¹ Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. ³ His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. ⁴ And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

The last chapter of Matthew sets forth the resurrection of Christ and the commission to the disciples.

28:1

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

The two women named Mary returned to the tomb to embalm Jesus’ body. They thought Jesus was dead; they were in for a shock.

28:2

And behold, there was a great earthquake;

A great earthquake occurred when the women arrived at the tomb. This was the second earthquake around the death and resurrection of Christ.

for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.

The arrival of the angel was the cause of the earthquake, carrying the element of grandeur. The angel did not roll back the stone to let Jesus out because He was already raised and had left the tomb.

28:3

His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

The appearance of the angel was like lightning.

28:4

And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

The angel scared the guards to death so that they fainted.

28:5

But the angel answered and said to the women,

The angel first directed his statements to women.

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

There is a Greek word for “you” in this sentence; it is emphatic. The soldiers might fear but there was no reason for the women to fear.

28:6

He is not here;

The tomb was now open. The gospels do not describe the resurrection itself but only the report of it by the angel. Only the hard evidence of the empty tomb remained at this point.

for He is risen,

We can translate this phrase as: “He has been raised.” It was the Father who raised Him from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection was the reason for the angel’s statement, “He is not here.” There is no other alternative.

as He said.

Jesus made it clear that he would rise from the dead. He predicted He would rise from the dead. The women should not have been surprised at Jesus’ resurrection because He said he would rise from the dead.

Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

The angel invited the women to look at the empty tomb where Jesus had lain.

PRINCIPLE:

Jesus commits to His promise of our resurrection.

APPLICATION:

Hope of resurrection and eternal life rests on God’s promises put on paper.

Ro 1: ⁴ and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.