And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulcher; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they anything to any man; for they were afraid.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Either let us suppose that Matthew was silent about that Angel, whom they saw on entering, whilst Mark said nothing of him, whom they say outside sitting on the stone, so that they saw two and heard separately from two, the things which the Angels said concerning Jesus; or we must understand by “entering into the sepulchre,” their coming within some inclosure, by which is it probable that the place was surrounded a little space before the stone, by the cutting out of which the burial place had been made, so that they saw sitting on the right hand in that space him whom Matthew designates as sitting on the stone.
de. Con. Evan., iii, 25: By saying, “He will go before you into Galilee, there shall ye see Him, and He said unto you,” he seems to imply, that Jesus would not show Himself to His disciples after His Resurrection except in Galilee, which shewing of Himself Mark himself has not mentioned. For that which He has related, “Early the first day of the week He appeared to Mary Magdale...
In Marc., 4, 40: As then the women hew the great fervency of their love, by coming very early in the morning to the sepulchre, as the history relates, according to the mystical sense an exampleis given to us, that with a shining face, and shaking off the darkness of wickedness, we may be careful to offer the fragrance of good works and the sweetness of prayer to the Lord.
Or else, by this phrase is meant the first day from the day of sabbaths, or rests, which were kept on the Sabbath. There follows: “And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?”Severianus, Chrysologus: Your breast was darkened, your eyes shut, and therefore ye did not before see the glory of the opened sepulchre. It goes on: “And they looked, and saw that the stone was rolled away. "I goes on: “For it was very great.”Severianus, Chrysologus: Great indeed by its office rather than its size, for it can shut in and throw open the body of the Lord.
Now they saw a young m...
For a trembling (of body) and fear (of mind) had seized them. Theophylact says, "Îκστασις, that Isaiah , stupor, at the sight of the angel had come on them." But this astonishment was mingled with intense joy. For they were astounded and were glad at the wonderful things which they heard, even that Jesus their beloved was risen from the dead.
For they were afraid. Not only because of the vision of angels, but also "on account of the Jews," says Euthymius, "lest they should appear to have themselves stolen away Jesus; lest they should kill them when they heard that they had proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus: as shortly afterwards the Jews placed Mary Magdalene, Martha, and Lazarus in a ship without oars or sail, and sent them to what would have been certain destruction had not God brought them in safety to Marseilles."
For these religious women after the burial of the Lord, as long as it was lawful to work, that is, up to sunset, prepared ointment, as Luke says. And because they could not finish their work from the shortness of the time, when the sabbath was over, that is, at sunset, as soon as the time for working came round again, they hastened to buy spices, as Mark says, that they might go in the morning to anoint the body of Jesus. Neither could they come to the sepulchre on the evening of the Sabbath, for night prevented them. Wherefore it goes on: “And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at therising of the sun.”Severianus, ap. Chrysologum,sermon 89: The women in this place run abroad with womanly devotion, for they do not bring Him faith as though He were alive, but ointments as to one dead; and they prepare the service of their grief for Him as buried, not the joys of heavenly triumph for Him as risen.
Hom. in. Evan., 21: But if we believe on Him who is dead, and are filled with the sweet smell of virtue, and seek the Lord with the fame of good works, we come to His sepulchre withspices.There follows: “And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. "For when the day is dawning, the remains of darkness lessen in proportion as the light grows brighter; and we must not take the words “very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun,” to mean that the sun himself was seen upon the earth, but as expressing the near approach of the sun into those parts, that is, when his rising begins to light up the sky.
But the women who came with spices see the Angels; because those minds who come to the Lord with their virtues, through holy desires, see the heavenly citizens. Wherefore it goes on: “And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in along white garment; and they were affrighted....
After the sadness of the Sabbath, a happy day dawns upon them, which holds the chief place amongst days, for in it the chief light shines forth, and the Lord rises in triumph. Wherefore it is said: “And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, had brought sweet spices.”.
By “very early in the morning,” he means what another Evangelist expresses by at the dawning . But the dawn is the time between the darkness of night, and the brightness of day, in which the salvation of man is coming forth with ahappy closeness, to be declared in the Church, just as the sun, when he is rising and the light is near, sends before him the rosy dawn, that with prepared eyes she may bear to see the graciousness of his glorious brightness, when the time of our Lord’s Resurrection has dawned; that then the whole Church, after the example of the women, may sing the praises of Christ, since He has quickened the race of man after the pattern of His Resurrection, since ...
For they do not understand the greatness and dignity of the wisdom of Christ. But they came according to the custom of the Jews to anoint the body of Christ, that it might remain sweet-smelling, and might not burst forth into moisture, for spices have the property of drying up, and absorb the moisture of the body, so that they keep the body from corruption.
He says, On the first of the Sabbaths, that is, on the first of the days of the week. For the days of the week are called sabbaths, and by the word “una” is meant “prima”.
Though Matthew says that the Angel was sitting on stone, whilst Mark relates that the women entering into the sepulchre saw a young man sitting, yet we need not wonder, for they afterwards saw sitting within the sepulchre the same Angel as sat without on the stone.
But some say the women mentioned by Matthew were different from those in Mark. But Mary Magdalene was with all parties, from her burning zeal and ardent love.Severianus: The women, then, entered the se...
