2470. Having related the mysteries of the passion of Christ, the Evangelist now speaks of the resurrection. 2470. Enarratis mysteriis passionis Christi, hic Evangelista manifestat eius resurrectionem, et First, he says the resurrection was made known to certain women; primo manifestat quomodo resurrectio Christi manifestata est mulieribus; second, to the disciples: now when it was late on that same day (John 20:19). secundo quomodo manifestata est discipulis, ibi cum ergo sero esset die illo etc. The revelation of Christ’s resurrection to the women went in stages: Manifestata est resurrectio Christi mulieribus quodam ordine. first, there is the open tomb; Primo quantum ad monumenti apertionem; second, the appearance of the angel: the disciples therefore went back to their homes (John 20:10); secundo quantum ad angeli apparitionem, ibi abierunt ergo iterum etc.; third, the sight of Christ: when she had said this, she turned around, and saw Jesus standing (John 20:14). tertio quantum ad Christi visionem, ibi haec cum dixisset, conversa est retrorsum, et vidit Iesum. In regard to the first, Circa primum he first mentions the sight of the open tomb; primo ponitur mulieris visio; second, this news is reported to the disciple: she ran, therefore, and came to Simon Peter; secundo rei visae denuntiatio, ibi cucurrit ergo etc.; and third, they see for themselves: Peter therefore went out. tertio rei denuntiatae inquisitio, ibi exiit ergo Petrus etc. 2471. Four things can be noted about the first. First, the time; it was one day of the Sabbath, that is, the first day of the week. The Jews considered the Sabbath as a very sacred day, and all the other days were described in reference to the Sabbath. Thus they spoke of the first day of the Sabbath, the second day of the Sabbath, and so on. Matthew speaks of the first day of the Sabbath (Matt 28:1). But John speaks of the first day of the week because he is referring to a mystery, for this day of the resurrection was the beginning of a new creation: when you send forth your Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground (Ps 104:30); for neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation (Gal 6:15). In Genesis, when Moses is speaking of the first day of creasion, he does not say the first day, but he says one day (Gen 1:5). And so the Evangelist uses these words of Moses because he wants to express a newness. 2471. Circa primum quatuor consideranda occurrunt. Primo scilicet visionis tempus, quia una Sabbati, scilicet prima feria. Nam apud Iudaeos dies Sabbati solemnior habebatur, et ideo ab eo omnis alius dies denominabatur: unde dicebant prima Sabbati, secunda Sabbati etc. Unde et Matth. XXVIII, v. 1, dicit prima Sabbati. Sed Ioannes dicit: una Sabbati, propter mysterium, quia in hac die, in qua resurrectio facta est, inchoavit quasi quaedam nova creatura; Ps. CIII, 30: emitte Spiritum tuum, et creabuntur, et renovabis faciem terrae; Gal. VI, 15: in Christo Iesu neque circumcisio aliquid valet neque praeputium, sed nova creatura. Moyses autem in principio Gen. de prima die non dicit factus est dies primus, sed unus. Ideo Evangelista ad ipsam renovationem insinuandam utitur verbo Moysi. And also because this day begins the day of eternity, which is one day, no night interrupting it, because the sun which makes this day will never set. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Rev 21:23); there will be one day, which is known to the Lord, not day and night, for at evening time there will be light (Zech 14:7). Item quia in hac die inchoabatur dies aeternitatis, quae est una non habens interpolationem noctis; quia sol qui eam facit, non occidit. Apoc. XXI, 23: civitas illa non eget sole neque luna ut luceant in ea: nam claritas Dei illuminabit illam, et lucerna eius est Agnus; Zach. ult., 7: erit dies una, quae nota est Domino, non dies neque nox: et in tempore vesperi erit lux. 2472. Second, the person who saw the tomb is given, Mary Magdalene came early, when it was still dark, to the sepulchre. 2472. Secundo ponitur persona videns, quia Maria Magdalene venit mane, cum adhuc tenebrae essent, ad monumentum. A question arises here because Mark makes mention of Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome (Mark 16:1); and Matthew also mentions the other Mary (Matt 28:1). Sed hic est dubium: quia in Mc. XVI, 1, dicitur: Maria Magdalene et Iacobi et Salomi; et Matth. ult. connumeratur etiam alia Maria. According to Augustine the resolution is that Mary Magdalene was more ardent and more devoted to Christ than the other women. Thus we read that her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much (Luke 7:47). And for this reason the Evangelist mentions her by name. This is also the reason why the Lord appeared to her first, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9); she hastens to make herself known to those who desire her (Wis 6:14). Responsio. Dicendum secundum Augustinum, quod Maria Magdalena ferventior et devotior erat ad Christum aliis mulieribus: unde Lc. VII, 47, dicitur: dimissa sunt ei peccata multa, quoniam dilexit multum. Et ideo eam Evangelista specialius nominat. Et inde est quod prius ei apparuit Dominus, Mc. ult. Sap. VI, 14: praeoccupat eos qui se concupiscunt, ut illis se prior ostendat. 