Matthew 28:7, commentary and pictures

Spoken by an angel at the lighted, empty tomb after the earthquake and the rolling away of the stone, the word was given to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary as they sought the crucified Jesus to anoint Him, bidding them go quickly and tell His disciples and brethren that He is risen from the dead and goes before them into Galilee where they shall see Him. In another form of the account the same charge is given by two angels in shining white who send the women hurrying back to the sorrowing disciples with what they have seen and heard. It fulfills Jesus' own beforehand promise to rise and go before them into Galilee, confirming that He is risen as He said and reviving hope because He had rested His claims as Son of God and Redeemer upon His resurrection. It stands as plain proof in the Word that the crucified Jesus, the Son of God and King of glory, is risen, pointing to the empty place where He lay, which the guards distinctly witnessed to priests and rulers who then bribed them to spread the lying report that the disciples stole the body while they slept. It appoints the public meeting on a Galilean mountainside that Jesus Himself appointed, where about five hundred believers assembled, doubts were swept away, and they communed with Him before going forth to their mission and Pentecost. It presents the risen Christ as victor over death and source of life to believers, who are not to linger about the sealed tomb as though He were there but, because He lives and intercedes, to walk before Him in obedience with grateful thanksgiving in assurance that they shall live also.

Tomb Setting and Wording

The word was spoken at the empty tomb at the end of the Sabbath as it dawned toward the first day of the week. A great earthquake had come when an angel descended from heaven, rolled back the immense stone as a pebble and sat upon it with countenance like lightning and raiment white as snow, so that the keepers shook and became as dead men. A form of exceeding glory emerged from the sepulcher while a chorus of voices filled heaven and earth with songs of victory and joy, and when the glory faded the guards found the great stone removed, the tomb lighted and empty, and the body of Jesus gone. With the invitation to see the place where the Lord lay came the command to go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead and goes before them into Galilee where they shall see Him.

It was addressed to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. They were women followers and friends of Christ who had helped Him in His public ministry, who came seeking the crucified Jesus with sweet spices to anoint Him, weeping, and found the stone rolled away and the body gone. The angel veiled his brightness so as not to terrify them, yet the glory of the Lord encircling him still amazed them so that they turned to flee. He understood their errand and announced with soothing comfort that Jesus who was crucified was not there but had risen as He promised, pointing to the empty place where He lay as proof.

Its command is to go quickly and tell His disciples and brethren that He is risen from the dead and goes before them into Galilee where they shall see Him. The women departed quickly with fear and great joy to bring the word to the disciples. As they went Jesus met them, and they worshipped Him, and He repeated the direction not to be afraid but to tell His brethren to go into Galilee to see Him. In another form of the account the message is given by two angels in white apparel with bright shining faces who understood the women's errand, announced that Jesus was not there but had risen and would go before them into Galilee, and sent them hurrying back to the sorrowing disciples with what they had seen and heard, which the disciples at first could not believe.

Promise and Meeting

The angel's word recalls and fulfills Jesus' own earlier promise that He would rise and go before His disciples into Galilee, confirming that He is risen as He said. Hearing it brought His beforehand warnings and predictions of crucifixion and resurrection back to mind, which had been veiled in mystery, and gave full comprehension of things not before understood. It filled the women with hope and courage and sent them away with fear and great joy to tell the disciples quickly, for Jesus had rested His claims as Son of God and Redeemer of the world upon His future resurrection.

It appoints the public meeting in Galilee that Jesus Himself appointed with His brethren after His resurrection and before His ascension. The disciples remained in Jerusalem through Passover week, where Jesus appeared to them twice and told them to stay there for a time, and the promise was repeated to believers gathered there and carried to many who mourned. Then they went to Galilee as directed, to a mountainside chosen because it could hold a large company, where about five hundred believers assembled. There doubts and unbelief were swept away as He planned to appear to the assembled believers, and they had a night of communion with Jesus before going forth on their mission and before the power and glory of Pentecost, which was of utmost importance because the church would soon continue its work without His personal presence.

It belongs to the resurrection account presenting a risen Saviour, following the transfiguration in Matthew 17 and the Last Supper, arrest, denial, trial, crucifixion and burial in Matthew 26:26-75 and Matthew 27, and opening the brighter chapter after Christ's sufferings and death. It gives plain proof in the Word of God that the crucified Jesus, the Son of God, Majesty of heaven and King of glory, is risen, pointing to the empty place where He lay. The guards gave full witness that could not be questioned and told the circumstances distinctly to the city and to everyone they met and to the priests and rulers, leaving them pale and speechless as two-thirds of the prophecy concerning Messiah stood fulfilled. But the priests refused to let the testimony go forth and bribed the guard to carry a lying report that the disciples stole the body while they slept, showing that denial comes not from lack of evidence or ignorance but from desire to keep the people from knowing the truth lest His killers stand exposed and error be exposed.

Life and Commission

The angel's direction to tell the disciples that the risen one goes ahead into Galilee to be seen there presents Him as victor over death and as the source of the life given to believers. They are to look for Him in Galilee, not at the sealed tomb, and not to linger about Joseph's new tomb as though He were still lying there. Because He lives and makes intercession for His people, they have assurance that they shall live also, and faith in Him holds the soul like a sure anchor. For this reason they are not to remain in complaint, sorrow and tears, which are not pleasing to the Lord, but to walk before Him in obedience with grateful thanksgiving. His resurrection and appearance to His sorrowing disciples revived the hopes that had died when He was crucified and buried.

The message belongs to the distinct history of the meeting He Himself appointed with His disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension. It calls for sincere belief in the personality of Jesus though unseen, viewed by the eye of faith. That faith stands with the promised ministration of the Holy Spirit and Christ's abiding presence, which give the earnest of life through Christ needed now to keep souls from departing from the faith.

It opens the brighter chapter after Christ's sufferings and death, declaring that He is risen and goes before His disciples. It shows that the Lord of glory made infinite sacrifices to open a way whereby sinners might be saved unto a life that measures with the life of God. No one suffers more than Christ suffered or pays a higher price for faith than Christ paid, so none should feel that salvation costs too much. Everyone who receives this salvation is called to make special sacrifices to save souls ready to perish in order to be counted worthy to enter the city of God.

Its reassurance to the sorrowing disciples that Jesus had risen and would go before them to Galilee parallels His compassion toward the disappointed believers of 1844. As the angels directed the disciples to expect to see Him in Galilee, so He directed the disappointed to follow Him into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. There He makes atonement and receives the kingdom before returning to take His people to live with Him.

The resurrection in which the angels acted belongs to the plan of salvation devised and accepted by the Father, in which their part was assigned to them before the incarnation. He told them beforehand that they would have a part to act with Him, be with Him and strengthen Him at different times. They witnessed His humiliation and great sufferings and the hatred of men toward Him, were stirred with deepest emotion, and through love wished to rescue and deliver Him from His murderers, yet did not interfere to prevent anything they beheld.