Resurrection According to Scripture and Jesus’ Word
Jesus rises as he repeatedly foretold and as resurrection hope anticipated.
Matthew 28
The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King
Matthew 28 moves from the sealed tomb to the opened tomb, from fear of the guards to comfort for the women, from angelic announcement to personal encounter with Jesus, from truthful witness to bribed falsehood, from the eleven in Galilee to universal mission, and from Jesus’ resurrection to his continuing presence with his disciple-making church.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) , Public Domain · Translation notes · Reference sources
- The Women Come to the Tomb 28:1
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to the tomb after the Sabbath.
- The Angel Opens the Tomb 28:2-4
An angel descends, rolls back the stone, and terrifies the guards.
- The Angel Announces the Resurrection 28:5-7
The angel declares that Jesus has risen just as he said and sends the women to tell the disciples.
- Jesus Meets and Sends the Women 28:8-10
The risen Jesus appears to the women, receives worship, and sends them to his brothers.
- The Guards Are Bribed 28:11-15
The chief priests and elders pay the soldiers to spread the stolen-body lie.
- The Eleven Worship in Galilee 28:16-17
The eleven go to the mountain in Galilee, see Jesus, worship him, and some doubt.
- The Risen King Gives the Great Commission 28:18-20
Jesus declares universal authority, commands disciple-making among all nations, and promises his presence to the end of the age.
Biblical Theology
How This Chapter Fits
Theological Argument
Matthew 28 argues that the resurrection vindicates Jesus’ identity, validates his words, defeats the attempt to secure his death, and launches the mission of the church. The angel announces that the crucified one is not in the tomb because he has risen just as he said. Jesus then personally appears, receives worship, and calls the disciples his brothers. The leaders’ bribery exposes continued unbelief and attempts to suppress the truth. The final scene in Galilee shows that the risen Jesus has universal authority and commissions his disciples to make disciples of all nations through baptism and teaching obedience...
From tomb to angel, from angelic announcement to Jesus’ appearance, from worshiping women to bribed guards, from suppression in Jerusalem to mission from Galilee, from resurrection to world discipleship, from Immanuel promised to Immanuel abiding.
- The resurrection occurs after the true death and burial of Jesus.
- The opened tomb is God’s act, not human manipulation.
- The guards’ fear confirms the heavenly intervention.
- The risen one is the same Jesus who was crucified.
- Jesus rose according to his own word.
- The empty tomb is offered as witness evidence.
Christological Focus
Matthew 28 presents Jesus as the risen crucified Lord, the worshiped Son, the possessor of all authority in heaven and on earth, the sender of the church, the center of triune baptism, the teacher whose commands define discipleship, and the abiding Immanuel. The resurrection proves that the crucified King is not defeated but enthroned. His mission is universal because his authority is universal.
Matthew 28 argues that the resurrection vindicates Jesus’ identity, validates his words, defeats the attempt to secure his death, and launches the mission of the church. The angel announces that the crucified one is not in the tomb because he has risen just as he said. Jesus then personally appears, receives worship, and calls the disciples his brothers...
Covenant Significance
Matthew 28 announces the resurrection of the covenant mediator whose blood was poured out for forgiveness. The risen Jesus, possessing all authority in heaven and earth, sends his restored disciples to all nations. This fulfills the Abrahamic promise of blessing to the nations, the Davidic hope of universal royal authority, the prophetic hope of resurrection, and the Immanuel promise of God’s abiding presence.
- Matthew 28:5-6 - The crucified covenant mediator is raised just as he said.
- Matthew 28:10 - Jesus calls the disciples his brothers and summons them to meet him.
- Matthew 28:18 - The risen Jesus possesses all authority in heaven and on earth.
- Matthew 28:19 - The disciples are sent to make disciples of all nations.
- Matthew 28:19 - Baptism marks disciples in the singular name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Formation
Theological Burden Matthew 28 forms disciples to trust the risen Christ, worship him, bear truthful witness, reject false narratives, embrace all-nations disciple-making, baptize into the triune name, teach obedience to Jesus, and labor in confidence that he is with his people until the end of the age.
Pastoral Burden The chapter addresses fear, doubt, failed discipleship, truth suppression, mission drift, shallow evangelism, baptismal neglect, teaching without obedience, and ministry done without confidence in Christ’s presence.
Character Aim Resurrection faith, holy joy, courageous witness, worship, obedience, missionary clarity, triune identity, perseverance, and dependence on Christ’s presence.
- Trust the risen Christ’s word.
- Move from seeing to telling.
- Worship before mission.
- Reject bought narratives.
- Make disciples intentionally.
Canonical Connections
Women as Witnesses
The women who witnessed death and burial become first witnesses of the empty tomb and risen Jesus.
All Authority and Son of Man Dominion
Jesus’ universal authority echoes Daniel’s Son of Man receiving dominion.
