Matthew 28
BolesMatthew 28:1-10
THE
28:1-4 Now late on the sabbath day.—“Late on the sabbath” or after the Sabbath was ended, Saturday evening, Mary Magdalene and two others provided sweet spices, that they might be ready to go early next morning and embalm the body of Jesus. (Mark 16:1.) Matthew takes up his narrative of the events with the coming of these women to the sepulchre. It was “very early on the first day of the week” (Mark 16:2); or “at early dawn” (Luke 24:1); or on the first day of the week “early, while it was yet dark” (John 20:1); somewhere between three and four o’clock in the morning these women left their homes and started for the sepulchre. It is well to note how the four writers of the gospel express the time of their coming to the tomb. Matthew and John begin their record at the same time;all of the four writers describe such events as they were guided by the Holy Spirit to do; none of them propose to give the exact chronological order, and none of them contradict each other, but all harmonize. This “first day of the week” is what we call “Sunday” or “the Lord’s day.” On this day Jesus rose from the dead “the firstfruits” of them that slept, the earnest and surety of the resurrection of all who sleep in him. (Romans 11:16; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Corinthians 15:23.) Jesus was buried between four and six o’clock on Friday afternoon, and rose early on Sunday morning, so he was in the tomb part of three days. Each part of a day was reckoned as a day, just as in computing the reigns of the Jewish kings each part of a year is reckoned as a year.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came “to see the sepulchre.” It was their intention also to embalm the body. They may have had a vague idea or expectation of the resurrection; they surely knew something about what he had said about his resurrection, whether they understood it or not. However, we may regard it as affection mourning over the dead rather than faith in a living Savior, which brought them so early to the sepulchre.
And behold, there was a great earthquake.—This earthquake seems to have occurred while they were on the way and they saw the effects of it when they arrived at the sepulchure. This earthquake was a fitting sign to accompany the rising of the Lord he came forth a mighty conqueror. Jesus did not suffer profane eyes to look upon him after he was raised from the dead. The earthquake occurred at the time the angel “of the Lord descended from heaven” and rolled the stone away, thus breaking the seal. This divine messenger overawed the guards and rolled away the stone, not to let Jesus out of the tomb, but to let others in to see that he had risen. The angel was there to confirm the evidence borne by the empty tomb.
Jesus arose with tremendous power and angelic witnesses. When the women arrived the stone had been rolled away and the angel “sat upon it.” Sitting was a significant sign of majesty. The angel sat, terrible to the keepers. (Matthew 26:64; Acts 7:55.) The angel rose and was standing to comfort the women as they came. When Mary drew near, she saw what had been unnoticed, a second angel within the tomb.
His appearance was as lightning.—In vivid and intense brightness there was a surpassingly dazzling light which flashed with terrible beauty in the eyes of the keepers, like the vividness and blaze of lightning. Angelic appearances seem to be assumed at will or as necessity demanded for the impression to be made, otherwise the women would have been terrified; but when they drew near, they saw them only in mild, comforting, subdued light as “a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe.” (Mark 16:5.) Luke says that they beheld “two men” who “stood by them in dazzling apparel.” (Luke 24:4.) John says that Mary beheld “two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” (John 20:12.) “His raiment white as snow” is the description given by Matthew. White is naturally associated in our mind with purity, innocence, and joy; it is a fit emblem of the angels. Angels assume the form of people and dress as men. This angel confounded the wicked and comforted the righteous; “for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men.” This appearance of the angel might well have terrified the heathen soldiers. Our Lord therefore arose unseen, while they were lying prostrate around the garden in front of the tomb.
After a time they recovered and fled into the city to relate the news of this miracle. They had been placed there to keep a few men from theft; they now report a portentous deliverance against which they had no power to contend. They were helpless and powerless, since God’s power wrought the miracle of the resurrection.