2473. Third, the time is given, early, when it was still dark. Luke tells us that the women who had come with Christ from Galilee saw his tomb and how his body was laid, and they prepared spices and ointments for it (Luke 23:55). They rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. As soon as the Sabbath was over, on the first day of the week, before daylight, she came to the tomb, incited by her exceedingly great love, its flashes, the flashes of love, are flashes of fire (Song 8:6). 2473. Tertio ponitur hora, seu qualitas temporis, quia mane, cum adhuc tenebrae essent; Lc. XXIII, 55 s. dicitur, quod mulieres quae cum Iesu venerunt de Galilaea viderunt monumentum, et quemadmodum positum erat corpus Iesu, et revertentes paraverunt aromata et unguenta, et Sabbato quidem siluerunt secundum mandatum. Et ideo statim transacto Sabbato ante lucem primae Sabbati venit ad monumentum: nam nimius ardor amoris eam sollicitabat; Cant. VIII, 6: lampades eius lampades ignis atque flammarum, scilicet caritatis. 2474. The question arises why Mark says very early, after the sun had risen (Mark 16:2), while the Evangelist says, when it was still dark. 2474. Sed hic est quaestio litteralis: quia, ut dicitur Mc. ult., 2, valde mane orto iam sole, quid igitur dicit Evangelista cum adhuc tenebrae essent? The answer is that what Mark says should be understood as referring to the breaking of the day, so that the sun had risen, not that it had appeared above the earth, but that it approached our region. Responsio. Dicendum quod hoc quod dicit Marcus intelligitur de aurora: unde orto iam sole, non quod supra terram appareret, sed appropinquaret ad nostras regiones. 2475. Fourth, we are told what Mary saw, she saw the stone had been taken away from the sepulchre. This was a sign that either someone had taken Christ away, or that he had arisen. When Matthew says that an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, we should not think the stone was rolled away before Christ arose, but only after (Matt 28:2). For since Christ came forth from the closed womb of the Virgin even though his body was not glorified, it is not surprising if he passed through the tomb with his glorified body. The stone was taken away so that people could see that Christ was not there, and more easily believe in his resurrection. 2475. Quarto quid videt: quia vidit revolutum lapidem, quod erat signum vel quod aliquis Christum abstulerit, vel quod resurrexerit. Et, sicut dicitur Matth. ult., v. 11, angelus Domini descendit de caelo: quod non est intelligendum quod ante lapis esset revolutus quam Christus resurgeret, sed post. Nam Christus exivit de clauso utero Virginis nondum gloriosum corpus habens, non est ergo mirum si cum corpore glorioso exivit de sepulcro. Nam lapis est revolutus, ut, videntes ibi Christum non esse, facilius crederent eius resurrectionem. 2476. Next the Evangelist mentions that she ran, therefore and came to Simon Peter, and the events of this vision were announced. Because of Mary’s exceeding love she could not delay telling what she had seen to the disciples, she ran, therefore, and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved: this day is a day of good news; if we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us (2 Kgs 7:9). And so one who hears the words of God should tell it to others without delay: let him who hears say: come (Rev 22:17). Mary came to those who were more important and who loved Christ more ardently, so that they might either look for Jesus with her or share her sorrow. 2476. Consequenter cum dicit cucurrit ergo ad Simonem Petrum, ponitur rei visae denuntiatio. Ex nimio enim amore non distulit nuntiare discipulis quod vidit; sed cucurrit, et venit ad Simonem Petrum, et alium discipulum quem diligebat Iesus. IV Reg. VII, 9: haec dies boni nuntii est: si tacuerimus, et noluerimus nuntiare usque ad mane, sceleris arguemur. Sic qui audit verba Dei, debet festinus aliis dicere. Apoc. ult., 17: qui audit dicat, veni. Sed ad illos venit qui praecipui erant, et Christum ferventius diligebant, ut aut secum quaererent, aut secum dolerent. She said to them, they have taken the Lord out of the sepulchre. Mary saw the empty tomb, and not yet having it in her heart that Christ had risen, she said, and we do not know where they have laid