Matthew 28:3

3 His appearance was like lightning, and his robe was as white as snow.

Matthew 28:3 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 28:3

His countenance was like lightning
There was such a lustre and brightness in his face, that it glittered like lightning: such a description is in ( Daniel 10:6 ) ,

and his raiment white as snow:
the word "white" is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel: the angel appeared clad in white, as a token of the purity and innocence of his nature; and because of the victory and triumph of Christ over death and the grave; and that he might be known and taken by the women for a good angel, it being a commonly received notion of the Jews, that ministering angels were clothed in white ^F2.

``Said R. Ame to R. Levi, show me the Persians; he said to him, they are like to the mighty men of the house of David: show me the Chaberin, (another nation near the Persians,) they are like to destroying angels: show me the Ishmaelites, they are like to devils of the house of Hacsa: show me the disciples of the wise men in Babylon, they are like to the ministering angels.''

Upon which the gloss says,

``"to the devils", because they are clothed in black, and are like to devils; to "the ministering angels", (Mynbl) (yvwbl) , "they are clothed in white", and veiled like the ministering angels; as it is written in ( Ezekiel 9:2 ) , "and the man was clothed with linen": and it is said ^F3 of R. Judah, that he was veiled, and sat in fine linen fringed, and was like to an angel of the Lord of hosts: and elsewhere ^F4 it is said, who are the ministering angels? the Rabbins: and why are they called ministering angels? because they are fringed, as the ministering angels, in beautiful garments.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 72. 1.
F3 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 25. 2.
F4 T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 20. 2.

Matthew 28:3 In-Context

1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb.

2 Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached [the tomb]. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it.

3 His appearance was like lightning, and his robe was as white as snow.

4 The guards were so shaken from fear of him that they became like dead men.

5 But the angel told the women, "Don't be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.