Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 28:3
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
His countenance – In our language the word countenance refers to the face only; in the original it refers to his whole person. His general aspect, or the appearance of the angel himself, was, etc.
Like lightning – Peculiarly bright and shining.
His raiment white as snow – Celestial beings are usually represented as clothed in white, Act 1:10; Dan 7:9; Rev 3:4-5; Rev 4:4; Rev 7:13-14. White, among the Jews, was the symbol of purity or innocence.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. His countenance] His appearance, ; or, his face, for so the word is used in some of the best Greek writers. It seems, from Mr 16:5, that this angel had assumed the appearance of a young man.
Like lightning] Coruscations of glory continually flaming from his face. This might produce the confusion mentioned Mt 28:2.
His raiment white as snow] He was clothed in garments emblematical of the glad tidings which he came to announce. It would have been inconsistent with the message he brought, had the angel appeared in black robes, such as those preposterously wear who call themselves his successors in the ministry of a once suffering, but now risen and highly exalted, Saviour. But the world is as full of nonsense as of sin; and who can correct and bring it to reason and piety?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
3. His countenanceappearance.
was like lightning, and hisraiment white as snowthe one expressing the glory, theother the purity of the celestial abode from which he came.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
His countenance was like lightning,…. There was such a lustre and brightness in his face, that it glittered like lightning: such a description is in Da 10:6,
and his raiment white as snow: the word “white” is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and in Munster’s Hebrew Gospel: the angel appeared clad in white, as a token of the purity and innocence of his nature; and because of the victory and triumph of Christ over death and the grave; and that he might be known and taken by the women for a good angel, it being a commonly received notion of the Jews, that ministering angels were clothed in white b.
“Said R. Ame to R. Levi, show me the Persians; he said to him, they are like to the mighty men of the house of David: show me the Chaberin, (another nation near the Persians,) they are like to destroying angels: show me the Ishmaelites, they are like to devils of the house of Hacsa: show me the disciples of the wise men in Babylon, they are like to the ministering angels.”
Upon which the gloss says,
“”to the devils”, because they are clothed in black, and are like to devils; to “the ministering angels”,
, “they are clothed in white”, and veiled like the ministering angels; as it is written in Eze 9:2, “and the man was clothed with linen”: and it is said c of R. Judah, that he was veiled, and sat in fine linen fringed, and was like to an angel of the Lord of hosts: and elsewhere d it is said, who are the ministering angels? the Rabbins: and why are they called ministering angels? because they are fringed, as the ministering angels, in beautiful garments.”
b T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 72. 1. c T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 25. 2. d T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 20. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Appearance (). Here only in the N.T. Compare and .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Countenance [] . Rev., more correctly, appearance. The word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It does not refer to the face alone, but to the general aspect. Wyc., looking.
As lightning. In effulgence. Each evangelist ‘s account of the resurrection emphasizes different particulars. Matthew alone notes the outward glory, the earthquake, the agency of the angel, and the impotence of the military and priestly power to crush the new faith. He only notices the adoration of the risen Lord before his ascension, and traces to its origin the calumny current among the Jews to this day.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
(3) Like lightning.The word employed by St. Luke to describe the raiment has the same force. The white as snow has its counterpart in the record of the Transfiguration (Mar. 9:3) and the vision of the Ancient of Days in Dan. 7:9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. His countenance Rather, his whole figure. Raiment white His body was a perfect splendour shining through his investiture.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow, and for fear of him the watchers quaked, and became as dead men.’
The appearance of the angel was as lightning in its splendour, and his raiment was pure white. They would be reminded of Daniel’s vision when he too had seen an angel fitting this description (Dan 10:5-6). ‘White as snow’ indicates a certain God-likeness (Dan 7:9). So glorious was the figure that the guards at the tomb, ‘the watchers’ (compare Mat 27:36), themselves quaked (the word is used of the earthquake in Mat 27:51) and swooned, becoming as dead men. Thus when the women approached there was nothing to fear, apart from the angel.
