And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were amazed.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Mark tells us that the women entered the sepulcher, and there saw a young man sitting on the right side, covered with a long white garment, and that they were frightened. In Matthew’s version, the stone was already rolled away from the sepulcher and the angel was sitting upon it. The explanation may be that Matthew has simply said nothing about the angel whom they saw when they entered into the sepulcher, and that Mark has said nothing about the one whom they saw sitting outside upon the stone. In this way they would have seen two angels, and have assumed two separate angelic reports. .
It was fitting that the herald of his resurrection is reported to have been sitting, so that by sitting he might prefigure him who, having triumphed over the author of death, would ascend to his seat in his everlasting kingdom…. Sitting on a throne is the act of a king, and standing at a place of sacrifice is that of a high priest. Because our redeemer deigned to become for us at the same time both a king and a priest—a priest to cleanse us thoroughly from our sins by being a sacrificial offering in his passion, a king to bestow on us an everlasting kingdom. The angels who proclaim his resurrection appeared while sitting in order to signify that he had gone to seek his seat in the heavenly kingdom after having overcome death. They appeared also standing to show that he also intercedes for us in the mysteries of his Father as a high priest. ,
What we have learned about this, according to a description related by those of our contemporaries who have been in Jerusalem who, upon their return, left a written record for us of what they saw there: It was a vaulted chamber, hollowed out of rock. Its height was such that a person standing in the middle could touch the summit with his hand. Its entrance faced east, and the great stone about which the gospel tells us was placed over it. To the right as one enters was the place that was specially prepared as a resting place for the Lord’s body, seven feet in length, about two feet above the rest of the floor. The opening was not made like that of ordinary sepulchers, from above, but entirely from the side, from which the body could be placed inside.
St. Matthew says the angel was sitting on the stone, whilst St. Mark says that they saw him sitting on the right side of the sepulchre. This must not surprise us; for the angel which first appeared sitting upon the stone, might have been afterwards seen by him sitting on the right side of the sepulchre. (Theophylactus)
Perhaps the angel mentioned by St. Matthew is different from the one mentioned by St. Mark. Or it may be understood, that the women entering the monument, which may mean the enclosure of it, saw the angel sitting on the stone, which was placed on the right side of the sepulchre. (St. Augustine)
And let us also take note of what it means that the angel is seen sitting on the right side. For what does the left side mean but this present life; and the right hand side, if not life eternal? … And so, since our redeemer has now passed over beyond the mortality of this present life, rightly does the angel, who had come to announce his entry into eternal life, sit at the right side. And he came clothed in white: for he was announcing the joy of this our present solemnity.
Why a “young man”? The resurrection of the dead, as the apostle declares, will be “unto the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ,” that is, in the season of youth, which needs no further development and which is free from all defect, complete in every respect, having fullness of strength.
