Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 28:4

4. And for fear of him, the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

Matthew alone telleth us this, all the other Evangelists agree, that when the women came, they found the stone rolled away, which eased the women of the sollicitude they had as they came; saying amongst themselves, Who sha[illegible: 2 letters] ro[illegible: 1 letter]l u[illegible: 1 letter] away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? Ma[illegible: 3 letters]ew saith, an Angel descended and rolled away the stone, and ca[illegible: 1 letter]e and [illegible: 1 letter]ate upon it. This Angel had assumed a shape, for he appeared to those that saw him, as to his countenance like lightning. As to his garment, as one clothed in exceeding white linnen, white as Snow. What doth the watch all this while? Matthew saith, they were afraid, shook, and became like dead men. Luke and Iohn make mention of two Angels; nor indeed needed there any Angel at all, to remove the Stone, if this had been all he had come down for: He that was quickned by the Spirit, could by the same power have rolled away the stone: But as it was fit▪ that the Angels who had been witnesses of his Pa[illegible: 1 letter]sion, should also be witnesses of his Resurrection; that he who was iustified in the spirit, should be seen of Angels: 1 Tim. 3.16. So it was necessary, that the keepers might give a just account to Pilate, the chief Priests and Scribes. And no wonder that they were afraid, and as dead men; when as all Apparitions of this nature naturally affright us; and they had such a conscience of guilt upon them, and might justly fear what their Masters should say to them, when they found the body was missing; especially also seeing, or being sensible of the earthquake, or great concussion of the air. (For though we translate it earthquake, yet the Greek saith no more then [non-Latin text not transcribed].) Besides, that the presence of the Angels seemed reasonable to prevent a cheat, by putting some other dead body into the Sepulchre, and to direct the women who were now coming towards the Sepulchre; for they were not yet come: when they were come, they found the stone rolled away; and Matthew's relation, how the stone came removed, was doubtless, not from them, but from the Keepers, or some to whom they had related it.