Bible Strands
Matthew 28:3
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the angel who descended during the great earthquake, rolled away the stone, and sat on it. This description occurs immediately before the tomb guards tremble and become like dead men.
The words — The text highlights ἀστραπὴ (astrapē), meaning lightning, to describe the angel's appearance. The verb ἦν (ēn) establishes that this radiant state "was" the immediate reality.
The thread — Similar radiant white appearances mark divine messengers in Mark 9:3, Acts 1:10, and Mark 16:5. These passages consistently associate dazzling white garments or appearances with heavenly beings.
Why it lands — The description demands recognition of the angel's divine origin and authority. It requires the reader to acknowledge the overwhelming power that renders human guards incapacitated.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
Cross-references
- Mark 9:3 His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them.
- Acts 1:10 They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
- Mark 16:5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
- John 20:12 and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
- Revelation 18:1 After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory.
- Matthew 17:2 There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
- Revelation 1:14 The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.
- Revelation 3:4 But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
- Revelation 10:1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.
- Ezekiel 1:4 I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber,