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Dear Friends,

In celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord, it seems to me that the East emphasizes the Resurrection that occurred at night, while the West emphasizes the experience of the Myrrh-bearers on their way to the Tomb with the coming of the dawn.

Why this difference of approach, scripturally and liturgically?

Also, what is the precise understanding of Matthew 28:1, "toward the dawn" or "before the dawn?"

And how does this compare with Mark 16:2?

Do both relate to the Light in the darkness or do they reflect a different approach to the Resurrection?

Alex

Alex,

Seems to me that the East focuses more on the RESURRECTION (which came after the Crucifixion), while the West focuses more on the CRUCIFIXION (which preceded the Resurrection). The myrrh bearers came to complete the annointing of the body - a mitzvah belonging to His death & burial.


As for "before the dawn" I figured it meant just that. As a practical matter, doing things before the day got hot, especially working with a two or three day corpse..... well, let's say it would be less unpleasant than delaying longer...

My $.02, probably not terribly theological.

Sharon


Sharon Mech, SFO
Cantor & sinner
sharon@cmhc.com

Works for me, Sharon.

Me too!

But actually, didn't the ressurection occur during the night. It was just that the deciples found the stone rolled away in the morning.

The Scripture that comes to me is when they were in jail, and they were freed from the bonds of the chains. Wasn't that at night?

It is being set free from the chains that bind us to this earth. We come out of the darkness of the tomb, into the light of Christ.

Rose

Dear Mother Sharon,

And it works for me too!

Shalom Aleichem!

Alex

Dear Orthodox Christian,

In answer to one of your questions, I give you the response of Peter Chrysologos (380-450), who was a Latin Archbishop of Ravenna. This is an excerpt from SERMONS 77.2-3.:

Behold, with the Lord's resurrection the evening does not grow dark, it becomes light. What was normally the beginning of night now becomes the break of day.

"In the evening of the sabbath toward the dawn of the first day of the week." Even as mortality is transformed into immortality, corruption into incorruption and flesh into the Word of God, the darkness is transformed into light, so that the night itself rejoices that it did not die but is transmutted.

The sabbath rejoices that it now has a subservient effect. Under the yoke of the law the sabbath had become smugly apathetic and alienated from life-giving power. Throught the primacy of the Lord's Day, the sabbath is now wonderfully awakened to the works of divine power. To paraphrase the Lord; "Is it not permitted to heal the sick on the sabbath, to give aid to the afflicted, sight to the blind, and life to the dead.?"

Hope this is a help.
Bless you all!!

A sinner saved by His Precious Shed Blood,
Walter Metrick
waltermetrick@aol.com

Dear Orthodox Christian,

It is I again. One more thing that may answer a question.

I am just recently embracing my Byzantine heritage but was raised Roman Catholic. I may be mistaken, but, it seems the RC church focuses on the aspect (the passion) that brings forgiveness, while the BC church focuses on the aspect (the resurrection) that brings new life. Does that make sense?

Peace, Walter
waltermetrick@aol.com

Dear Walter,

Thank you for those powerful responses!

Yes, it all makes eminent sense!

Thank you for sharing some of the source of your inner peace.

Alex