same verb, an act of the same women which took place at break of day, a point of time exactly parallel with the λíav rρwi of St. Mark: but this cannot be their arrival, because the distance of the sepulchre from Jerusalem was such, as to render it altogether impossible that they could be there instantaneously. They therefore speak of the setting out of the women; and this is agreeable to the series of St. Matthew's narration. We shall only observe, that the Evangelists have left us to infer the arrival of the women from their subsequent contexts; in which it is so clearly implied, that there was no necessity for them to give us any express information about it.

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Jerusalem.

Jerusalem.

JOHN XX. 1.

1 And on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene cometh early unto the sepulchre.

SECTION VIII.

* Or, had been.

After they had left their Homes, and before their arrival at the
Sepulchre, Christ rises from the Dead.

MATT. XXviii, 2, 3, 4.

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: Matt.xxviii.2. for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

His countenance was like lightning, and his rai- Matt.xxviii.3. ment white as snow :

And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and Matt.xxviii.4. became as dead men.

SECTION IX.

The Bodies of many come out of their Graves, and go
to Jerusalem.
MATT. xxvii. part of ver. 52. and ver. 53.

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bodies of the saints which slept arose 10, Mat.xxvii.52.

The words of the section, then, may be thus paraphrased:

Matt. xxviii. 1. After the Sabbath,

Mark xvi. 2.
John xx. 1.
Matt. xxviii. 1.

Mark xvi. 2.
Matt. xxviii. 1.

at about four in the morning, the first day in the week,
While it was still dark,

as the dawn of the first day of the week was beginning,
Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, left their home,
and go to the tomb,

to view the tomb.

Bishop Horsley has supposed that the women saw the descent of the angel, and the rolling away the stone; but it is evident that this opinion is erroneous, for they did not arrive till it had already been removed. Compare Mark xvi. 4. Markland (a) observes on these words σeloμòs ¿yéveto μέyaç, "there had been a great trembling among the soldiers," not an earthquake. Hesychius σopóc τρόμος.

10 Matt. xxvii. 52, 53.—Καὶ πολλὰ σώματα-ἠγέρθη. Καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῶν μνημείων μετὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν αὐτοῦ, εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν. This seems to be the best way to read this passage. When he yielded up the ghost, the graves opened: and after his resurrection the bodies of those who had been dead went into Jerusalem, and appeared to their friends. They were the first fruits of the resurrection (b).

The Jews believed, that in the time of their Messiah, the bodies of their pa

(a) Markland ap. Bowyer, p. 135. Conjectures, p. 132.

(b) Grotius apud Bowyer's Critica

Matt. xxvii. 53.

And came out of the
after his resurrec-
graves
tion, and went into the holy city, and appeared

unto many.

triarchal ancestors should arise from the dead. It is demanded, why did the patriarchs so earnestly desire to be buried in the land of Israel? Because they died in that land, and in that land they shall live again in the days of their Messiah (c). And again, the promised land is called у, "the land of their desire," because the patriarchs enjoyed there many blessings. Jacob desired to be removed to that land, because he and his ancestors should there live again, in

.מפני שהם חיים תחלה לימות חמשוח-the days of the Messiah

There is another tradition to be found also in the book Sohar, which speaks in such an evidently scriptural manner on the subject of the future resurrection, that it is most probable it has been borrowed from the writings of St. Paul (d).

There is certainly no absurdity in the supposition of Fleming, that many of the saints of the Old Testament might have now risen, and been miraculously revealed to some of the more depressed of our Lord's disciples. Neither is it impossible that this might have been a part of the expectation of Abraham, when he rejoiced to see the day of Christ, and he saw it, and was glad (e).

Klopstock, in his Messiah, has made a most beautiful use of the opinion, that the bodies of the Patriarchs, and others of the Old Testament saints, arose at this time.

Jerusalem.

