Matthew 28

The brief accounts which the four evangelists give of His resurrection and ascension, with the intervening events, contain some apparent discrepancies: arising partly from the different order and aspect in which the same circumstances are presented by the different writers; partly from the selection by each of those occurrences which best suited his plan; and chiefly from the omission of many incidents which were unknown to some or all (John xx. 30; xxi. 25). They all, however, agree in relating the three successive steps by which the doubting disciples were at length convinced that the Lord had risen: first, the empty tomb; secondly, the testimony of the angels; and thirdly, the appearances of the Lord Himself.

Perhaps the different narratives may be blended together as follows. “Last at the cross and first at the tomb,” the faithful women from Galilee come very early on the first day of the week to embalm the sacred body, Mary Magdalene taking the lead, and arriving first at the sepulchre. To her astonishment she finds the great stone rolled away from the entrance and the tomb emptied; and she runs back to announce the fact to the apostles. Meanwhile the other women, having reached the sepulchre, see the angel who had removed the stone, and who bids them to go and announce the resurrection to the disciples (Matt. xxviii. 1-8; Mark xvi. 1-8; Luke xxiv. 1-9; John xx. 1, 2).

On the information of Mary Magdalene, Peter and John run to the sepulchre, which they also find empty, but they depart without seeing the angels or the Lord (Luke xxiv. 12; John xx. 3-10). Mary, who has followed them to the tomb, lingers weeping alone; looks within, where she sees the angels; and, turning back, obtains the first view of her risen Lord (John xx. 11-18; Mark xvi. 9); who also appears to the other women, as they were going to carry the tidings to the disciples (Matt. xxviii. 9, 10), and then shows Himself to Peter (Luke xxiv. 34; 1 Cor. xv. 5). In the evening He converses with two disciples walking to Emmaus (Mark xvi. 12; Luke xxiv. 13-31); and then suddenly appears in the midst of the assembled disciples, Thomas alone being absent (Mark xvi. 14; Luke xxiv. 26-49; John xx. 19-23). Eight days afterwards, He again visits their assembly, and removes the incredulity of Thomas (John xx. 26-29). The disciples now go into Galilee, where Jesus appears to some of them near the Lake of Tiberias (John xxi.), and to a large assembly, comprising “above five hundred brethren” (Matt. xxviii. 16-20; 1 Cor. xv. 6). He then is seen by James, “the Lord’s brother,” alone (1 Cor. xv. 7); and, lastly, by the apostles on the Mount of Olives, near Bethany, just before His ascension (Luke xxiv. 50, 51; Acts i. 4-9).

2 rolled back the stone. (See note on xxvii. 60.) These things occurred probably just before the women arrived.

3. His countenance. Rather, “appearance” (R.V.): see Dan. x. 6.

5. Fear not ye. The word “ye” is emphatic. “Let His foes and His keepers shake; but fear not ye, His faithful followers.”

7. He goeth before you (leadeth you as a shepherd) into Galilee. Where His disciples were most numerous. He did not, however, go thither for more than a week (John xx. 26), when the Feast of Unleavened Bread would be ended, and those who had come up to Jerusalem might have returned.

8 the sepulchre. The Greek word here is changed from “sepulchre” (the erection over the grave) to “tomb” (the grave itself), as if to intimate that the tomb was empty.

with fear and great joy. Awe, on account of the wonders they had seen; joy, at the tidings they had heard.

9. All hail. The usual formula of greeting. “Peace be to you”: “good morning.” This appearance of our Lord to the women is recorded only in Matthew.

held Him by (took hold of) the feet. By touching our Lord’s feet they expressed the deepest reverence, mingled with the most ardent affection; while they obtained a fresh evidence that it was not a phantom which they saw, but the living body of the real Jesus.

10 my brethren. Our Lord may have chosen this appellation to show that neither His disciples’ unfaithfulness, nor His own new state of existence, had altered His relation or feelings to them: cp. John xx. 17.

12 when they were assembled. This plan was probably determined upon at a meeting of those who were most hostile to Christ, not a formal sitting of the whole council.

13 while we slept. This pretence was altogether absurd. It was unlikely that the disciples should make the attempt; incredible that men accustomed to martial discipline should one and all sleep at their post, knowing that the penalty was death; and impossible that if they were asleep they should know what others were doing at the time. But those who reject well-accredited truth will often welcome a convenient lie; so “that saying (i.e., that account of the matter) was commonly repeated among the Jews.”

14 and secure you. Lit., “rid you of care” (R.V.); “screen you from punishment” (Weymouth).

16 into a (the) mountain. An appointed place for the great gathering. The last words of Jesus which Matthew records, were delivered, like His first discourses, on a mountain in Galilee.

17 some doubted. Probably not some of the apostles; but some of the large body of disciples (“five hundred brethren at once”) to whom He appeared in Galilee, who at first doubted whether it was really He. The frankness with which Matthew mentions this fact indicates conscious truthfulness.

18. All power is (hath been) given unto me. For the “power” here intended (strictly “authority,” R.V.), see Acts ii. 33-36; v. 31; Rom. xiv. 9; Eph. i. 20-23; Phil. ii. 9-11; Heb. i. 3, 4; ii. 9; Rev. v. 5-14, etc.

19. Go ye. This command, being given to the assembled multitude of disciples, shows that it is the duty and the privilege of every true disciple to endeavour to “make disciples of” others: see Acts viii. 4.

teach. Or, “make disciples of” (R.V.); teach them the doctrine concerning me, and endeavour to lead them to receive it. We have here the threefold object of the preachers of the Gospel—to make men disciples of Christ, by converting them to the faith; to bring them to a public profession of the faith, by baptism; and to train them up in the practice of universal holiness.

all (the) nations. Not confining your labours to your own countrymen. Yet it required another express revelation (Acts x.) to teach the disciples that the gospel tidings were not to be confined to the Jews, or to the proselytes, in “all the nations,” but to be preached to all men.

baptising them. All who are made disciples are to be baptised. Baptism is the solemn rite of admission into the visible Church, and is designed as a profession of faith in the character and the word of God, as revealed in Holy Scriptures.

In the name. Rather, “into the name,” etc. (R.V.); a formula implying union with and dedication to. And it should be observed that it is not into the names, but into the name; showing that, with a distinct recognition of the different parts which the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit take in the great work of salvation, there is joined an equally distinct apprehension of the unity of the Godhead, as the fountain of authority and the source of blessing: cp. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. In the Acts, the recorded instances of baptism are in the name of Jesus only, but the gift of the Holy Spirit is associated with the ordinance: in promise (ii. 38) preceding the rite (x. 44, 47) or following it (viii. 17, xix. 6).

20. I am with you alway (“all the days”). The presence and power of Christ are necessary to success in His service. And they are promised, as an all-sufficient strength and comfort, to His faithful servants, in all their Christian labours, “unto the end of the world,” or, as R.V. marg., “the consummation of the age,” the accomplishment of all the great purposes which mark and crown the era of redemption.