SELECT EPITOME FROM THE SAME EUSEBIUS TO MARINUS ON THE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS IN THE GOSPELS (24).
A Having already composed two books on the ambiguous questions and solutions that occur concerning the beginnings of the divine Gospels, I come now, having passed over the middle portions, to the final sections, which have always been a matter of controversy for everyone: perhaps by the divine will, which has prompted us to this through your commands, Marinus, my most honored and diligent son. You ask, first:
1. How does the Savior appear to have risen late on the Sabbath according to Matthew, but early on the first day of the week according to Mark?
1'. There would be a twofold solution to this. For one person, B by rejecting the very chapter itself—that is, the section in which this is narrated—would say that it is not contained in all the copies of the Gospel according to Mark. Indeed, the accurate copies [(25)] conclude the history according to Mark at the words of the young man seen by the women, where he says to them, "Do not be afraid; you seek Jesus the Nazarene," and the following, to which he adds, "And having heard, they fled, and told no one anything, for they were afraid." For in this place the end is marked in almost all the copies [(26)] of the Gospel according to Mark; but what follows, being seldom found in some—though not in all—would be superfluous, and especially so if they should have a contradiction to the testimony of the remaining evangelists. This, then, is what someone might say in rejecting and entirely removing the superfluous question [(27)]. But another person, not daring to reject anything C of those things found in the writing of the Gospels, says that there is a double solution: [alt-version omitted]
as is also the case in many other matters, and that each is to be accepted, since the judgment of believers and pious men inclines not to this one rather than that one A, nor to that one rather than this one (28).
II. How the Magdalene, who according to Matthew had seen the resurrection late on the Sabbath, the same woman according to John stands weeping at the tomb on the first day of the Sabbath.
1. There will be no question in these places if we do not understand "late on the Sabbath" to be said of the evening time after the Sabbath day, as some have supposed, but of the late and final period of the night after the Sabbath.
Age B truly, if it is conceded that the matter is so, the method and meaning of the reading must be cleared up. If therefore we divide the sense of the passage, we shall surely not find it contrary to those things which are said by Matthew, namely that the Savior rose "late on the Sabbath." For we shall read that which is in Mark, "Now when he had risen early on the first day of the Sabbath," with a distinction, and after "when he had risen," we shall place a mark; and we shall mark off the sense from what follows. Then, the "when he had risen," we shall refer to the "late on the Sabbath" in Matthew; for then indeed he had risen. The following part, which contains another meaning, we shall connect with what is added: "for early on the first day of the Sabbath he appeared to Mary Magdalene." John also declared this, testifying that Jesus himself appeared to the Magdalene early on the first day of the Sabbath. Thus, therefore, he also appeared to her in Mark early; not having risen early, but much earlier according to Matthew, namely "late on the Sabbath." For at that time he had risen and appeared to Mary—not at that time, but early. So that in these accounts, there are two times set forth: one of the resurrection, namely "late on the Sabbath"; and the other of the Savior’s appearance, namely "early," of which Mark speaks when he says (and this must be read with a distinction) C: "Now when he had risen," then after marking it, the following must be said: "early on the first day of the Sabbath he appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons."
[... A block of text containing critical notes and discussion regarding the integrity of the Marcan text and modern scholarly opinion, including references to Birch, Scholz, and Tischendorf, is present in the Latin column here. [alt-version omitted]]
(29) A notable statement of Eusebius regarding those parts of Scripture which have sometimes been controversial! Let those hear this who not only cut away the smallest parts—like the heavenly testimony in the Epistle of John v. 7—but even larger ones, and indeed whole deuterocanonical books.
