John 20:12

12 one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid.

John 20:12 Meaning and Commentary

John 20:12

And seeth two angels in white
Matthew and Mark speak but of one, but Luke of two, as here; whom he calls men, because they appeared in an human form, and in shining garments, or white apparel; and which appearance is entirely agreeable to the received notion of the Jews, that as evil angels or devils are clothed in black, so good angels, or ministering spirits, (Mynbl yvwbl) , "are clothed in white" F12, expressive of their spotless purity and innocence:

sitting the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the
body of Jesus had lain;
in what position the body of Christ was laid, whether from west to east, as some, or from north to south, as others, is not certain; since the Jews observed no rule in this matter, as appears from the form of their sepulchres, and the disposition of the graves in them; some lying one way, and some another, in the same vault; (See Gill on Luke 24:12).


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Gloss. in T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 72. 1.

John 20:12 In-Context

10 The disciples therefore went away again unto their own friends,
11 and Mary was standing near the tomb, weeping without; as she was weeping, then, she stooped down to the tomb, and beholdeth two messengers in white, sitting,
12 one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid.
13 And they say to her, `Woman, why dost thou weep?' she saith to them, `Because they took away my Lord, and I have not known where they laid him;'
14 and these things having said, she turned backward, and seeth Jesus standing, and she had not known that it is Jesus.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.