Blessing to All Nations
The all-nations commission fulfills the promise that blessing would extend to all peoples.
Baptism and New Identity
Disciples are publicly identified with the triune God through baptism.
The Women Come to the Tomb
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to the tomb after the Sabbath.
Matthew 28:1-10
The sealed tomb is opened, the risen Jesus is worshiped, and fearful disciples are summoned to meet him in Galilee.
Biblical Theology
The passage announces the resurrection of the crucified Messiah as the dawn of new creation, the vindication of Jesus' word, and the beginning of restored mission. The stone, tomb, guards, angelic witness, worship, and Galilee command all serve one theological claim: God has raised Jesus, and the risen King gathers failed disciples into resurrection witness.
Theological Movement
The resurrection of Jesus is God's vindication of the crucified Son — he is not here, he is risen; the women depart with fear and great joy to announce the living Lord.
Typological Role Antitype
The resurrection on the third day fulfills Hosea 6:2 and Jonah 1:17 typologically; the angel's appearance in white and the earthquake fulfill the divine-warrior theophany pattern of Daniel 10:5-6.
Fulfillment: Hosea 6:2; Jonah 1:17; Daniel 10:5-6
Canonical Links
Matthew 12:40 Fulfillment Anticipation
The sign of Jonah anticipates Jesus' burial-like descent and third-day emergence, now announced at the empty tomb.
Psalm 16:10 Resurrection Fulfillment
The hope that God's Holy One would not be abandoned to the grave gives canonical depth to the resurrection announcement.
Isaiah 53:10-12 Servant Christology
The Servant who suffers unto death is vindicated with life and fruit, matching the movement from cross to risen witness.
1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
The Angel Opens the Tomb
An angel descends, rolls back the stone, and terrifies the guards.
2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
4 The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men.
The Angel Announces the Resurrection
The angel declares that Jesus has risen just as he said and sends the women to tell the disciples.
5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
6 He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.
7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you.”
Jesus Meets and Sends the Women
The risen Jesus appears to the women, receives worship, and sends them to his brothers.
8 So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.
9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.
10 “Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.”
The Guards Are Bribed
The chief priests and elders pay the soldiers to spread the stolen-body lie.
Matthew 28:11-15
The guards are paid to spread a lie, but the empty tomb remains a witness to the risen King.
Biblical Theology
The passage shows that resurrection truth advances in a world where religious and political powers may prefer a manageable lie to the living Christ. God's victory in raising Jesus is not weakened by the stolen-body story...
Theological Movement
The guards are bribed to report the body was stolen — the lie is spread among Jews to this day; the authorities suppress the resurrection even while experiencing its evidence.
Canonical Links
Matthew 27:62-66 Narrative Continuation
The guard arrangement creates the setting in which the later stolen-body report is exposed as manufactured.
Exodus 20:16 Law And Curse
The bribed report violates the command against false witness by using public speech to suppress resurrection truth.
Deuteronomy 27:25 Law And Curse
The curse on taking a bribe to distort justice exposes the moral seriousness of buying a lie about the empty tomb.
11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
12 And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money
13 and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’
14 If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
15 So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.
The Eleven Worship in Galilee
The eleven go to the mountain in Galilee, see Jesus, worship him, and some doubt.
Matthew 28:16-20
The risen King sends his disciples to make disciples of all nations, and he goes with them by his abiding presence.
Biblical Theology
The passage brings together Son of Man authority, Abrahamic blessing to the nations, the triune name, obedience to the teaching of Jesus, and Immanuel presence. The crucified and risen Son now sends His disciples to all nations, forming a people marked by baptism, instruction, and obedience under His lordship until the age reaches its consummation.
Theological Movement
The Great Commission: the risen Christ with all authority sends his people to disciple all nations through baptism and teaching — and Emmanuel, God-with-us from Matthew 1, remains with his people to the end of the age.
Typological Role Antitype
All authority in heaven and earth given to Jesus fulfills Daniel 7:13-14 (the Son of Man receiving dominion); the command to disciple all nations fulfills Genesis 12:3 and Isaiah 49:6; the promise of presence fulfills Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14).
Fulfillment: Daniel 7:13-14; Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 7:14
Canonical Links
Daniel 7:13-14 Messianic Fulfillment
The Son of Man's dominion over all peoples stands behind Jesus' declaration of all authority in heaven and on earth.
Genesis 12:1-3 Promise To Mission
The promise that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham reaches its mission form in discipling all nations.
Isaiah 49:6 Gentile Inclusion
The Servant's light-to-the-nations calling anticipates the risen Christ sending His disciples to all nations.
16 Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated.
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted.
The Risen King Gives the Great Commission
Jesus declares universal authority, commands disciple-making among all nations, and promises his presence to the end of the age.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”