How great must have been the astonishment of the people, and of their rulers, when they passed by the sepulchres of the dead, to behold them open, and the bodies that had been buried visible, and slowly and gradually, perhaps, recovering from the repose of death! Here, would have been seen the venerable figure of some aged Patriarch, bursting the cearments of the tomb, the folds and wrappings of the embalmer. There, might be seen the beloved form of some cherished child, or parent, over whose recent grave the flowers had not yet ceased to bloom, who was still lamented, and still wept, bearing witness to the great event. It is not impossible that many of those who had beheld the actions, and believed in the words of the Son of God, while on earth, were now restored to life, and were permitted to appear to their friends, as an undeniable evidence of the truth of Christ's resurrection, and of his conquest over death and the grave. The tombs of the rich and the poor opened to the gaze of the astonished spectator: the corruptible put on incorruption, and the mortal assumed immortality. The bones were seen to come together; the sinews and the flesh to unite and to revive. The monuments of marble, the sepulchres of rock, shook, and were rent asunder. The mouldering dust, by a silent and mysterious process, assumed again its form and features, and acknowledged the power of an invisible conqueror over the last great enemy of man. The combat between death and life was again renewed, and death was swallowed up in victory. Scenes, such as these, but ten thou

(c) Brescith Rabba, sect. xcvi. fol. 93. 4. and Schemoth Rabba, sect. xxxii. fol. 131. 2. ap. Schoetgen, Hora Hebraicæ, vol. i. p. 237. (d) Sohar Chadasch, fol. 45. 1. ubi de Messia sermo est, quod tempore Jubilæi venturus sit, quando buccinæ clangent: Et a clangore, et sonitu buccinarum, evigilabunt Patres nostri in medio speluncæ, na npno" et surgent in spiritu, et venient ad eos, ap. Schoetgen. (e) In the unpublished papers of Lord Barrington, in a letter to Dr. Lardner, I find some very curious and original ideas on this subject.

SECTION X.

Jerusalem.

Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and Salome, arrive at the
Sepulchre, and find the Stone rolled away.

MARK XVI. part of ver. 2. and ver. 3, 4.

ver. 1.

And they said among themselves, bLukexxiv.l. bat the rising of the sun ".

John xx. 1.

JOHN XX. part of

Mark xvi. 3.

Mark xvi. 2.

sand times more sublime and wonderful, are reserved for those that shall be alive in the latter days upon the earth; when the trump of the Archangel shall sound, and the Mediator, attended with all the company of angels, in the glory of his Father, shall receive the full recompense of his sacrifice : for his voice shall call the dead from their graves, and, amidst the wreck of humanity, announce to the astonished living, that the reign of immortality has begun, and that the triumph of their God is complete.

The veil which hides the future world from the intrusion of man, seems to be partly removed when we read this passage. Time may engrave his changes upon us; the eye may lose its brilliance, the limb its activity, the frame its strength; but, God be thanked for the consolation of a Christian, and the hope of a resurrection to life! The religion of Him who died for man, and laid waste the empire of death in that moment when he yielded to its sceptre, can support us through the miseries of this state of trial, and bear us safely through the valley of darkness and corruption. This religion is the only solid foundation of hope, or happiness, both here and hereafter.

"I have adopted the emendation of text in this passage proposed by Mr. Cranfield, after a careful consideration of the reasoning of Archbishop Newcome and Dr. Benson. The text requires only to be pointed differently; and, without any alteration of the Greek Vulgate text, the whole passage is made consistent. The original reads thus: ver. 2. λίαν πρωὶ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον, ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου ; ver. 3. καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς κ. τ. λ. If we place a period at μvnμɛiov, and read the beginning of ver. 3, with the latter part of ver. 2, as one sentence, the narrative is complete, and the difficulty arising from the impossibility of uniting λίαν πρωῒ with ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ λiov, vanishes. I have done this. The former part of the verse is in Section VII; it reads thus

Ver. 2. They came unto the tomb,

3. And they said to each other,
2. about the rising of the sun,
3. Who shall roll away, &c.

The same reading was in the harmony (a) of Ammonius: et orto jam sole dicebant; and in the Ethiopic version.

I shall subjoin Mr. Cranfield's remarks on the criticisms which have been proposed to remove the difficulty, and to which he rightly objects. Mark xvi. 2. this place, as it stands in the received text, has created great embarrassment to the commentators and harmonists, owing to the difficulty of reconciling the descriptive ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλία, with the descriptive λίαν πρωί. For this

(a) Vide Millium in loc. edit. Kusteri.

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