Matthew 28:1-6

Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων, τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων ἦλθεν Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον. 2 καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας· ἄγγελος γὰρ κυρίου καταβὰς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ προσελθὼν ἀπεκύλισεν τὸν λίθον καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ. 3 ἦν δὲ ἡ εἰδέα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀστραπὴ καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ λευκὸν ὡς χιών. 4 ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ ἐσείσθησαν οἱ τηροῦντες καὶ ἐγενήθησαν ὡς νεκροί. 5 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν ταῖς γυναιξίν· μὴ φοβεῖσθε ὑμεῖς, οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον ζητεῖτε· 6 οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἠγέρθη γὰρ καθὼς εἶπεν· δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο.

Vocabulary

Verse 1

Ὀψὲ  preposition: “after”

ἐπιφωσκω verb (present active participle dative fs): “dawn”

μίαν  “one”

ἐρχομαι verb (aorist active indicative 3^rd sg): “came”

θεωρ?ω verb (aorist active infinitive)

τάφον noun: “grave”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The substantive participle, ?πιφ?σκω, is functioning as a temporal marker.
• The noun, σαββ?των, can refer to the Sabbath as a day or a special week or merely the seven day rotation of the week. The first usage in this passage carries the first meaning; whereas the second is the last.

Vocabulary

Verse 2

σεισμὸς noun: “earthquake”

?ποκυλ?ω verb (aorist active indicative 3^rd sg): “roll away”

κ?θημαι verb (imperfect medial-passive indicative 3^rd sg): “sit”

?π?νω preposition: “on, above”

Verse 3

ε?δ?α noun: “appearance”

?στραπ? noun: “lightning”

?νδυμα “face”

λευκ?ς adjective (nominative neuter sg): “white”

χι?ν “snow”

Verse 4

σε?ω verb (aorist passive indicative 3^rd pl): “shake with fear”

τηρ?ω “guards”

Verse 5

σταυρ?ω verb (perfect passive participle accusative ms): “crucify”

Verse 6

?δε adverb: “here”

?γε?ρω verb (aorist passive indicative 3^rd sg): “rise (from the dead)”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• The first clause functions much like a ???? does in Hebrew narrative.
• Notice the typical pattern of placing the clause conjunctions after the first word of the clause, called post-positives.
• The preposition, ?π?νω, takes a genitive object. The object of the preposition is an anaphoric pronoun (α?το? “he, it”) referring to λ?θος “stone.”

Verse 3

• The verb, “to be,” is gapped in the second clause, τ? ?νδυμα α?το? λευκ?ν ?ς χι?ν.

Verse 5

• The negative particle, μ?, is used with non-indicatives (i.e. the imperative as in this context).
• The particle, ?τι, often serves in Greek as a marker of speech (Similar to ???? in Hebrew.)

Verse 6

• The post-positive γ?ρ in the second clause is explanative.