Have you ever stopped to consider the details of Jesus's resurrection morning? We know the tomb was empty, but the how is just as fascinating.
Matthew 28:2 (NLT) Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.
This verse often sparks a "Hmmmmm..." moment. Why an angel? Couldn't Jesus, with all His divine power, have simply walked through the stone? Absolutely! But I read an adaptation from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, and I got a profound understanding which offered a logical and deeply meaningful answer, even for the skeptic.
Think about the times that angels showed up during Jesus's earthly ministry. Angels were there at His birth, announcing the arrival of the Messiah. They ministered to Him in the wilderness after His temptation. They strengthened Him in the agonizing prayer of the Garden of Gethsemane. Yet, strikingly, on the cross, there is no mention of angelic intervention. When His Father forsook Him, it seems the heavenly host withdrew, but the resurrection is a different story.
While Jesus undoubtedly possessed the power to roll the stone away Himself, the Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests this act was symbolic. It signified that Jesus, having fully satisfied the debt of our sin, did not break free from the tomb as a prisoner escaping. Instead, He received a "fair and legal discharge, obtained from heaven." The angel acted as an official sent to open the prison door, a clear indication that divine justice had been served. This wouldn't have happened if the payment for our sins wasn't complete.
This fits perfectly with the truth that "[Jesus] was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25 KJV). He died to pay our debt, and He rose again to secure our acquittal. Like the heavy stone used to seal a debt of guilt, the 'stone of our sins' symbolically covered Jesus's tomb, highlighting the weight of our transgressions He carried.
1 Samuel 14:33 KJV Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
The angel's action of rolling back the literal stone was a powerful demonstration that divine justice was satisfied, and Heaven itself consented to Christ's release.
It's important to note that the angel didn't raise Jesus from the dead. The power of resurrection belonged to God alone. But the angel's action proclaimed Heaven's joy and agreement in this monumental event, just as those who removed the stone from Lazarus's tomb didn't raise him, but facilitated his emergence.
The enemies of Christ may have sealed the stone, believing they had secured their victory. But they were operating under the temporary sway of darkness. Ultimately, all power over death belongs to the God of light and life. An angel, who has super power from heaven, could effortlessly break the seal and move the massive stone. This act demonstrated that even the mightiest earthly efforts could not contain the power of God. The captives of sin and death were being set free!
Finally, the image of the angel sitting upon the stone is incredibly significant. It speaks of a secure and definitive triumph over all obstacles to Christ's resurrection. There the angel sat, in a posture of authority, defying any attempt by the forces of hell to reimprison the Savior. The angel acted as a guard, having dispersed the human guards, and waited to deliver the glorious news of Jesus's resurrection to the women who would soon arrive.
This perspective from Matthew Henry's commentary offers a rich and logical understanding of why an angel rolled away the stone. It wasn't just a display of power, but a symbolic act signifying divine justice, heavenly approval, and the secure triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over sin and death. It truly makes you go "Hmmmmm..." in the best possible way, leading to deeper appreciation and stronger faith.
Matthew 28:2 (NLT) Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.
This verse often sparks a "Hmmmmm..." moment. Why an angel? Couldn't Jesus, with all His divine power, have simply walked through the stone? Absolutely! But I read an adaptation from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, and I got a profound understanding which offered a logical and deeply meaningful answer, even for the skeptic.
Think about the times that angels showed up during Jesus's earthly ministry. Angels were there at His birth, announcing the arrival of the Messiah. They ministered to Him in the wilderness after His temptation. They strengthened Him in the agonizing prayer of the Garden of Gethsemane. Yet, strikingly, on the cross, there is no mention of angelic intervention. When His Father forsook Him, it seems the heavenly host withdrew, but the resurrection is a different story.
While Jesus undoubtedly possessed the power to roll the stone away Himself, the Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests this act was symbolic. It signified that Jesus, having fully satisfied the debt of our sin, did not break free from the tomb as a prisoner escaping. Instead, He received a "fair and legal discharge, obtained from heaven." The angel acted as an official sent to open the prison door, a clear indication that divine justice had been served. This wouldn't have happened if the payment for our sins wasn't complete.
This fits perfectly with the truth that "[Jesus] was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25 KJV). He died to pay our debt, and He rose again to secure our acquittal. Like the heavy stone used to seal a debt of guilt, the 'stone of our sins' symbolically covered Jesus's tomb, highlighting the weight of our transgressions He carried.
1 Samuel 14:33 KJV Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
The angel's action of rolling back the literal stone was a powerful demonstration that divine justice was satisfied, and Heaven itself consented to Christ's release.
It's important to note that the angel didn't raise Jesus from the dead. The power of resurrection belonged to God alone. But the angel's action proclaimed Heaven's joy and agreement in this monumental event, just as those who removed the stone from Lazarus's tomb didn't raise him, but facilitated his emergence.
The enemies of Christ may have sealed the stone, believing they had secured their victory. But they were operating under the temporary sway of darkness. Ultimately, all power over death belongs to the God of light and life. An angel, who has super power from heaven, could effortlessly break the seal and move the massive stone. This act demonstrated that even the mightiest earthly efforts could not contain the power of God. The captives of sin and death were being set free!
Finally, the image of the angel sitting upon the stone is incredibly significant. It speaks of a secure and definitive triumph over all obstacles to Christ's resurrection. There the angel sat, in a posture of authority, defying any attempt by the forces of hell to reimprison the Savior. The angel acted as a guard, having dispersed the human guards, and waited to deliver the glorious news of Jesus's resurrection to the women who would soon arrive.
This perspective from Matthew Henry's commentary offers a rich and logical understanding of why an angel rolled away the stone. It wasn't just a display of power, but a symbolic act signifying divine justice, heavenly approval, and the secure triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ over sin and death. It truly makes you go "Hmmmmm..." in the best possible way, leading to deeper appreciation and stronger faith.
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