Matthew 28 Commentary

End of the Sabbath Once the Sabbath is over, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary come to visit Jesus’s grave.

The Opening of Jesus’s Tomb Matthew reports accompanying signs of Jesus’s resurrection: a severe earthquake, an angel of the Lord descends from heaven, and the stone sealing Jesus’s tomb is rolled away. The Roman soldiers guarding Jesus’s tomb were terrified and became like dead men at the sight of this brilliant and powerful angel. 

The Angel’s Announcement to the Women at the Empty Tomb  When the women arrive at Jesus’s tomb, they find it empty. An angel addresses them stating that the reason Jesus is not here is because He has risen. The angel invites the women to see the empty tomb for themselves. He charges them to inform the disciples about what they have seen and to remind them of Jesus’s message to meet Him in Galilee. 

The Women’s Resurrection Report The women rush from the empty tomb and find the disciples. They report what they saw and heard from the angel—that Jesus has risen from the dead, and His message to meet Him in Galilee.

Jesus’s Second Resurrection Appearance Jesus meets the women after they reported to the disciples about the angel and the empty tomb. They fall to the ground in worship of Jesus, clinging to His feet. He encourages them to not be afraid and tells them to instruct His disciples to leave Jerusalem for Galilee where they will see Him.

The Resurrection Coverup Some of the soldiers who ran away from the tomb report to the chief priests about the angel who rolled away the stone. The priests confer with the elders and together they devise a scheme to cover up the resurrection. They bribe the soldiers with a large sum of money to tell the lie that Jesus’s disciples stole His body by night. The religious leaders assure the guards that they will keep them out of trouble if Pilate hears of their desertion or failure. 

Jesus’s sixth resurrection appearance. The disciples obey Jesus’s command and proceed to Galilee. They see Him there and worship Him, but some were doubtful. 

The Great Commission Jesus begins His Great Commission of His disciples by declaring that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.

The Great Commission (continued) Jesus commissions and commands His disciples to make more disciples of all nations. They are to accomplish this by going to the nations, baptizing new disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and by teaching new disciples to do the things Jesus commanded them. The Great Commission ends with Jesus promising to be with them until His return.