Matius 13:39

13:39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

Matius 24:36

Be Ready!

24:36 “But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven ¹  – except the Father alone.

Matius 26:53

26:53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions ²  of angels right now?

Matius 28:2

28:2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord ³  descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it.

[24:36]  ¹ tc ‡ Some important witnesses, including early Alexandrian and Western mss (א*^,2 B D Θ Ë¹³ pc it vg^mss Ir^lat Hier^mss), have the additional words οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός (oude Jo Juios, “nor the son”) here. Although the shorter reading (which lacks this phrase) is suspect in that it seems to soften the prophetic ignorance of Jesus, the final phrase (“except the Father alone”) already implies this. Further, the parallel in Mark 13:32 has οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός, with almost no witnesses lacking the expression. Hence, it is doubtful that the absence of “neither the Son” is due to the scribes. In keeping with Matthew’s general softening of Mark’s harsh statements throughout his Gospel, it is more likely that the absence of “neither the Son” is part of the original text of Matthew, being an intentional change on the part of the author. Further, this shorter reading is supported by the first corrector of א as well as L W ˹ 33 Ï vg sy co Hier^mss. Admittedly, the external evidence is not as impressive for the shorter reading, but it best explains the rise of the other reading (in particular, how does one account for virtually no mss excising οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός at Mark 13:32 if such an absence here is due to scribal alteration? Although scribes were hardly consistent, for such a theologically significant issue at least some consistency would be expected on the part of a few scribes). Nevertheless, NA²⁷ includes οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός here.

[26:53]  ² sn A legion was a Roman army unit of about 6,000 soldiers, so twelve legions would be 72,000.

[28:2]  ³ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.