5-8 And the angel answered and said unto the women.—We learn from Mark and Luke that the angel first spake to the women after they went into the sepulchre. (Mark 16:5-6; Luke 24:2-5.) There seems to be a pause between the fourth and fifth verses; for from some cause unknown, the women did not reach the sepulchre until about six o’clock when the sun was rising. (Mark 16:2.) If they had remained in the city whither they had gone to get spices, some on Friday (Luke 23:54-56), some on Saturday evening (Mark 16:1) they may not have been able to pass the gates until they were opened later. They saw, as they came in sight of the garden, that the stone was rolled away. They had discussed the rolling away of the stone as they went along the way and asked one another, “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb?” (Mark 16:3.) So they were amazed when they saw the stone had been rolled away. Mary Magdalene thought that the Lord’s body had been treated with some indignity and returned in grief to inform Peter and John. (Mark 16:3-4.) After she was gone, the other two women entered the outer chamber of the tomb, and saw the angel sitting on the right of the entrance into the inner chamber, where the body had been placed. This second angel spoke to them. It seems that the vision of two angels described by Luke (24:1-9) was seen by the second company of women, who had left the cross on Friday evening and returned to the city, intending to come back to the tomb after the Sabbath had passed.
The women had infinitely more reason to rejoice than to fear hence the angel said, “Fear not ye; for I know that ye seek Jesus, who hath been crucified.” The angel un-derstood them and had come to help them; he knew that love had brought them to the tomb. “Fear not ye” is a usual salutation of celestial beings, even from the days of Abraham (Genesis 15:1; Judges 6:23). The human heart instinctively trembles at any sudden manifestation of spiritual beings. (Job 4:13-16; Matthew 14:26.) The keepers and the enemies of Jesus had reason to fear, but not these disciples; the purpose of the angel was not to shed terror and stupefaction upon the guards, but to speak peace and courage to the mourning friends of Jesus.
He is not here.—They had come to embalm his body, and now they are not informed that his body was not there. None of the disciples of Jesus had fully understood what rising from the dead meant (Mark 9:10), and therefore they did not expect the event. The angel speaks of Jesus in terms of his majestic title. “For he is risen, even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” This put at ease the mind of the women, for they supposed that his body had been taken from the tomb and placed somewhere else;the angel gives the reason for the empty tomb—“he is risen.” The angel refers them to the language of Jesus—he had done just what he said he would do. They are requested to view the place where the body lay. They are to see for themselves that the tomb is empty.
The spot where Jesus was laid is affectionately pointed out by the angel to the women. They are commissioned to “go quickly, and tell his disciples, He is risen from the dead.” The good news is to be heralded at once to his disciples; no delay should be had in bearing this news to the disturbed, sorrowful, and despondent disciples.
These women are made the first messengers of the glad news of the resurrection. They are to tell his disciples and Mark adds “Peter.” (Mark 16:7.) This was a mark of forgiveness to the penitent Peter who was then sorrowing for his sin of denying Jesus. The disciples were in despair, and so as a woman had led man to sin, so women now bring them the good news of salvation. The second part of the message was that “lo, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him.” The sorrow of the disciples may now end; their doubts are to be removed; their night is turned into day. It seems fitting that the resurrection should occur at the dawning of the day; it was the dawning of the world’s day of redemption. Jesus had promised his disciples before his death that he would be raised and would go before them into Galilee. (Matthew 26:32.) The angel now repeats the promise that Jesus had made.
The women “departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy.” There is a fear which is easily and naturally felt with love and joy; it prepares the mind and heart for richer blessings. The women departed “quickly” and “ran” to bring the message to his disciples.
They knew the joy which their message would convey, and urged by some fear of the angel they made no delay. After their departure, Peter and John came running to the tomb, followed by Mary Magdalene.
They examined the graveclothes, but saw no vision, and soon left the sepulchre in utter amazement. (Luke 24:12; John 20:3-10.) Mary remained weeping, and as she stooped to look into the sepulchre saw two angels who comforted her. As she turned the Lord appeared to her, revealed himself to her, and sent her on a message to his brethren. (Mark 16:9; John 20:11-17.) She seems to have met or overtaken the other women, Mary, wife of Cleophas, and Salome, and our Lord appeared to the three.
9, 10 And behold, Jesus met them.—The order of events seems to have been this: Mary Magdalene, after notifying Peter and the apostles, returned to the sepulchre, which she reached after the others had left, and Jesus appeared to her near the tomb. This was his first appearance after the resurrection. Then as they “ran to bring his disciples word,” by some other route than Mary Magdalene took, “behold, Jesus met them,” his second appearance, and made himself known by saying, “All hail.” The Greek means simply, “hail, rejoice”; they knew him by this salutation and worshipped him. “They came and took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.” This was a common mode of showing reverence. (2 Kings 4:37.) They embraced his feet in their hands or arms, to manifest their affection and joy at seeing him again as well as to express reverence of his supernatural appearance. On this and other occasions Jesus permitted persons to worship him; he would not have done this had he been only man. Peter refused it. (Acts 10:25.) Supreme worship is due to God; Christ is the Son of God, whom we worship, since to worship any other creature is idolatry. Jesus then comforted them and said, “Fear not: go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there shall they see me.” Jesus comforted them and gave them this message which the angel had given and which he had before his death promised them.