(29) These questions about discrepancies in times and about the various Marys and the distinct angels were partly edited by Combefis in his *Novum Auctarium Patrum* and by Matthaei in his *Anecdota Moscuensia*, though not without variations. For these little studies of Eusebius occur everywhere in codices, both in others and in the Vatican ones, so that they were once translated into Latin also by Ambrose of Milan, a monk of Monte Cassino, as Sixtus testifies in his *Bibliotheca*.
after the Sabbath; for thus we are accustomed to say "late the hour," and "late the time," and "late the need," not signifying the evening, nor the time after sunset, but indicating by this mode that it is very late. Hence, as if interpreting himself, Matthew, after the "late the Sabbath," added "which begins to dawn," meaning, that is, at the hour which was now presently beginning to appear and dawn into the Lord’s Day, which was late and A already advancing far from the Sabbath. ¶ Furthermore, "late the Sabbath" has been spoken by the interpreter of the Scripture; for the evangelist Matthew indeed delivered the Gospel in the Hebrew language; but he who translated it into the Greek tongue, the hour dawning onto the Lord's Day, he called "late the Sabbaths," so that the same time is understood, or one very close to it, designated by the evangelists with diverse names; and it makes no difference that Matthew says: B "Now late the Sabbaths, which begins to dawn into one of the Sabbaths, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher," since John says: "And on one of the Sabbaths, Mary Magdalene comes early to the monument, while it was still dark." For they signify in a broad sense one and the same time by different terms; Matthew using "late" for "tardily," and instead of "late in the night" naming "early," the interpreter added "while it was still dark," lest anyone should suppose it to be called the dawn by him. Just as also Matthew, by the words "late the Sabbaths," lest anyone should think of the evening time, added "which begins to dawn into one of the Sabbaths." And indeed he expressed the late hour accurately, lest anyone should suppose the evening hour to be after sunset; for he says "late the Sabbaths."
2. It was however a custom to call the whole week "Sabbath," and to name all the days in this way. Thus it is said by the evangelists: "on one of the Sabbaths"; and in common usage, "second C of the Sabbaths," and "third of the Sabbaths," and "fourth of the Sabbaths." Thus, therefore, Matthew called the time dawning toward the morning of the Lord’s Day "late the Sabbaths," not saying "evening of the Sabbath," nor "late of the Sabbath"; since it would behoove us on the day of the Sabbath, after the setting of the sun and the evening having come, to break the fast; and no longer to rejoice on the Lord’s Day, but on the evening of the Sabbath, if the evangelist indeed intended that. But we are not accustomed to break fasts on the evening of the Sabbath, but when night has taken hold, at midnight itself, or about the cock-crowing, or around the dawn; so that both from the act itself, and from the custom prevailing in the Churches of God, the time signified by "late the Sabbaths" is not the evening hour, but this which Matthew himself D demonstrated by saying "which begins to dawn into one of the Sabbaths." For there was no reason for such wonders to be performed around the monument of the Savior during the evening of the Sabbath, lest all the inhabitants of the city should learn the things happen-
ing, and a crowd should gather at the monument, while everyone was awake. It was logical, after the stone had been overturned paradoxically, for the guards to hasten immediately to report what had happened, since the hour allowed them to do so. And they are instructed the next day by the chief priests to proclaim to everyone that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we were sleeping—which would have had no room to be fabricated if he had risen in the evening. But I think it is demonstrated through these things that the expression used by Matthew, "late on the Sabbath," does not signify the late hour of the Sabbath, nor the evening time; for Matthew himself added, "as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week," which was morning, while it was still dark according to John. For thus the harmony of the evangelical voices would come together, as one time is signified by them, but the parts of that time are changed by each of the writers; since it is possible to conceive of the beginning, the middle, and the end of one and the same hour. B 3. You would not, then, be in error to say that the first things concerning the resurrection of our Savior are signified by John, with whom Mary Magdalene, in the morning while it was still dark, having come to the monument for the first and second time and not having found the body of the Savior, weeps because for no one yet was his resurrection explored. And the other part of that hour is the time of which Matthew speaks, when the same Magdalene comes for the third time to the monument with the other Mary, and no longer weeps, as she would have already seen the angels and the Savior himself according to John; for the things said by Luke and Mark would be indicative of other events, with whom more women arrive for the viewing. But consider that the Magdalene did not meet them at times far removed from one another, but near the same and at the same time, and that the first and second events occurred; the first, where she was alone; the second, with the other Mary. Thus the same Mary Magdalene viewed the things recorded by Matthew and the things recorded by John. And she was not excluded from the narrations of the other evangelists; for she did not depart from the place, but was present and stood there astonished at what had been seen, desiring that after the first C apparition, she might also enjoy the second and third; which she actually attained, as many women came to the tomb in various ways; and the angelic vision presented itself to them in different ways, while the Magdalene herself participated in each vision. And thus, Magdalene was a witness of the events written by the four evangelists: wherefore mention is made of her by all. And thus the time was the same which is presented by John and Matthew, but however, different intervals of this time are noted by each. 4. Do not let it trouble you that it is said by Matthew, after the two Marys came to view the tomb,
