siders the word "sabbath," as equivalent to "week," and translates it, "late in the week,"

that is, "at the end of the week." Late" it may be, but not in the week, and he brings no example to confirm it; and unfortunately it takes place in the commencement of the week. To which it is answered, the beginning of the week follows the end, and therefore it is late in the week; but this is not illustration. For myself, I must think the Greek translator has made some mistake, and so thought Jerome before me, only he has not pointed out the exact difficulty. Jerome was acquainted with the Hebrew original, and if he had had it by him, when he wrote this conjecture, we should have been relieved from every doubt. My idea is, that in the original Hebrew the word was

twilight," and in fact where the Hebrew word, Isaiah v. 19. has this signification, the septuagint have rendered it by "late," the very Greek word that is adopted by the Greek translator of Matthew. Taking it therefore as the morning twilight, which sense it has already borne, then Matthew coincides with the other evangelists, and the text would run thus; "in the twilight, after the sabbath, with which the first day in the week, namely, the Sunday,

commences." Probable as this explanation may be, I still have my doubts upon it, for I find in four Greek manuscripts, a variation, which very much alters the sense, and which not having much attracted the notice of the learned, has been, perhaps, too little investigated. These four manuscripts, of which two, (the 8th of Stephanus, and the 2d of Usher,) are particularly valuable on account of their various readings, omit the Greek particle, which answers to our "and" and "but." In this case the words would belong to the preceding chapter, and would run thus:-"They secured the grave with a guard, and sealed the stone on the sabbath evening," that is, "on the evening, when the sabbath had already commenced,”—and this, according to Matthew xxvii. 62., did take place. This would make it perfectly easy and consistent, but a various reading must then be added, which would begin the 28th chapter thus: "And as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week;" at the same time I do not find such a various reading in any manuscript. But have the manuscripts been sufficiently examined? The question deserves investigation, and if I could find any manuscript, which would bear the latter construction, I

should prefer it, and place the words "in the end of the sabbath," at the close of the 27th chapter.

"The first day of the week."] Sunday. The usual method of expression in Syriac. Sabbath with Jews, Chaldæans, and Syrians, is not merely sabbath, but "week," and in saying "one day of the sabbath, or of the first month," we mean "the first day of the first month." This occurs Genesis xl. 2.

"The other Mary."] See Matthew xxvii. 61. and the comment.

(2-4.) What is here related evidently took place previous to the arrival of the women at the grave, for they do not see the stone rolled back, but only that it lies no longer before the grave; they do not see, even according to Matthew, any keepers. The angel, when they come, sits no longer upon the stone, but is, as I shall show in the fifth verse, in the sepulchre. As no one, however, saw this, except the Roman soldiers, who guarded the sepulchre, and who had received money, that they might be silent about what they saw, and with a view to circulate a falsehood, how could Matthew, it may be asked, be acquainted with it? In my opinion, the answer is easy, not from immediate and di

vine inspiration, but from the loquacity of the soldiers. They must, at the least, have been four in number at the sepulchre, when the events occurred. A secret, known to four persons, could not long remain so under the influence of money, at least for any lapse of time. He who is paid, states for his money, what he is required to state, but, when his spirits are elevated, and he is with his friends, when the wonderful narration becomes the subject of ridicule or inquiry, when he is asked whether they all slept so sound, as to be insensible to sight or hearing, when by the notoriety, which the Christian religion was gradually acquiring, much of Jesus and of his rumoured resurrection was circulated, he then says to others in confidence, what he actually saw, these repeat it in confidence, and thus in the course of eight years, (for sooner after the resurrection of Christ, Matthew did not write,) Christians, as well as biographers of Jesus, in Palestine, may have learnt the fact.

2." And behold, there was a great earthquake."] Thus it has been translated in the English, and in Luther's translation, and it is in this sense used and understood by the majority of commentators. But in this there may

should prefer it, and place the words "in end of the sabbath," at the close of the chapter.

"The first day of the week."] Sunday. usual method of expression in Syriac. bath with Jews, Chaldæans, and Syrian. not merely sabbath, but "week," and in ing "one day of the sabbath, or of the month," we mean the first day of the month." This occurs Genesis xl. 2.

"The other Mary."] See Matthew xxvii and the comment.

(2-4.) What is here related evidently place previous to the arrival of the wome the grave, for they do not see the stone ro back, but only that it lies no longer before grave; they do not see, even according to A thew, any keepers. The angel, when they co sits no longer upon the stone, but is, as I s show in the fifth verse, in the sepulchre. no one, however, saw this, except the Ro soldiers, who guarded the sepulchre, and had received money, that they might be si about what they saw, and with a view to ci late a falsehood, how could Matthew, it may asked, be acquainted with it? In my opin the answer is easy, not from immediate and

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