He calls them “my brethren”; he was not ashamed to call them brethren. (Hebrews 2:11.) His disciples were to go into Galilee. There he met with them by the Sea of Galilee. (John 21:1-14.) Afterward he appeared to “above five hundred brethren at once” (1 Corinthians 15:6) and a third time in Galilee to James and all the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:7).
The following tabulated list of his appearances, together with the time and place recorded, is here submitted
OUR LORD’S AFTER HIS
ORDER
TIME
To WHOM
WHERE
RECORD
1
Early Sunday Morning
Mary Magdalene
Near the tomb at Jerusalem
2
Sunday Morning
Women returning from tomb
Near Jerusalem
3
Sunday
Simon Peter alone
4
Sunday afternoon
2 disciples going to Emmaus
Jerusalem to Emmaus
5
Sunday evening
Apostles, w/o Thomas
Jerusalem
6
Sunday evening of next week
Apostles and Thomas
7
Unknown
Seven disciples Fishing
Sea of Galilee
8
11 disciples on a Mountain
Galilee
9
Over 500 brethren at once
10
James only
Probably Jerusalem
11
All apostles at ascension
Mt of Ollives(Bethany)
Matthew 28:11-20
- ‘S ;
THE GREAT
11-15 Now while they were going.—As the women left to bear the message the guards had a message to deliver to the chief priests; it may be that the guards left the tomb immediately after the earthquake and the resurrection of Jesus, and before the women arrived at the sepulchre. The words of the women seemed like idle dreams. (Mark 16:10-11; Luke 24 10, 11; John 20:18.) So while the women were relating what they had seen and heard to the disciples, the soldiers returned to the city and some of them related to the Jewish rulers what they had seen and heard. These soldiers being heathen men were more ready to admit the resurrection and perhaps carried their report to Pilate. For though it was death to a Roman soldier to be unfaithful on duty, when only men were opposed to him, it is altogether probable that the signs of the earthquake confirmed the soldiers’ testimony and that Pilate was willing to believe them and excuse them. The chief priests believed them, or they would have searched for the body at once and denounced the guard to the governor.
And when they were assembled with the elders.—The Sanhedrin took counsel as to what should be done. It seems that the whole Sanhedrin was convened to consult on what should be done to meet the embarrassing situation. The report of the soldiers must be contradicted and silenced. The Sanhedrin was desperate in its efforts to determine what should be done. They had said before, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him.” (John 11:48.) When they had asked Pilate for a guard to prevent the disciples from stealing the body, and pretend that it was risen from the dead, they said, “The last error will be worse than the first” (Matthew 27:64), but now the body was gone—the tomb was empty; the evidences of divine interposition remained and everything corresponded with the report of the soldiers. Why did they not first search the spot and endeavor to trace the perpetrators of the deed? They evidently believed the soldiers; they believed that it had come true, in some supernatural manner, that Jesus had broken out from the grave as he had before raised Lazarus.
The Sanhedrin finally decided, after taking counsel, to bribe the soldiers with money and persuade them to say, “His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.” “They gave much money unto the soldiers”; that is, they gave a large amount of money. They were obliged to offer a very liberal bribe, for it was a dangerous situation for the soldiers to bear testimony that they had been asleep on duty. It was absurd for them to bear such testimony; the testimony of sleeping men to an event which occurred while they were asleep is ridiculous;yet that is just what these Jews persuaded the soldiers to testify. Not only did they give them a large sum of money, but they promised that “if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and rid you of care.” If Pilate already knew what had occurred, or if some of the soldiers had already reported to him, while others reported to the chief priests, these Jews did not know of it. The soldiers would probably take the money anyway. The Jews thought that Pilate would soon leave Jerusalem for Caesarea and that he would forget anything about the guard unless some of the Jews should complain to Pilate against the soldiers. If Pilate had thought that some of his soldiers slept while on duty, he would not have excused them; he would, according to Roman law, have had them put to death.