The description of the guards as ‘the watchers’ is probably ironic. Men had set them to watch, and now they could watch no longer.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 28:3 f. ] his appearance , his outward aspect, found nowhere else in the New Testament, though occurring in Dan 1:15 , Mal 3:16Mal 3:16 , and frequently in classical authors. On the relation of this term to , see Stallbaum, ad Plat. Rep . p. 596 A, and Parmen . p. 128 E; and comp. Ameis on Hom. Od . ix. 508, Appendix. The appearance of the countenance is meant; see what follows. Comp. Mat 17:2 .
] not: as having the form , but as shining with the brightness of lightning. Comp. Plat. Phaedr . p. 254 B: . For the white raiment, comp. 2Ma 11:8 ; Act 1:10 . The sentinels were convulsed ( , 3 Esdr. 4:36) with error at the sight of the angel ( ), and became as powerless as though they had been dead. The circumstance of these latter being mentioned again at this point is in strict keeping with the connection of Matthew’s narrative.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
Ver. 3. His countenance was like lightning ] So that though he appeared in a human shape, yet it might easily appear that he was more than a man; his visage showed his power, his habit of innocence, to the terror of the keepers, and comfort of the women.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3. ] not his form , but his appearance ; not in shape (as some would explain it away), but in brightness.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 28:3 . (here only in N. T.; in Sept [160] , Dan 1:13 ; Dan 1:15 ), the appearance, aspect (of the countenance of the angel). Vide Trench, Syn. , p. 262, on , , . (Mat 24:27 ), as lightning brilliant, dazzling. ., his raiment as distinct from his face , white as snow ( cf. Mat 17:2 ).
[160] Septuagint.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
countenance = general appearance. Greek. idea. Occurs only here.
like lightning: in effulgence.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3. ] not his form, but his appearance; not in shape (as some would explain it away), but in brightness.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 28:3. , appearance)[1225] sc. of his face.-, white) Heavenly messengers are not before this occurrence said to have appeared in this dress: they have done so however since: see Act 1:10; Act 10:30.[1226]
[1225] Engl. Vers. countenance.-(I. B.)
[1226] The dress corresponded to the message they delivered-Harm., p. 589.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
countenance: Mat 17:2, Psa 104:4, Eze 1:4-14, Dan 10:5, Dan 10:6, Rev 1:14-16, Rev 10:1, Rev 18:1
his raiment: Mar 9:3, Mar 16:5, Act 1:10, Rev 3:4, Rev 3:5
Reciprocal: Jdg 13:6 – countenance was Psa 97:4 – the earth Son 5:15 – his countenance Eze 1:13 – General Luk 24:5 – they Joh 20:12 – seeth Act 10:30 – behold Rom 6:4 – by the Rev 19:14 – clothed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
28:3
Lightning is very bright and penetrating and a fitting comparison for the counterance of an angel. Snow-whiteness is an emblem of purity and well represents the kind of being who would come down from heaven.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 28:3. His appearance, rather than his form.
As lightning. In its exceeding brightness. Comp. the other descriptions of the angels within the sepulchre (Mar 15:5; Luk 24:4; Joh 20:12). These angelic appearances cannot be regarded as visions. The accounts are too explicit.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mat 28:3-4. His countenance was like lightning Coruscations of light darting from his face; and his raiment white as snow Glittering with an extraordinary lustre, beyond what any human eyes could bear; and for fear of him the keepers Though Romans and soldiers; did shake, and became as dead men Falling down on their faces in a most helpless condition; for they were effectually frightened by the majestic appearance of the angel, and especially by the lightning which flashed from his countenance. Quickly after, it appears, being recovered from their swoon, and finding the stone rolled away, and the sepulchre open, they fled to some distant place, to consult their own safety in so surprising an occurrence. This we have great reason to believe was the case, as nothing is said of any interview between them and the friends of Christ. It is not said at what particular instant Jesus arose, whether it was before the guards fell into this swoon, or after they recovered themselves and fled. Mark, indeed, by observing that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, may be thought to insinuate that the guards did not see him when he arose; yet the evangelists words do not necessarily imply this, for his meaning may be, that he appeared to Mary Magdalene first of all the disciples only. Besides, if the guards even did see him arise, it was, properly speaking, no appearance of Christ to them. However, be this as it may, it is certain that Jesus was arisen and gone before any of the women arrived at the sepulchre.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
28:3 His {c} countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
(c) The beams of his eyes, and by the figure of speech called synecdoche, this is understood as the countenance.