His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
Parallel Translations
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His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
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His countenaunce was lyke lyghtnynge and his raymet whyte as snowe.
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And his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snowe.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (13)
Passages linked to Matthew 28:3 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Mark 9:3 His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
- Acts 1:10 While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing,
- Mark 16:5 Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed.
- John 20:12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
- Revelation 18:1 After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.
- Matthew 17:2 He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
- Revelation 1:14-16 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
- Revelation 3:4-5 Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
- Revelation 10:1 I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
- Ezekiel 1:4-14 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud, with flashing lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of the middle of it as it were glowing metal, out of the middle of the fire. Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man. Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides. The four of them had their faces and their wings like this: Their wings were joined to one another. They didn’t turn when they went. Each one went straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies. Each one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went. They didn’t turn when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire. The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
- Daniel 7:9 “I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was ancient of days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
- Daniel 10:5-6 I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold, there was a man clothed in linen, whose thighs were adorned with pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches. His arms and his feet were like burnished bronze. The voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude.
- Psalms 104:4 He makes his messengers winds, and his servants flames of fire.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain The beams of his eyes, and by the figure…
The beams of his eyes, and by the figure Synecdoche, for the countenance.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment…
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
Ver. 3. His countenance was like lightning] So that though he appeared in a human shape, yet it might easily appear that he was more than a man; his visage showed his power, his habit of innocence, to the terror of the keepers, and comfort of the women.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain His countenance was like lightning,.... There was such a…
His countenance was like lightning,.... There was such a lustre and brightness in his face, that it glittered like lightning: such a description is in Dan 10:6,
and his raiment white as snow: the word "white" is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel: the angel appeared clad in white, as a token of the purity and innocence of his nature; and because of the victory and triumph of Christ over death and the grave; and that he might be known and taken by the women for a good angel, it being a commonly received notion of the Jews, that ministering angels were clothed in white (b).
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"Said R. Ame to R. Levi, show me the Persians; he said to him, they are like to the mighty men of the house of David: show me the Chaberin, (another nation near the Persians,) they are like to destroying angels: show me the Ishmaelites, they are like to devils of the house of Hacsa: show me the disciples of the wise men in Babylon, they are like to the ministering angels.''
Upon which the gloss says,
""to the devils", because they are clothed in black, and are like to devils; to "the ministering angels", "they are clothed in white", and veiled like the ministering angels; as it is written in Eze 9:2, "and the man was clothed with linen": and it is said (c) of R. Judah, that he was veiled, and sat in fine linen fringed, and was like to an angel of the Lord of hosts: and elsewhere (d) it is said, who are the ministering angels? the Rabbins: and why are they called ministering angels? because they are fringed, as the ministering angels, in beautiful garments.''
(b) T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 72. 1. (c) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 25. 2. (d) T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 20. 2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 3. His countenance] His appearance, η ιδεα αυτου;…
Verse 3. His countenance] His appearance, η ιδεα αυτου; or, his face, for so the word is used in some of the best Greek writers. It seems, from Mr 16:5, that this angel had assumed the appearance of a young man.
Like lightning] Coruscations of glory continually flaming from his face. This might produce the confusion mentioned Mt 28:2.
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His raiment white as snow] He was clothed in garments emblematical of the glad tidings which he came to announce. It would have been inconsistent with the message he brought, had the angel appeared in black robes, such as those preposterously wear who call themselves his successors in the ministry of a once suffering, but now risen and highly exalted, Saviour. But the world is as full of nonsense as of sin; and who can correct and bring it to reason and piety?
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Mat 28:3-4. His countenance was like lightning — Coruscations…
Mat 28:3-4. His countenance was like lightning — Coruscations of light darting from his face; and his raiment white as snow — Glittering with an extraordinary lustre, beyond what any human eyes could bear; and for fear of him the keepers — Though Romans and soldiers; did shake, and became as dead men — Falling down on their faces in a most helpless condition; for they were effectually frightened by the majestic appearance of the angel, and especially by the lightning which flashed from his countenance. Quickly after, it appears, being recovered from their swoon, and finding the stone rolled away, and the sepulchre open, they fled to some distant place, to consult their own safety in so surprising an occurrence. This we have great reason to believe was the case, as nothing is said of any interview between them and the friends of Christ. It is not said at what particular instant Jesus arose, whether it was before the guards fell into this swoon, or after they recovered themselves and fled. Mark, indeed, by observing that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, may be thought to insinuate that the guards did not see him when he arose; yet the evangelist’s words do not necessarily imply this, for his meaning may be, that he appeared to Mary Magdalene first of all the disciples only. Besides, if the guards even did see him arise, it was, properly speaking, no appearance of Christ to them. However, be this as it may, it is certain that Jesus was arisen and gone before any of the women arrived at the sepulchre.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain His countenance - In our language the word “countenance”…
His countenance - In our language the word “countenance” refers to the “face only;” in the original it refers to his “whole person.” His “general aspect, or the appearance of the angel himself,” was, etc.
Like lightning - Peculiarly bright and shining.
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His raiment white as snow - Celestial beings are usually represented as clothed in white, Act 1:10; Dan 7:9; Rev 3:4-5; Rev 4:4; Rev 7:13-14. White, among the Jews, was the symbol of “purity or innocence.”
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain His countenance--appearance.
His countenance--appearance.
was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow--the one expressing the glory, the other the purity of the celestial abode from which he came.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 3. His countenance — Rather, his whole figure. Raiment…
3. His countenance — Rather, his whole figure. Raiment white — His body was a perfect splendour shining through his investiture.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (3) Like lightning.—The word employed by St. Luke to…
(3) Like lightning.—The word employed by St. Luke to describe the “raiment has the same force. The “white as snow” has its counterpart in the record of the Transfiguration (Mar_9:3) and the vision of the Ancient of Days in Dan_7:9.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain His countenance (idea , appearance) was like lightning. The…
His countenance (idea , appearance) was like lightning. The angel"s aspect was as bright and startling as the flash of lightning. (comp. Eze_1:14 Dan_10:6) His raiment white as snow. Pure and glistening, like the effect of the Transfiguration on the Lord. (Mat_18:2; comp. Act_1:10 Rev_10:1)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 3. His countenance was like lightning. Was bright like…
3. His countenance was like lightning. Was bright like lightning. Compare Exod. 34:29; Matt. 17:2; Rev. 1:14. And his raiment white as snow. White is the emblem of purity. So was the Savior's raiment at the Transfiguration, and the robes of the saints as described in Revelation.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 His appearance
His appearance
"The angel's appearance"
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was like lightning
This is a simile that emphasizes how bright in appearance the angel was. AT: "was bright like lightning" (See: Simile)
his clothing as white as snow
This is a simile that emphasizes how bright and white the angel's clothes were. The verb "was" from the previous phrase can be repeated. AT: "his clothing was very white, like snow" (See: Simile and Ellipsis)
became like dead men
This is a simile that means the soldiers fell down and did not move. AT: "fell to the ground and lay there like dead men" (See: Simile)
translationWords
snow
fear
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.