"For the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled back the stone from the door." For one should not suppose that the angel rolled back the stone at that very hour; for how could that be, when the account in John precedes it, where he narrates that not only Mary, but two disciples also had entered the monument? Therefore, you might say that the discourse in Matthew is a narrative of things that happened before this. For indeed, according to him, two Marys came to view the tomb, and found it already opened, since a great earthquake had occurred before this, and the angel had rolled back the stone, who, standing by, then announced the good news to the women. This, then, is one solution A for the difficulties surrounding this place.
5. The matters proposed could also be resolved in another way, if you were to suppose that the Marys mentioned in Matthew are different from the one in John. For we find that there were four Marys in all present at the Savior’s passion along with the other women. B First, the Theotokos herself, the mother of the Savior; second, her sister, Mary of Cleopas; third, Mary Magdalene; and fourth, the mother of James and Joseph. Now, John mentioned the first three Marys, saying thus: "There stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene." The fourth C Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, was mentioned by the remaining three evangelists, who associate her with the Magdalene. Matthew indeed speaks thus: "And many women were there, watching from afar, who had followed him from Galilee, ministering to him; among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary of James and Joseph, who watched the place where he was laid." And Luke also speaks of the other Mary thus: "And there were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary of James, and the others who were with them."
6. Therefore, of these four Marys, if you were to consider that the two in Matthew, who came to the monument at the dawn of the first day of the week and saw the angel, are different from the one who came alone according to John while it was still dark D on the first day of the week, being ignorant of the resurrection, and for this reason weeping, nothing inconsistent would be encountered, since every [difficulty is resolved].
And late indeed on the Sabbath, according to what has been set forth, those things having been done which are written down in Matthew at the presence of the two Marys, and early on the first day of the week, those things having been looked upon by the other Marys which are in John, all these things, I say, are true, and there is no contradiction in the places, or in the times, or in the persons, or in the narration itself.
7. Now if the name of the Magdalene added in both evangelists confuses the understanding, B truly it is not right that divine Scripture should be disturbed for the sake of one word or name, which often happens when it is intruded through the error of a copyist. For either it must be thought that these two came from one city or village, Magdalo, or that the surname of "Magdalene" was rashly added to one of them, the copyist who wrote in ancient times having slipped into error, which subsequent transcribers have kept as a mistake. We shall demonstrate a little later that the same thing happened in other instances as well. Indeed, when in such matters it was written correctly at the beginning, but later a mistake crept in, and yet the amanuenses did not recognize the change in the writing, some questions arose. And thus you would say that this happened regarding the surname of the Magdalene, superfluously added to one of the Marys: with which removed, every question is taken away, no one any longer having doubts regarding these passages. Therefore, both late on the Sabbath, which is to say in the deep night, those things which are narrated in Matthew were seen by the Magdalene and the other C Mary; and early, while it was still dark, another Mary came to the same place; who was first anxious, the body of the Savior not having been found; but later she herself was also a spectator of him. It would be more commendable, however, if we do not even argue that there is a mistake in these places, but rather deem that there were two Magdalenes, just as we have already demonstrated that there were four Marys. Certainly no absurdity forbids us from saying that two Marys came from the same village of Magdalo: so that absolutely no perplexity remains, but that one is she who was late on the Sabbath in Matthew, and another, and she herself also a Magdalene, is she who comes early to the monument in John: which latter one it is credible is mentioned by Mark also, according to the faith of some copies; from whom, to be sure, seven demons had been cast out: and this appears to be the one to whom it was said, "Do not touch me," D and not the one in Matthew: for even if she too perhaps originated from Magdalo, yet the divine Scripture does not besmirch the same one with the same stain.
