Matthew 28:2

“And behold there was a great earthquake, etc.] Or “there had been one”; which, how far it reached, and whether further than the spot of ground in which the sepulchre was, is not certain: it was an emblem of the shaking of the earth by the preaching of the Gospel, the sound of which was now to go after Christ’s resurrection to the ends of the world; and a prelude of the general resurrection, when the earth shall be shaken, and the graves opened, and the dead come forth; and was a symbol and token of the presence and majesty of Christ, at whose rising, as at his death, the earth shook and trembled. Think whether the watch could now be asleep, as they afterwards gave out, (<402813>Matthew…”

“There was a great earthquake - Rather there “had been.” It does not mean that this was while they were there, or while they were going, but that there “had been” so violent a commotion as to remove the stone. The word rendered here as “earthquake” does not of necessity mean that the convulsion extended to the earth, but only that there had been such a concussion as to remove the stone. And sat upon it - Sat upon it when the keepers saw him, Matthew 28:4. It is not said that he was sitting when he appeared to the women. From Luke it would rather appear that he was standing. return to 'Top of Page'”

“An angel of the Lord had rolled away the stone and sat upon it - St. Luke and St. John speak of two angels that appeared: but it seems as if only one of them had appeared sitting on the stone without the sepulchre, and then going into it, was seen with another angel, sitting, one where the head, the other where the feet of the body had lain. Matthew 28:6”

“there: Mat 27:51-53; Act 16:26; Rev 11:19 was: or, had been for: Mar 16:3-5; Luk 24:2-5; Joh 20:1, Joh 20:12, Joh 20:13; Ti1 3:16; Pe1 1:12 Matthew 28:3”