So they took the money, and did as they were taught.—The soldiers were guilty of receiving a bribe, and the Sanhedrin was guilty of paying a bribe; we cannot estimate the magnitude of the crime; however, it seems that the Sanhedrin was more culpable as it was more eager for the crime to be committed. The Jews were religious leaders, while the soldiers were ignorant heathen men. “This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continueth until this day.” This story that the Sanhedrin hired the soldiers to tell became known among the Jews and was current at the time that Matthew wrote this record, which was eight or ten years after the deed was perpetrated. Their story was so extraordinary that it lived a long time; it was an unheard-of thing for Roman soldiers to sleep while on duty. If they were asleep, how did they know what took place; or if they only supposed as to what took place, how could the disciples have rolled away the stone without awakening them? This bribe would have made any soldier under such circumstances remain silent. The “Jews” and the Christians at the time Matthew wrote had dif-ferent interests and this report was common among the Jews.
The women were the first witnesses of the resurrection of Christ; they were glad witnesses. The Roman soldiers were the second witnesses; they were unwilling witnesses of the resurrection. Their false testimony was not original with them; the Jewish Sanhedrin must bear the responsibility for it; hence the Sanhedrin also becomes a witness of the resurrection, because none of them attempted to refute the testimony of the soldiers that Jesus had been raised from the dead. It is not probable that the body of Jesus was stolen, neither was it possible for the disciples to steal his body. We now take leave of the enemies of Jesus as recorded by Matthew; they are hypocrites to the last; they are bribers of falsehoods, slanderers of the apostles, and blasphemers of Jesus. We are glad to depart from them and leave them to their own sin and to the mercy of a just God.
16, 17 But the eleven disciples went into Galilee.—Jesus had told his disciples before his death that he would be raised and would meet them in Galilee;the angel told the women to bear the message to the disciples that Jesus would meet his disci-ples in Galilee and then Jesus, when he appeared to the women, told them to “go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there shall they see me.” Matthew now records that meeting. “The eleven disciples” met him at the appointed place. Judas was dead, and was no more numbered with them. We cannot determine the exact time when this meeting took place evidently Jesus had appeared to his disci-ples time and again before he met them in Galilee. He ap-peared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, a village about seven and a half miles from Jerusalem. (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-32.) They immediately returned to Jerusalem, and all the disciples being assembled except Thomas, Jesus appeared and convinced them of his resurrection. (Luke 24:33-34.) This ended the first Sunday or first day of the week.
On the following first day of the week Jesus appeared to the eleven (Mark 16:14; John 20:26-31), again at the Sea of Galilee, and then as Matthew here relates; this seems to be the order of his appearances to this time. They met on “the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.” No writer of the gospel informs us which mountain was appointed; hence, it is impossible for us to know. Tradition points out that it was Mount Tabor. “And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.” Thomas may have been one of the doubters; at this time all doubts had not been removed. The disciples were slow in comprehending the full significance of his resurrection. He had repeatedly told them that he would be raised from the dead, and now with incontestable proof he shows them that he has been raised from the dead; yet “some doubted.” The disciples, at the arrest of Jesus in Gehsem-ane, had scattered; only Peter and John followed him to his trials; only John witnessed the crucifixion. The other disci-ples believed that he had been crucified; they had no doubt about this, and yet they had stronger proof of his resurrection than they had of his crucifixion.
They had seen him after his resurrection and now even worshipped him. The fact of the resurrection was a strange one; there was no other like it.
The daughter of Jairus, the widow’s son, and Lazarus were only revivified or raised from the dead and recalled to this life; but Jesus rose to the incorruption, glory and power of an endless life. Hence, the disciples were slow to believe. However, they were finally convinced. The slowness of the disciples to believe furnished an occasion for the strongest cumulative evi-dence to be gathered, so that the resurrection of Christ rests upon the most simple and incontestable evidence: If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then he was an impostor, his disciples were deceivers or deluded, and the church was built upon a falsehood. Jesus arose from the dead; there is no other explanation of the empty tomb.
