An angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. (Matt. 28:2)
Expanded Passage: Matthew 28:1-4
As a child, my big sister was my protector and champion. When a playground bully began punching me and throwing me around, my sister stepped in and, with a few blows of her own, ended the fight by sitting on him and not letting him up. The Lord encouraged Israel to sit at his right hand “until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet” (Ps. 110:1). Like my sister sitting on that junior high bully, it shows a level of control mixed with victory over your difficulties.
The stone that Joseph had placed in front of the tomb, that the authorities sealed, and where guards were stationed to watch, had been a problem for anyone wanting to observe the holy resurrection. The scene that unfolds, bringing fear and trembling into the lives of all who surround the tomb, quickly becomes a comedy. Earthquakes and dazzling light punctuate the angel’s simple action of rolling back the stone—and then sitting on it.
Sometimes therapists encourage people struggling with anxiety and fear to “sit on it” for a while. It may be that it allows them to ponder, reflect, and get perspective on their lives. Certainly, the view from the angel’s perch atop that stone was a great place to be on that resurrection morning. No wonder he was able to tell the people—us included—not to be afraid.
Watch God from a new perch atop what once felt insurmountable.
Rich Eckley is professor emeritus of theology at Houghton University (NY). He is an ordained Wesleyan minister and enjoys—with his wife, Lynn—entertaining four active grandchildren.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