III. How she who according to Matthew late on the Sabbath, the Magdalene, together with the other Mary, touched the feet of the Savior, the same one early on the first day of the Sabbath according to John hears, “Do not touch me.”
1. If indeed there were one and the same Mary before both
A evangelists, we shall say that she repeatedly came to the same place, since the astonishment at what had occurred and the joy at the outcome drew her there. Therefore, the first one to arrive and the first to witness the things which John narrates, she returned hurriedly to the apostles, first announcing the opening of the sepulcher; then, although she had seen the resurrection, she was nevertheless distressed, suspecting that someone had taken the body of Jesus from the grave, not knowing where he had been laid. Afterward, she went a second time with them to the tomb. And when they returned home, she alone was left behind in the place, stood there weeping, then stooping to look into the tomb, she saw two angels; then she also saw the Savior himself. Since she stood there weeping, and was disposed in a human and lowly way—as if his body had been stolen—and was thinking unworthy things about him, he first addresses her as “woman,” rebuking and reproaching her feminine despondency; hence he says, “Woman, why are you weeping?” Then he says to her, “Mary,” reminding her by her name of himself and of the words he had spoken long ago to her and the rest of the disciples concerning his resurrection. She, having come to her senses and recognized from the voice and the power of the word who it was, says, “Rabboni,” which is interpreted as “Teacher.”
2. Then, because she was hastening to approach him as a teacher and not yet as God, he forbids and turns her away, saying, “Do not touch me.” For because she was still thinking mortal thoughts, she was not able to touch his divinity; nor, indeed, was it fitting that she, who was still weeping and seeking him down by the monuments and tombs as if he were a dead man, and was thinking lowly and human things about him, should become a partaker of his touch. Wherefore he reveals the cause, saying that he had not yet ascended—as far as she was concerned—to the Father, C since she did not yet believe that this had taken place, but supposed him to be lying dead somewhere. Wherefore he says to her, “Do not touch me,” being such a one as you are and thinking such things about me; for to you I am not yet believed to be God, but am still considered to be earthly. Thus, by the words “Do not touch me,” he rebuked her who was weeping and who thought him to be the gardener; just as he did by calling her “woman” and by saying, “Why are you weeping?” For to weep for the living—or rather, for Life itself—was of the utmost ignorance. By these means he rebuked her; but by what followed he taught her the theology concerning himself. She, having been greatly profited by these things, again leaves the tomb—this is the second time—and then, having told the other Mary the things she had seen according to John, she returned with her; this is the third time. And she became a spectator of the things recorded by Matthew, no longer alone, but with the other Mary; and no longer stooping to look inside the D tomb as in John, nor seeing two angels, but one sitting by the stone.
3. After these things, she again sees the Savior himself with the other Mary; this is the second time; and no longer
does she hear, "Do not touch me," but on the contrary is commanded by Him to rejoice instead of weep; indeed, she is even permitted to touch Him, since she also worships Him as God. For Jesus says to them, "Rejoice." And they, approaching, took hold of His feet A and worshiped Him. And thus the sacred Gospels tell the truth at once, in no way contradicting one another, introducing the same Mary Magdalene as not at first touching the Savior when she was weeping and unbelieving, but touching Him when she was bidden to rejoice. Now, that the events described in John are to be considered prior to those reported in Matthew, we have demonstrated in our previous arguments according to one of the interpretations, having clarified how that which is said in Matthew, "at the end of the Sabbath" (sero Sabbatorum), does not denote the evening hour, by the evangelist, but the time dawning into the first day of the week. This time, however, was later than that of which John speaks. And let these things be said B if anyone insists at all that it is the same Mary in both the evangelists, John and Matthew.
4. But if it be conceded that they are not the same, but that another, who came at the end of the Sabbath accompanied by the other Mary to the tomb, and another who—according to John—came alone to the same tomb early on the first day of the week while it was still dark, then every ambiguity would be dissolved. For the former, who arrived at the end of the Sabbath, being more diligent and faithful, were bidden by Christ to rejoice, and were deemed worthy to worship Him and to take hold of His feet; whereas the Mary in John, being different from the former, arrived later, that is, in the morning. And this is the same one C as in Mark, from whom He had cast out seven demons; and her soul was vehemently disturbed, and she was more unbelieving, so that she remained there weeping, and supposed that the body of the Savior had been taken away from the tomb and carried off to other lands. And her mind had been so disturbed that she did not even greatly regard the angels seen inside the sepulcher, nor did she recognize the Savior himself when He appeared to her eyes, but deemed Him to be the gardener (36-37).
IV.
Concerning the tomb and the apparent contradiction.
D How is it that, according to Matthew, Mary Magdalene with the other Mary saw one angel outside the tomb sitting on the stone of the tomb; and how, according to John, Mary Magdalene inside the tomb sees two angels sitting; and according to Luke, two men stood by the women; and finally, according to Mark, a young man was seen by them sitting at the right side of the tomb by Mary Magdalene and Mary of James and Salome?
1. The events according to Matthew come first; whence the two Marys just then saw the angel who had come there and rolled away the stone. And the events according to
John surely occur later, where two angels were seen inside the tomb, distinct from the one who appeared outside A and sat upon the stone, as Matthew relates. But as for what is said in Luke, that two men were seen in shining raiment, and moreover that youth in Mark who was clothed in a white robe and seen on the right, not on the left, who announced the glad and joyful tidings to the women: these—I say—are surely angels distinct from one another, and different from those whom the former evangelists commemorate. Hence, neither Luke nor Mark explicitly call these ones angels; indeed, those same evangelists do not even record the things which John and Matthew relate, I mean the visions of the Savior. But they leave it to the greater ones, Matthew and John, to relate the greater things B; they themselves relate the secondary things, supplying what was passed over in silence by the others.
2. It is possible, therefore, to say this: since there are four evangelists, there appear to be as many visions recorded by them; there are four times, and the individuals who appeared at each time were peculiar to those times. Likewise, the women who saw them were different, and the words spoken to them by those who appeared were at variance. How, then, is this so? The first time is that in Matthew, late on the Sabbath, when Mary Magdalene was with the other woman outside the tomb, at the time the earthquake occurred, and they saw one saying: "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; for He has risen; come, see." The fourth and final time is that in Mark, when the sun had risen and there appeared the C youth who was seen by the women,
Question IV to Marinus
.[Note: The text continues with a section marked (38) inserted between columns]
(38) In the two Eusebian chapters as Combesis, as I have said, has published, just as very many things from these writings intended for Marinus are missing, so some are diverse, and some indeed seem more explanatory. However, the edition in this place holds as follows: "Having conceded to those greater ones, or as if to Matthew and John themselves, since they were apostles, to write and record the greater things, they themselves, in relating the secondary things, filled in what was passed over in silence by those others—things which were secondary and fell far short of the former history. Thus the Holy Spirit distributed the accounts proper and suitable to each. Therefore, the women who came to the tomb at deep dawn in Luke, bearing the spices they had prepared, might be others than those in Matthew and John. For it would not make sense for the Marys who had already seen so much to be bringing spices for the first time, as if not yet having learned of the resurrection. For this reason, we might say that those signified in Luke are others than the first ones. D This the evangelist himself records, saying: 'And it was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was dawning. And the women who had accompanied Him from Galilee followed,' and the rest; behold, he shows that these were others. Hence, the ones who appeared were also different from those previously declared; for they were neither inside the tomb according to John, nor sitting on the stone as the angel in Matthew. Moreover, Luke did not even call them angels, but two men, though in shining raiment, as symbols of the feast. And their words to the women are distinct; and there were more women, not just the one in John; nor the two Marys in Matthew.
"Regarding the one Mary in John, about dawn, while it was still dark, standing at the tomb and seeing the stone taken away from the tomb, whom the evangelist names Magdalene, a suspicion enters that there is some other Magdalene who knew nothing of what was seen by the two Marys. But if it is the one and the same woman who is mentioned by both evangelists, the history in John must necessarily precede that in Matthew; and the same Magdalene, having come alone at first, saw the two angels sitting inside the tomb; but after this, having come a second time to the same place with the other Mary, she saw the angel sitting on the stone. Of these two interpretations, I deem the former the truer: that the Mary in John is different from those in Matthew, even if the epithet 'Magdalene' is ascribed to her, as there were, as is likely, two women from the same Magdala. For if this is granted, every dispute will be resolved: the women mentioned in Matthew being distinct, and others in John, and the angel sitting on the stone being one, and the two angels seen inside the tomb in John being others; and the time being different, and the words both of the angel sitting on the stone and of the angels seen inside the tomb being different.
"According to Mark, very early on the first day of the week they go to the tomb, as the sun had risen; behold, these are again others, and at a different time, who said to themselves: 'Who will roll away the stone for us?' And that they saw a youth sitting, just as in Luke, they were men and not angels; so now also he is not named an angel, nor a man, but a youth. So this account is also distinct, as is the one seen, and the others who arrived, and the time, being likewise different, the one after the rising of the sun." The same narrative again varies slightly in the Vatican codices, according to the judgment of the abbreviators or those making excerpts.
A The young man who was seen by the women, Mary Magdalene and Mary of James and Salome, who had come with spices and heard, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus the Nazarene who was crucified." Intermediary between these are those angels who appear individually in John and Luke. For late on the Sabbath an angel appeared alone outside the tomb; after whom the Savior himself [appeared]. Then, early in the morning, two other men appeared in Luke, not seen inside the tomb. Last of all is that young man, and before him, as well as before the men mentioned by Luke, those two [appeared] inside the tomb.
3. Luke says that on the first of the Sabbaths, early in the morning, two women who had followed him, who were from Galilee and had followed along when they buried him, came to the tomb with spices; and these saw two angels, who also said, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen; remember how he spoke to you while he was still with you, saying that the Son of man must suffer," and the rest.
4. John says that on the first of the Sabbaths Mary Magdalene came alone to the tomb, while it was still dark; and she saw the stone taken away. She came to Simon and to John and said, B "They have taken the Lord from the tomb and I do not know where they have laid him." Therefore Peter and John came to the tomb, and the rest. Then the evangelist shows the Magdalene weeping, and as she stooped to look, she saw two angels sitting, one at the head and one at the feet; and they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" And she said, "They have taken my Lord and I do not know where they have laid him." Then she turned back and saw Jesus standing, and did not know that it was Jesus. But Jesus says to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?"
5. Some are perplexed as to how three days and three nights are fulfilled, as Christ said, before the resurrection took place. It is possible to answer in this way. Some count from C the time when Jesus was betrayed; others divide the Preparation into two, since there was night and again day, because on that day the sun was darkened and again shone forth. Then there is the entire day of the Sabbath and its night. Others count the whole of the Preparation, both day and night; the Sabbath also, the whole of it and its night; and the beginning of the Lord's day they count as a whole day, as it was at the time when Christ rose. And thus they say there are three days. Certainly, in the case of the dead and of newborn children, we are accustomed to measure a whole day in this way, whether the birth happened at the tenth hour D or at the beginning of the day. In this same way, for the dead, we perform the customary funeral rites on the third, ninth, and fortieth day—not the whole third day with its night, nor the whole ninth with its night, nor the fortieth similarly with its night; but by observing the beginnings of the final days, we perform what is to be done, measuring and accounting this whole day.