The Resurrection and the Proclamation

That for each of the dying it should be added, 'to his own people'; for the dwelling and the possession of souls was below, and the Lord through himself transfers this downward journey into the upper realms.

The rising of the bodies of the saints made manifest the death of Christ, being the cause of life (Mt 27:52). Not indeed were they shown before the Lord's rising, because first the resurrection of the Savior had to be known, and then those rising through him were to be seen; and it is clear that they rose again for the sake of a sign; for the firstborn of the dead were not being raised to some eternal life, but just like the rest. Luke says that the crowds who came were 'beating their breasts and turning back'; thus even the Jews did not perceive, and in this very passion and dishonor of the Savior, the divine excess was not perceived, but the usual forgetfulness of men weighed them down and the deception of the teachers brought many. So that it might not be thought that what happened was a fantasy, they were shown to many. And the centurion believed, and those playing and mocking in this way were struck by what happened. Some say also that it is a testimony of this centurion standing firm in the faith after these things.

And indeed they move from their own wickedness, but they serve what is profitable for the matter, not wishing to; for the one who opposes God, through whom God opposes, cooperates as those who, through their deed, prepared the foretold glory which they expected to prevent by their deed, having acted against Joseph. The Savior does not forbid worship, but he forbade touch, as John writes; for to be similarly mixed with him was no longer possible before the renewal of men; for it is proper for the new to touch the new.

And Judas indeed betrays Jesus for silver, overlooking the signs he saw, but the soldiers, having received sufficient silver, after seeing it immediately reported to the chief priests, beating their breasts terribly, and they spoke of things that did not happen. For the disciples would not have stolen the body, if they had truly been associated with his teaching as to both being dishonored and dying through it, as they themselves reported.

And it does not seem to me to be without purpose that these words were spoken on the mountain of Galilee and not elsewhere; for Galilee is interpreted as the 'overturned' by the Greek language. Therefore also the wheel is called Gelgel. So then, just as these words, having been brought forth from the mouth of the high mountain of salvation, rolled like a wheel against the inhabited world and ran over all, all the nations and cities were baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mt 28:16-19).