_They watch the tomb late on the Sabbath (our Saturday afternoon); and the purchase of spices by them after the Sabbath (after 6 P.M. Saturday) on the first day of the week._ GOLGOTHA AND BETHANY Our late Saturday afternoon and early evening Mark 16:1 |Matt. 28:1 | | 1 Now late on the sabbath | day,[a] as it began to dawn | toward the first _day_ of the | week, came Mary Magdalene and | the other Mary to see the | sepulchre. 1 And when the sabbath was | past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary | the _mother_ of James, and | Salome, bought spices, that | they might come and anoint him.| [Footnote a: This phrase once gave much trouble, but the usage of the vernacular _Koiné_ Greek amply justifies the translation. The visit of the women to inspect the tomb was thus made before the sabbath was over (before 6 P.M. on Saturday). But the same Greek idiom was occasionally used in the sense of "after." See Robertson, Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research, p. 645. The distance from Bethany to Golgotha was not more than a sabbath day's journey. The spices could be purchased after sundown either in Bethany or Jerusalem. It must be borne in mind that the Jewish First Day of the Week began at 6 P.M. on our Saturday.] § 170. THE EARTHQUAKE, THE ROLLING AWAY OF THE STONE BY AN ANGEL, AND THE FRIGHT OF THE ROMAN WATCHERS Sunday before sunrise Matt. 28:2-4 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and 3 sat upon it. His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white 4 as snow: and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men. § 171. THE VISIT OF THE WOMEN TO THE TOMB OF JESUS ABOUT SUNRISE SUNDAY MORNING AND THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGELS ABOUT THE EMPTY TOMB Golgotha. Early Sunday morning