Season 5 Podcast 81 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew 28 A, “The Resurrection.”

Season 5 Podcast 81 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew 28 A, “The Resurrection.”Throughout the gospels it was women who looked after the practical needs of the Savior. It is fitting that at his death it was women also who came to look after the practical needs of the body of the crucified Savior; therefore, it was women who were first honored to see the resurrected Lord. Let’s first consider Matthew’s account:“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: 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 raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.” (Matthew 38: 1-8)At this point, of course, no one has seen the resurrected Lord. The disciples only have the word of the women, and the women only have the word of an angel. The angel was rather striking for “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.” It is instructive, however, to consider the appearance of the angel. The poor keepers were deeply affected. As if the earthquake weren’t enough, the brightness of the angel terrified them They became as dead men. In other words, they passed out. We may assume that they were not worthy and that is why they did not have the same experience as the women. The angel’s countenance was like lightning because they lived in the presence of God all the time. If they did not shine like the sun they could not endure the presence of God. Remember John the Revelator’s description of the resurrected Lord found in Revelation 1:“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” (Revelation 1:14-16)We are taught in the Holy Bible that everyone who lives with God will have the same appearance. God, for example, lives in the Holy City, New Jerusalem, whose glory is like the sun. Remember the words of Paul, who is speaking of the resurrection of the dead.“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:” (1 Corinthians 14:40-42)The glory of the celestial kingdom is compared to the brightness of the Sun. It was the Savior who said, “Matthew 13:43 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.