Matthew 27:51–54
The earth was also shaken, signifying the transfer toward what is better — or also showing indignation against those who had outraged him. The splitting of the rocks is a sign that the nations’ “stony heart” (Matthew 27:51–54) was opened to receive the gospel seed. The holy who rose and appeared to many did not alone receive the gift of resurrection ahead of time; it became a sign that death was abolished through Christ’s death. I think the law was also looking toward this when it commanded that one who killed unwillingly and fled should run back again to the homeland after the high priest’s death; for Christ’s death gave us who were liable the ascent into the Jerusalem above.
The earth was shaken, signifying the transfer of things toward what is better, even if it shows God’s indignation against those who outraged him. The splitting of the rocks makes clear that gentile souls were opened to receive the faith of Christ. The holy who rose and appeared to many signify that death was abolished through Christ’s death.
Greek
Ἐσείσθη δὲ καὶ ἡ γῆ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον μετάθεσιν σημαί νουσα ἢ καὶ δείκνυσι τὴν κατὰ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν πεπαρῳνηκότων ἀγανά κτησιν. τὸ δὲ ῥαγῆναι τὰς πέτρας σημεῖόν ἐστι τοῦ τὴν "λιθίνην" τῶν ἐθνῶν "καρδίαν" ἀνεωχθῆναι πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ σπό ρου. οἱ δὲ ἀναστάντες ἅγιοι καὶ ὀ φθέντες τοῖς πολλοῖς οὐ πρόωρον ἔλαβον μόνοι ἐκεῖνοι τὸ τῆς ἀνα στάσεως χάρισμα, ἀλλ' εἰς σημεῖον γέγονεν, ὅτι κατηργήθη ὁ θάνατος διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ Χριστοῦ. εἰς τοῦτο οἶμαι καὶ ὁ νόμος ὑπέβλεπε κελεύων τὸν ἀκουσίως φονεύσαντα φυγόντα αὖθις ἐπανατρέχειν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα μετὰ τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως· ὁ γὰρ τοῦ Χριστοῦ θά νατος τὴν εἰς τὴν ἄνω Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἄνοδον τοῖς ὑπευθύνοις ἡμῖν ἀπέ δωκεν. Ἐσείσθη ἡ γῆ σημαίνουσα τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον μετάθεσιν τῶν πραγμάτων κἂν τὴν ἀγανάκτησιν δεικνύῃ τοῦ θεοῦ 43 κατὰ τῶν πεπαρ ωνηκότων εἰς αὐτόν. τὸ δὲ ῥαγῆ ναι τὰς πέτρας τὰς τῶν ἐθνικῶν ψυχὰς ἀνεωχθῆναι δηλοῖ εἰς τὸ παραδέχεσθαι τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πίστιν. οἱ δὲ ἀναστάντες τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ὀφθέντες πολλοῖς σημαίνουσιν, ὅτι κατηργήθη ὁ θάνατος διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
About this text
Catena fragments on Matthew (CPG 5206). Contents follow Matthew chapter and verse. Edition fragment numbers stay in About this text and under each passage.
English follows the named copy-text (Aegean/khazarzar Migne PG 72 extract). Other prints were checked as noted; no silent merge of recensions.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Migne PG 72 Commentarii in Matthaeum (Aegean Digital Patrologia / khazarzar) (Greek · CPG 5206 catena fragments (290 parsed heads))
- Checked print matia.gr mirror of same Aegean extract (Greek · Byte-identical PDF; integrity check only)
- Checked print Internet Archive PG 72 volume OCR (bim … 1859_72) (Greek (OCR damaged) · Locus confirmation only; not used as reading text)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.