him. We can see from this that Mary had not been alone at the tomb, and that she still had doubts about the resurrection. So it was not without reason that the Evangelist wrote that it was still dark, for this indicated the condition of their minds, in which there was the darkness of doubt: they have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness (Ps 82:5). Et dicit eis tulerunt Dominum de monumento. Viso enim sepulcro vacuo, nondum habens in corde quod Christus resurrexerit, dicit et nescimus ubi posuerunt eum. Ubi dat intelligere quod non sola fuerit ad monumentum, et quod adhuc de resurrectione dubitaret. Et ideo Evangelista non sine causa dixit cum adhuc tenebrae essent, per qualitatem temporis, qualitatem mentis, in qua dubitationis tenebrae erant, designans. Ps. LXXXI, 5: nescierunt neque intellexerunt: in tenebris ambulant. Note that in the Greek manuscripts it reads, my Lord, which shows the impetus of her love and her affectionate devotion: whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides you . . . God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever (Ps 73:25). Sed attende, quod in Graecis codicibus habetur Dominum meum, ad designandum propensiorem caritatem, et famulatus affectum; Ps. LXXII, 25: quid mihi est in caelo, et a te quid volui super terram? Defecit caro mea et cor meum: Deus cordis mei, et pars mea Deus in aeternum. 2477. The Evangelist next shows how this was investigated: Peter therefore went out, and that other disciple. First, he indicates the eagerness with which Peter and John acted, for they left the place where they were and Peter, therefore, went out and that other disciple. Those who want to look into the mysteries of Christ have in a sense to come out from themselves and from their carnal way of living: come out, O daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon (Song 3:11). 2477. Consequenter cum dicit exiit ergo Petrus et ille alius discipulis, ponitur denuntiatae rei inquisitio: et primo ponitur quaerentium studium ad inquirendum; et hoc per exitum, dum dicit exiit ergo Petrus et alius discipulus. Qui enim scrutari vult mysteria Christi, debet exire quodammodo a se, et a carnali consuetudine. Cant. III, 11: egredimini et videte, filiae Sion, Regem Salomonem. 2478. Second, we see the details of their search. First, it is said that they ran. They both ran, they who loved Christ more than the others: I will run in the way of your commandments (Ps 119:32); so run that you may obtain it, the prize (1 Cor 9:25). 2478. Secundo ponitur inquisitionis ordo seu modus. Et primo quantum ad cursum, quia currebant duo simul, qui prae ceteris Christum diligebant. Ps. CXVIII, 32: viam mandatorum tuorum cucurri; 1 Cor. IX, 25: sic currite ut comprehendatis. 2479. Second, we see how the disciples arrived, the other disciple outran Peter. 2479. Secundo quantum ad adventum, quia et ille alius discipulus praecucurrit citius Petro, ubi John arrived first, primo ponitur quomodo Ioannes praevenit; and Peter followed: then Simon Peter came, following him. secundo quomodo Petrus eum sequitur, ibi venit ergo Simon Petrus sequens eum. 2480. It is not without reason that the Evangelist is careful to tell us the smallest details. For these two disciples signify two peoples, the Jews and the gentiles. Although the Jews were the first to have knowledge of the one true God, the gentiles were an older people, because even the Jews originated from the gentiles: go from your country and your kindred (Gen 12:1). These two people were both running over the course of this world: the Jews using the written law, the gentiles using the law of nature. Or, they were both running by their natural desire for happiness and for a knowledge of the truth, which all men desire to know by their very nature. The other disciple, that is, the younger one, outran Peter, because the gentiles came to a knowledge of the truth more slowly than the Jews, since formerly God was known only in Judea. So the Psalm says, he has not dealt thus with any other nation (Ps 147:20). And came to the sepulchre first, because he first considered the mysteries of Christ, as it was first to the Jews that the promise of Christ was made, to whom belongs the adoption as of children, and the glory, and the testament, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises: whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ, according to the flesh, who is over all things (Rom 9:4–5). 