Matthew 28
CHAPTER 28
Jesus is raised to life
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And there was a great earthquake, for an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 His appearance was as lightning and his garment white as snow, 4 and for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
5 And the angel said to the women: Do not be fearful, for I know you seek Jesus, who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for he is risen, even as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and that he goes ahead of you into Galilee. There you shall see him. Look, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring this message to his disciples. 9 And Jesus met them, saying: Greetings! And they came and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them: Fear not. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee and there shall they see me.
The Jews try to cover up the truth about the resurrection
11 Now while they were going, some of the guard came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 And when they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave much money to the soldiers, 13 saying: You are to say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept. 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and keep you out of trouble. 15 So they took the money and did as they were told; and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
Jesus commissions His disciples
16 But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying: All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things whatever I commanded you; and I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Commentary
28:1 The other Mary is surely a reference to Mary the mother of Jesus- see on 27:56.
28:7 The Lord’s original intention to meet His followers in Galilee (as in 28:10) seems to have been changed. Presumably because even in Divine nature, He was simply so excited and eager to get together with His brethren.
28:8 Women weren’t valid witnesses in first century legal circles. But Jesus chose women to be the primary and initial witnesses of His resurrection.
28:17 The doubt and unbelief of the disciples is a strong theme in all the resurrection accounts. Yet these are transcripts of the preaching of the Gospel by the apostles. They were emphasizing how they had had difficulty believing these things, and had been incredibly slow and dumb to grasp what had happened. And on this basis their appeal for others to believe had more power to it.
28:19 As the good news of the Lord’s resurrection had been spread from the women to the disciples, now it was to be spread by all the disciples worldwide. The Gospel preaching of Matthew concludes with an appeal for baptism. Acts records how people were baptized into the name of Jesus- for the Name of the Father has been given to Him.
28:20 After baptism there was to be a teaching of the baptized person.
