ACC ~ John 20 v1
THE LORD’S DAY
AUGUSTINE: The first of the week [1] is what Christian practice now calls the Lord’s day, because of the resurrection of the Lord. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 120.6. [2]
[1] Lat una Sabbati.
[2] NPNF 1 7:435.
THE WOMB AND THE TOMB
CHRYSOSTOM: How can I recount for you these hidden realities or proclaim what goes beyond any word or concept? How can I lay open before you the mystery of the Lord’s resurrection, the saving sign of his cross and of his three days’ death? For each and every event that happened to our Savior is an outward sign of the mystery of our redemption. Just as Christ was born from his mother’s inviolate virginal womb, so too he rose again from the closed tomb. As he, the only-begotten Son of God was made the firstborn of his mother, so, by his resurrection, he became the firstborn from the dead. His birth did not break the seal of his mother’s virginal integrity. Nor did his rising from the dead break the seals on the sepulcher. And so, just as I cannot fully express his birth in words, neither can I wholly encompass his going forth from the tomb. HOMILY ON HOLY SATURDAY 10. [1]
[1] JFA 54*; PG 88:1860-61. PG offers an alternate attribution of this work to Gregory of Antioch. See EEC 1:363.
THE WOMB OF THE EARTH GIVES BIRTH
HESYCHIUS OF JERUSALEM: Hidden first in a womb of flesh, he sanctified human birth by his own birth. Hidden afterward in the womb of the earth, he gave life to the dead by his resurrection. Suffering, pain and sighs have now fled away. For who has known the mind of God, or who has been his counselor if not the Word made flesh who was nailed to the cross, who rose from the dead and who was taken up into heaven? This day brings a message of joy: it is the day of the Lord’s resurrection when, with himself, he raised up the race of Adam. Born for the sake of human beings, he rose from the dead with them. On this day paradise is opened by the risen one, Adam is restored to life and Eve is consoled. On this day the divine call is heard, the kingdom is prepared, we are saved and Christ is adored. On this day, when he had trampled death under foot, made the tyrant a prisoner and despoiled the underworld, Christ ascended into heaven as a king in victory, as a ruler in glory, as an invincible charioteer. He said to the Father, “Here am I, O God, with the children you have given me.” And he heard the Father’s reply, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” [1] To him be glory, now and for ever, through endless ages. Amen. EASTER HOMILY 5-6. [2]
[1] Ps 110:1 (109:1 LXX).
[2] JFA 56-57*; SC 187:66-68.
NO EXACT TIME RECORDED OF WHEN JESUS AROSE
DIONYSIUS OF ALEXANDRIA: No very exact account seems to be offered in the Scriptures of the hour at which Jesus rose. For the Evangelists have given different descriptions of the parties who came to the sepulcher one after another, and all have declared that they found the Lord risen already. It was “in the end of the sabbath,” as Matthew has said. [1] It was “early, when it was yet dark,” as John writes. It was “very early in the morning,” as Luke puts it. And it was “very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun,” as Mark tells us. And so, no one has shown us clearly the exact time when he rose. It is admitted, however, that those who came to the sepulcher in the end of the sabbath found him no longer lying in it, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week. And let us not suppose that the Evangelists disagree or contradict each other. But even though there may seem to be some small difficulty as to the subject of our inquiry, if they all agree that the light of the world, our Lord, rose on that one night, while they differ with respect to the hour, we may well seek with wise and faithful mind to harmonize their statements. FRAGMENT 5.1. [2]
[1] Mt 28:1.
[2] ANF 6:94-95*.
IN HEBRAIC THOUGHT, DAY BEGINS WITH NIGHT
THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: It seems to those who dissent that here also the words of the Evangelists do not agree with one another. On the contrary, it seems to me that on the basis of their accounts their words are perfectly consistent. … Indeed, John says, “Early … while it was dark.” The word early is not referred here to the morning. In fact, he does not say while it was “still” dark, which should have been said with regard to morning. But he wrote, “while it was dark,” that is, on the next day when the night began, by designating with the term early the entire day so that he might say the day after the sabbath. The holy Scripture usually defines both day and night with the word day, because the sun, after its course throughout the night and the day, makes the beginning of the next day by returning to its place in the west. And this is confirmed by Moses, who says, “And there was evening and there was morning, the first day,” [1] which he also says about the second and third days, and all the rest. … John says, “Early on the first day of the week,” indicating the next day, that is, “on the first day of the week, when it was dark,” in order to signify that when the night began, the women came, in order to perform the proper honor according to customs. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 7.20.1. [2]
[1] Gen 1:5.