2480. Sed nota, quod non sine causa Evangelista etiam particularia diligenter narrat. Nam istis duobus discipulis, populus duplex, Iudaeorum scilicet et gentilium designatur. Quia licet Iudaeis prius habuerint cognitionem unius veri Dei, tamen quantum ad statum mundi, populus gentium est antiquior: quia ex gentilibus processerunt etiam Iudaei. Gen. XII, 1: egredere de terra tua et de cognatione tua. Isti simul currebant, vel decursum huius mundi: Iudaei per litteram legis, gentiles per legem naturae; vel simul currunt naturali desiderio ad beatitudinem et veritatis cognitionem, quam omnes homines natura scire desiderant. Sed ille alius discipulus, scilicet minor, praecucurrit citius Petro: quia gentiles ad cognitionem veritatis tardius venerunt quam Iudaei, quia quondam Deus erat tantum in Iudaea notus, unde dicunt Ps. CXLVII, 20: non fecit taliter omni nationi. Et venit prior ad monumentum: quia prius consideravit mysteria Christi, et prius Iudaeis de Christo facta est promissio. Rom. IX, 4: quorum est adoptio filiorum et gloria et testamentum et legislatio et obsequium et promissa; quorum patres, ex quibus est Christus secundum carnem etc. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying there; but he did not go in. He stooped, under the yoke of the law, all that the Lord has spoken we will do (Exod 24:7), he saw the linen cloths lying there, that is, the figures or foreshadowings of all the mysteries, but their minds were hardened; for to this day, when they read the Old Covenant, that same veil remains uplifted (2 Cor 3:14). But he did not go in, for as long as he was unwilling to believe in the one who was dead he had not yet come to the knowledge of the truth. Another who did not go in was the brother of the prodigal son, for when he heard the celebrations, the music and the dancing, he refused to go in (Luke 15:28). Nevertheless, David promised that they would enter: I will go to the altar of God (Ps 43:4). Et cum se inclinasset, vidit linteamina posita, non tamen introivit. Et cum se inclinasset, scilicet sub iugo legis, Ex. XXIV, 7: omnia quaecumque praecepit Dominus faciemus. Vidit linteamina posita, scilicet figuras quasdam omnium mysteriorum, II Cor. c. III, 14: usque in hodiernum diem idipsum velamen in lectione Veteris Testamenti manet non revelatum. Non tamen introivit: quia non pervenit ad veritatis cognitionem dum in mortuum credere noluit. Et hoc dicitur Lc. c. XV, 25 ss. de fratre maiore, qui audiens symphoniam et tripudia fratri revertenti facta, noluit intrare: cum tamen introitum promittat David, dicens Ps. XLII, 4: introibo ad altare Dei. 2481. Now the Evangelist recounts the arrival of Peter. As for the literal meaning, the fact that they ran together was a sign of their passionate devotion. John arrived first because he was a younger man than Peter. 2481. Hic agitur de perventione Petri. Et secundum litteram, quod simul currebant, signum erat ferventis devotionis; sed Ioannes citius pervenit, quia iunior erat sene Petro. But considering the mystical sense, Peter follows John because the gentiles who were converted to Christ were not joined to another church different from the church of the Jews, but were grafted on to the already existing olive tree and Church. The Apostle praises them saying, for you brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea (1 Thess 2:14). Sed secundum mysterium, Petrus Ioannem sequitur: quia gentiles ad Christum conversi, non erant congregandi in aliam ecclesiam ab ecclesia Iudaeorum, sed inserendi in praecedentem olivam et Ecclesiam: Rom. II. Et ideo Apostolus, I Thess. II, 14, commendans eos, dicit: vos autem, fratres, facti estis imitatores ecclesiarum quae sunt in Iudaea in Christo Iesu. 2482. Third, we see the order in which they entered: and went into the sepulchre, 2482. Tertio ponitur ordo inquisitionis quantum ad eorum ingressum, quia introivit in monumentum, et Peter first, primo ponitur quomodo Petrus intravit primo; and then John: then the other disciple also went in. secundo quomodo Ioannes, ibi tunc ergo introivit in monumentum. 2483. The Evangelist says that Peter entered the tomb. According to the literal meaning, although John arrived first, he did not enter because of his respect for Peter. But considering the mystical interpretation, this signifies that the Jewish people, who were the first to hear of the mysteries of the incarnation, would be converted to the faith after the gentiles: that gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness have attained it . . . but that Israel who pursued the righteousness which is based in law did not succeed in fulfilling that law (Rom 9:30). 2483. Dicit ergo, quod Petrus introivit in monumentum: et quidem, secundum litteram, Ioannes, qui primo pervenit, non intravit propter reverentiam Petri, cui priorem ingressum servabat. Sed secundum mysterium, signatur quod populus Iudaeorum, qui primo mysteria incarnationis audivit, posterius ad fidem convertitur quam populus gentium. Rom. IX, 30: gentes quae non sectabantur iustitiam, apprehenderunt iustitiam . . . . Israel vero sectando legem iustitiae, in legem iustitiae non pervenit.