18-20 And Jesus came to them and spake.—At this time Jesus gave to them “the world-wide, time-lasting commis-sion.” All doubts had now been removed; all evidence was now before them, and they are now ready to receive this all-important commission. They are to see that the death of Jesus did not end all, but that his death, burial, and resurrec-tion constituted the essential facts of the gospel which they are to proclaim to the world; their work, instead of ending, is just now beginning; their despair at the death of Jesus is turned into the glorious hope of the gospel.
All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.—Our Lord has power to do all the work of mediation and grace between God and man; he was the Son of God in his divine nature, and had from eternity almighty power. (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16 Hebrews 1:8.) All power, in an absolute sense, cannot be attributed to him in his human nature, for it cannot be possessed and used by any creature. Since he has been raised from the dead, he now can claim all power in his person as Christ, both God and man. After his obedience unto death, and his sacrifice on the cross, he became the “me-diator,” the one authorized to stand between God and man. To our Lord was “all authority” now committed, that he should be Prophet, Priest, King, Mediator, Intercessor, and Savior of his people, and Judge over all created beings. (John 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 15:25-27; Ephesians 1:20-23 Philippians 2:9-11.) “As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21.) Thus does he give them a commission founded upon his own, to do the work in its application to men in every age, which he began and made possible by his death and resurrection.
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.— “Therefore” gives authority to what he is commanding; be-cause he has all power and authority, he has a right to say to them “go.” He has the power to make their going successful; therefore “go,” be aggressive; they are to have “all authority” behind them in doing what he now commands them to do. He has all authority, all power, all wisdom, and he now gives to his disciples an aggressiveness in evangelizing the world for him. They are to “make disciples of all the nations” that is, they are to “disciple” “all the nations”; that is, they are to preach the gospel and teach the people. To disciple a person to Christ is to lead that one to become a follower of Christ, to be a learner in his school, to be obedient to his commands, to become a Christian. To “make disciples” means to give all kinds of instruction for entrance into the church of our Lord.
Baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.—Those who are “discipled” are to be baptized; they were not to baptize “all the nations,” but those of “all nations” who were “discipled.” “Baptizing them” means those who receive the teachings. “Them,” in the Greek, is in the masculine gender “autous,” and cannot have for its antecedent “nations,” “ethna,” because “nations” is in the neuter gender hence, only those of the nations who are made disciples by preaching the gospel are to be baptized. The baptism is to be done “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit means the combined author-ity of the Godhead. To be baptized into this is to be brought by baptism into actual subjection to the combined authority of heaven. To be baptized into the name of these three brings one into covenant relation with the Godhead. Baptism is, therefore, not only a sacred act of obedience, but it brings one into the fullness of the blessings of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Christ is a universal Savior and his gospel is a universal gospel; obedience to him brings one into all the blessings which God has to give to man.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I com-manded you.—Those who are “discipled” to Jesus, and who have then baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are to be taught “to observe all things” which train and develop a child of God. Three things are com-manded in the commission to be done, namely: (1) make dis-ciples; (2) baptize those who are discipled; (3) then teach them to be obedient to all the commands of God. These three things are enjoined upon the disciples; they are joined and none of them should be omitted or neglected. A promise is given to them in this charge. “and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” This promise carries with it the cooperation of divine agencies; it is limited in time only by “the end of the world.” That is, the end of the gospel dispensation. This promise extends his spiritual presence and blessings to all who serve under this commission.
Jesus remained on earth affer his resurrection “by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the king-dom of God.” (Acts 1:3.) He ascended to the Father about ten days before Pentecost His disciples were to wait in Jerusalem “until ye be clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49.) They were to wait until Jesus ascended to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit here to guide them. “But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.” (John 14:26.) When the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, he filled the apos-tles and they began with renewed efforts the great task of evangelizing the world. Jesus was not willing to leave such an important work to his disciples without divine guidance. Although he had kept them in training for about three years, the work was so imperative and the salvation of souls so im-portant that the Holy Spirit was dispatched from heaven to guide the apostles in carrying out this commission. God’s plan of salvation has been completed; salvation is offered unto all. The commission sets forth the conditions of salvation. The commission expresses the terms of salvation , no one is commissioned to preach any other gospel.
The four writers of the gospel have left on record this commission; it has been expressed in different ways. A summary of the commission is here submitted.
THE
Make disciples
Baptism
Preach
Faith
Salvation
Repentance
All Combined