Go to Related Reading
About this book

Matthew

About this book
Chapter 28

1 Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.⁠ 4 The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has been raised, just as he said. Come and see the place where he was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. He is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you!” 8 So they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 But Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.” 11 While they were going, some of the guards went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 After they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole his body while we were asleep.’ 14 If this matter is heard before the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day. 16 So the 11 disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.⁠ 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,⁠ 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Texts in conversation

Compare Daniel 7:9 and Matthew 28:3

Hebrew Bible · New Testament

Share:

Summary

Matthew 28 draws on Jewish apocalyptic traditions in describing an angel whose appearance is like lightning and clothing white as snow, imagery that echoes Daniel 7 where the Ancient of Days is clothed in white with fiery brilliance.

Passages

Daniel 7:9

Hebrew Bible
8 “As I was contemplating the horns, another horn—a small one—came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things. 9 “While I was watching, thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His attire was white like snow; the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool. His throne was ablaze with fire, and its wheels were all aflame. 10 A river of fire was streaming forth and proceeding from his presence. Many thousands were ministering to him; many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him. The court convened, and the books were opened. 11 “Then I kept on watching because of the arrogant words of the horn that was speaking. I was watching until the beast was killed and its body destroyed and thrown into the flaming fire.
200–101 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Daniel

Matthew 28:3

New Testament
1 Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Matthew

References

"... In his predication that the “righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father” (Matt 13:43), Matthew distinctly recalls Daniel’s statement about the wise, who will “shine like the brightness of heaven, while those who turn many to righteousness will shine “like the stars of heaven for ever and ever”. Later in Matthew (28:3) it is an angel who will have an appearance like lightning, like the man seen in Daniel’s vision ..."
Daniel M. Gurtner, "Danielic Influence at the Intersection of Matthew and the Dead Sea Scrolls" in Anders Runesson and Daniel M. Gurtner, Ed., Matthew Within Judaism: Israel and the Nations in the First Gospel (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2019), 1–24.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Your feedback

Daniel 7:9 and Matthew 28:3

Leave a comment

Your questions and comments are welcome!

Comments

Glossary

Search the Library