Matthew 27:61
Encyclopedia
Matthew 27:61 is the sixty-first verse of the twenty-seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
. This verse describes two women waiting by the Tomb of Jesus
after the crucifixion
.
The original Koine Greek
, according to Westcott and Hort
, reads:
In the King James Version of the Bible it is translated as:
The modern World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 27:61
The tense of this verse specifically contrasts it with the previous one. In that verse Joseph of Arimathea
leaves after supervising the burial of Jesus. In contrast the two Marys stay. There is no mention of the women leaving, but they presumably do so prior to the sabbath, and also prior to the arrival of the guards that are dispatched in the next verses.
Mary Magdalene
and "the other Mary" who is presumed to be "Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee" mentioned at Matthew 27:57
. In some traditions the second Mary is considered to be the same person as
. Matthew has these two women present for the crucifixion, the entombment, and the resurrection. By specifically mentioning these women at all three events the author of Matthew presents a set of witnesses to the entire passion narrative. This serves an apologetic purpose, evidence that the resurrection was not a matter of confusion. By having the women present at the entombment, there is not possibility that they could confuse tombs when the same women return at Matthew 28:1
. That the text so clearly strives to make such a story impossible, is evidence that similar allegations were likely circulating at the time the gospel was written. Keener considers it unlikely that the loyalty of the women is purely apologetic. Women witnesses were given less weight than male ones in that era. Moreover a group of Passionate female followers could have clear scandalous undertones, and in Keener's view would not have been invented for that reason. Matthew 27:55 mentions that many women were at the crucifixion, but now only two appear. The rest of the women may have fled in the same manner as the disciple.
This verse is based on Mark 15:47, and paralleled by Luke 23:55.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. This verse describes two women waiting by the Tomb of Jesus
Tomb of Jesus
Several places have been proposed as the tomb of Jesus, the place where Jesus Christ was buried:*Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, accepted by many Christians and scholars as built on ground on which Jesus was crucified and buried...
after the crucifixion
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
.
The original Koine Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
, according to Westcott and Hort
The New Testament in the Original Greek
The New Testament in the Original Greek is the name of a Greek language version of the New Testament published in 1881. It is also known as the Westcott and Hort text, after its editors Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort...
, reads:
- ην δε εκει μαριαμ η μαγδαληνη και η αλλη μαρια καθημεναι απεναντι του ταφου
In the King James Version of the Bible it is translated as:
- And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
The modern World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 27:61
The tense of this verse specifically contrasts it with the previous one. In that verse Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion. He is mentioned in all four Gospels.-Gospel references:...
leaves after supervising the burial of Jesus. In contrast the two Marys stay. There is no mention of the women leaving, but they presumably do so prior to the sabbath, and also prior to the arrival of the guards that are dispatched in the next verses.
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
and "the other Mary" who is presumed to be "Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee" mentioned at Matthew 27:57
Matthew 27:57
Matthew 27:57 is the fifty-seventh verse of the twenty-seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This verse begins a discussion of the burial of Jesus and introduces Joseph of Arimathea....
. In some traditions the second Mary is considered to be the same person as
Salome (disciple)
Salome , sometimes venerated as Mary Salome, was a follower of Jesus who appears briefly in the canonical gospels and in more detail in apocryphal writings...
. Matthew has these two women present for the crucifixion, the entombment, and the resurrection. By specifically mentioning these women at all three events the author of Matthew presents a set of witnesses to the entire passion narrative. This serves an apologetic purpose, evidence that the resurrection was not a matter of confusion. By having the women present at the entombment, there is not possibility that they could confuse tombs when the same women return at Matthew 28:1
Matthew 28:1
Matthew 28:1 is the first verse of the twenty-eighth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This verse opens the resurrection narrative as Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" visit Jesus' tomb after the crucification....
. That the text so clearly strives to make such a story impossible, is evidence that similar allegations were likely circulating at the time the gospel was written. Keener considers it unlikely that the loyalty of the women is purely apologetic. Women witnesses were given less weight than male ones in that era. Moreover a group of Passionate female followers could have clear scandalous undertones, and in Keener's view would not have been invented for that reason. Matthew 27:55 mentions that many women were at the crucifixion, but now only two appear. The rest of the women may have fled in the same manner as the disciple.
This verse is based on Mark 15:47, and paralleled by Luke 23:55.