[2] CSCO 4 3:340-44. See also Augustine Harmony of the Gospels 3.24.65 for further discussion.
THE EVANGELISTS AGREE IT WAS THE DEAD OF NIGHT
CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: No one, I suppose, will imagine that the inspired writers disagree or that they fix the time of the resurrection differently. But anyone who chooses to investigate the meaning of the indications they give of the time will find that their accounts add up. For early dawn and late night fix the same point of time, that is, the very dead of night, so to say. There is, therefore, no discrepancy between them. For the one, taking as his starting point the end of night, and the other the beginning, both reach the middle watch and meet at the same point, that is, as I just now said, the dead of night. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 12. [1]
[1] LF 48:651**.
DARKENED FAITH
GREGORY THE GREAT: Mary Magdalene came to the sepulcher when it was still dark. We note the hour historically, but we who seek understanding must find what is mystically intended. Mary was looking for the creator of all things in the tomb whom she had seen physically dead in the sepulcher. Because she did not find any trace of him, she believed that he had been stolen away. Truly it was still dark when she came to the sepulcher. FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 22. [1]
MARY GOES TO THE TOMB ON BEHALF OF THE WOMEN
ROMANUS MELODUS:
To the Sun before sun who had then sunk in the tomb [2]
The young women bearing incense hastened toward the dawn,
As though seeking day, and saying to one another,
“O friends, come let us anoint with spices
The body, life-bringing and buried,
The flesh which resurrects the fallen Adam which lies here in the tomb.
Let us go, let us hasten like the Magi,
And let us kneel down and bring with us
The spices as gifts—not to Him in swaddling clothes
But to Him wrapped in a shroud;
And let us weep and cry out: ’O Master, arise,
Thou who dost offer resurrection to the fallen.’”
When the holy women were saying these things to each other,
They considered another idea, which is full of wisdom,
And they said to one another: “Women, why are we self-deceived?
For surely the Lord is not in the tomb!
Up until now, would it have held in subjection
One who controls the breath of living beings?
Would He still be a buried corpse? …
Let Mary leave and go see the tomb
And let us act in conformity with what she says,
For most certainly, as He foretold, the Immortal One has arisen,
He who offers resurrection to the fallen.”
The wise women, having made arrangements according to this plan,
No doubt sent forward Mary Magdalene
To the tomb, as the Theologian [3] says.
It was dark, but love lighted the way for her;
And so she saw the great stone rolled away
From the entrance of the tomb.
KONTAKION ON THE RESURRECTION 29.1-3. [4]
[1] CS 123:165*.
[2] Ps 72:17 (71:17 LXX). The comparison between Christ in the tomb and the setting sun occurs in the offices of Saturday of Holy Week.
[3] The Theologian is John and is a reference to his Gospel.
[4] KRBM 1:314-15. Romanus offers one solution to the Synoptic problem. See Augustine below for another.
MARY COMES LOOKING FOR CONSOLATION
CHRYSOSTOM: For he arose while both stone and seals lay over him. But because it was necessary that others should be fully satisfied, the tomb was opened after the resurrection and what had happened was confirmed. This then was what startled Mary. For being entirely full of loving affection toward her Master, when the sabbath was past, she could not bear to rest but came very early in the morning, desiring to find some consolation from the place. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 85.4. [1]
[1] NPNF 1 14:320*.
ALL THE WOMEN WERE WITH MARY
AUGUSTINE: It was in the early morning of the first day of the week that the women came to the sepulcher, as all the Evangelists are at one in attesting. By that time, all that is recorded by Matthew alone had already taken place, that is to say, in regard to the quaking of the earth, and the rolling away of the stone and the terror of the guards who were so frightened that they lay there like dead men. Then, as John informs us, Mary Magdalene came. She was unquestionably more ardent in her love than these other women who had ministered to the Lord. And so, it was not unreasonable in John to only mention her, leaving the other women unnamed who, however, were with her, as we gather from the reports given by other Evangelists. HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS 3.24.69. [1]
[1] ESUS IS INFORMED THAT LAZARUS IS SICK | JOHN 11:1-5
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