GOSPEL OF MATTHEW CHAPTER 28

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW CHAPTER 28

1 But late in the sabbaths, as it
Drew near to the first in the fit
Of sabbaths, Mary Magdalene
And the other Mary were seen
To come to look upon the grave.
2 And see, a great earthquake to rave,
An angel of the Lord came down
From heaven and came near the town,
And rolled away the stone before
The door and sat upon the store.
3 And his face was as lightning’s glow,
And his clothing as white as snow.

What most amazes me is how the crude
Argue about which day ought to intrude
As day of resurrection: should it be
A Saturday or Sunday that’s set free?
I see that there’s no proof historical
That Jesus ever lived upon this ball,
And that might be a matter to try first,
Instead of thinking about days as cursed.
Beloved, the only day You seem to take
As of importance for commandment’s sake
Is just the Sabbath. On that day You find
Me coming to Your throne and there resigned
To live beneath Your grace and melody
Of Psalm that rises upward and faintly.

4 And those keeping the guard were shaken
From fear of him, and they were taken
Down to the ground as though as dead.
5 But the angel replied and said
To the women, ”You must not fear,
For I know that you seek one dear,
Jesus who has been crucified.
6 ”But he was raised and is not here,
As he said. Come and look inside
The place where the Lord did abide.

The whole myth of the dying god-man might
Have concentrated on the rising light
Merely because an earthquake shook a tomb
The Roman soldiers guarded for their doom.
The earthquake is enough to cause in time
Proliferation of stories in rhyme
About a man who once was crucified
But turned out to be son of god unfried.
Beloved, I do not say such is the case.
But if it is, it does not change my face.
I still adhere to those commandments he
Affirmed beside the shore of Galilee.
And whether live or dead or in glory,
I follow his path of faith for the free.

If I had heard the voice of angel when
The women sat beside the deathly den,
I might have run to tell the news to all
I knew to meet the great celestial call.
But I think it more likely, knowing me,
That I would have been doubtful of the spree,
And contemplated long wherefore the vision
Was one external or inside incision.
Beloved, I am a doubting Thomas here,
And yet I come before Your throne in fear
And love to You and to Your own commands
To keep them while I’m living on earth’s sands.
Whether the angel rises on my beams
Or not, I live above the thing that seems.

7 ”Go quickly then and tell his friends
That he was raised up from death’s ends.
And see, he goes before you to
Galilee. You will see him too.
See this is what I have told you.”
8 And so they went away from there,
Away from the tomb and its share
As fast as they could go with fear
And great joy, they ran to appear
To his disciples with news dear.
9 But as they left to give the word
To his disciples as were stirred,
See, Jesus also met them too,
And said “Good morning, howdy do?”
And they came near and grabbed his feet,
Prostrating themselves at the treat.
10 Then Jesus told them, “Do not fear.
Go tell your brothers who are near
That they may go to Galilee,
And there at last they will see me.”
11 After they left, some of the guard
Came to the city saying starred
To the chief priest what had occurred.
12 The elders took counsel in herd
And gave the soldiers silver turd
Enough to keep them off their word,
13 Saying “Say his disciples came
And stole him at night while for blame
We were asleep, and that’s our claim.”
14 And if this is heard by the chief,
We will persuade him from your grief.
15 They took the silver and they did
As they had their instruction’s bid.
And this report was spread abroad
By the Jews to this day’s applaud.

It's easy to claim that they paid them off
Not to tell the tale and to hear men scoff.
But the fact that two rumours are about
Makes it most difficult now not to doubt.
In fact, if Jesus had stayed dead I would
Find it the easier to believe the good,
And not because of miracle and power,
But because the tale here is like the shower
Of solar myths abounding round the state.
A variant that departed the rate
Would be more credible to have on plate.
I do not worship Baal or Horus or
Tammuz or Dionysiacal boar.
We do not need such gods, not any more.

16 But the eleven friends went to
Galilee to the mount in view
Appointed them by Jesus’ word.
17 And they saw him and they were stirred
To fall down in prostration, yet
They still doubted the scene and set.

If they still doubted though they saw the flame,
The body and the word spoken in claim,
Then how can anyone today be sure?
And why would anyone today endure
Such fables of the spring death and release
Into new life to work vital increase?
You may have cosmic doings in Your cloud,
But my duty here is one spoke aloud,
To keep the ten commandments and leave You
To handle Your forgiveness on men due
As You wish and as You contrive to do.
If You chose to work out salvation’s fare
In strange and irrational terms to wear,
It’s not for me to think about or share.

18 And Jesus came near and he spoke
With them, saying “All power for broke
In heaven and earth is given to me.
19 “Go and make of all nations my
Disciples, baptise them in dye
Of the name of the Father, Son
And Holy spirit when you’re done.
20 “Teach them to observe everything
That I’ve commanded you on wing.
And see I am with you each day
To the end of this age in pay.
Amen and amen, so I say.”

The very last words that Your sent one said
Bring out the fighting spirit in those bred
To follow him: they want to argue round
Baptism sprinkled or dunked to be drowned,
And whether You are three not to be found.
I cast aside the dogmas of the day,
And meet the coming of the Sabbath ray
Through the miqwe until I find the way
To hear Your great commandments and obey.
Obedience is the condition met
By those with whom Your sent one abides yet.
I keep his faith, Beloved, and find him still
Beside me in the valley, on the hill,
Alive, though once dead, living to the fill.

AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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