Matthew 28
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Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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— Prayers ( Blue )
— Promises ( Green )
— Warnings ( Red )
— Commands ( Purple )
THEME: The resurrection of Jesus; the giving of the Great Commission
In the previous chapter we have seen the death and burial of the Lord Jesus, and in this chapter we will see His resurrection. Both are essential to my salvation and yours. "Who [Jesus] was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Rom. 4:25). He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
The unique fact of the gospel is the Resurrection. All other religions record the death of their leader. Only the Christian faith records the Resurrection of its Founder. All other religious leaders are dead. Only Jesus is alive. This is important and imperative to know.
Compassion ( 28:1 )
( 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.
— Although they had witnessed Joseph’s and Nicodemus’s wrapping Jesus’ body i
n the linen and cloths and spices ( 27:61 ), the women had secured and prepared their own spices ( Lk 24:1 )
— Salome, the mother of James and John and the wife of Zebedee ( Mark 16:1; cf. Matt 27:56 ) and Joanna ( Lk 24:10 ) were also there
— Matthew focuses only on the two Marys
— The other Mary was the mother of James and Joseph and the wife of Clopas ( Matt 27:56; Jn 19:25 )
— The women obviously thought Jesus would still be in the grave or else they would not have brought anointing spices
— Mark tells us that on that way to the tomb the women were worried about who would roll away the stone ( Mark 16:3 )
Q: Why did the angel have to roll away the stone ( 28:2 )?
Terror ( 28:2-7 )
( 28:2-7 ) 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. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
— No sooner had the women reached the tomb, there was a great earthquake
— This was the second supernaturally caused earthquake in connection with Jesus’ death and burial ( 27:51 )
— The stone was not rolled away so Jesus could get out, but so that others could get in and see Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, just as he had promised
Going Deeper
— In comparing the gospel accounts, it becomes clear that Jesus had already left the tomb when the stone was rolled away
— As demonstrated during several post-resurrection appearances, it becomes clear that He was no longer bound by death
— He was no longer bound by the limitations of the physical world or by time ( Lk 24:31; Jn 20:26 )
— In His glorified form He could escape a closed grave just as easily as He could enter a closed room
Schofield Reference Bible note on the order of events:
The order of events, combining the four narratives, is as follows: Three women, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, start for the sepulcher, followed by other women bearing spices. The three find the stone rolled away, and Mary Magdalene goes to tell the disciples (Lk. 23:55 through Luke 24:9; John 20:1, 2). Mary, the mother of James and Joses, draws nearer the tomb and sees the angel of the Lord (Mt. 28:2). She goes back to meet the other women following with the spices. Meanwhile Peter and John, warned by Mary Magdalene, arrive, look in, and go away (John 20:3-10). Mary Magdalene returns weeping, sees the two angels and then Jesus (John 20:11-18), and goes as He bade her to tell the disciples. Mary (mother of James and Joses), meanwhile, has met the women with the spices and, returning with them, they see the two angels (Lk. 24:4, 5; Mk. 16:5). They also receive the angelic message, and, going to seek the disciples, are met by Jesus (Mt. 28:8-10).
The order of our Lord's appearances would seem to be: On the day of His resurrection: (1) To Mary Magdalene (John 20:14-18). (2) To the women returning from the tomb with the angelic message (Mt. 28:8-10). (3) To Peter, probably in the afternoon (Lk. 24:34; 1Cor. 15:5). (4) To the Emmaus disciples toward evening (Lk. 24:13-31). (5) To the apostles, except Thomas (Lk. 24:36-43; John 20:19-24). Eight days afterward: (1) To the apostles, Thomas being present (John 20:24-29). In Galilee: (1) To the seven by the Lake of Tiberias (John 21:1-23). (2) On a mountain, to the apostles and five hundred brethren (1Cor. 15:6). At Jerusalem and Bethany again: (1) To James (1Cor. 15:7). (2) To the eleven (Mt. 28:16-20; Mk. 16:14-20; Lk. 24:33-53; Acts 1:3-12). To Paul: (1) Near Damascus (Acts 9:3-6; 1Cor. 15:8). (2) In the temple (Acts 22:17-21; Acts 23:11). To Stephen, outside Jerusalem (Acts 7:55). To John on Patmos (Rev. 1:10-19).
Mary runs
— From John’s gospel we learn that Mary Magdalene left the garden as soon as she saw the stone had been rolled away ( John 20:1 )
— Before the angel appeared, she ran to Simon Peter and John
— She told them what she thought was terrible news, that someone had stolen the body
— It is obvious that Peter and John did not consider the possibility of resurrection either
— They immediately ran to the tomb to find out what they could ( John 20:3-4 )
Going Deeper
— One wonders why God chose to reveal the truth of the resurrection first to those women rather than to the disciples
— One commentator suggests that it was because God chooses the weak to confound the strong
— Another suggests that women were rewarded for their faithful service to the Lord in Galilee
— Yet another suggests, because death came by a women in a garden, so new life would be announced to a women in a garden
— But Scripture offers no explanation; maybe simply because they were there and the disciples were not
The Angel
— Meanwhile, the angel appeared to those who were near the tomb
— The angel’s words gave the women comfort; It struck fear in the hearts of the soldier, who became like dead men
— The angel who announced the good news of the resurrection to the women gave them four messages:
( 1 ) Do not be afraid
— The reality of the resurrection brings joy, not fear
— When you are afraid, remember the empty tomb
( 2 ) He is not here
— Jesus is not dead and is not to be looked for among the dead
— He is alive, and with his people
( 3 ) Come and see
— The women could check the evidence themselves
— The tomb was empty then, and is empty now
— The resurrection is of historical fact
( 4 ) Go quickly and tell
— They were to spread the joy of the resurrection
— We too our spread the great news about Jesus's resurrection
Going Deeper
— When Peter and John entered the tomb a short while later, they “saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.” ( John 20:6-7 )
— The burial clothes were just as they were when Nicodemus laid the body to rest
— Jesus did not have to be unwrapped any more than He had to have the stone removed
— At one moment He was encased in the linen, and the next He was free, leaving the wrapping unchanged
Q: Jesus’ resurrection is the key to the Christian Faith. Why ( 28:6 )?
( 28:6 ) He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
( 1 ) Just as He promised , Jesus rose from the dead
— We can be confident that He will accomplish all that He promised
( 2 ) Jesus’ bodily resurrection shows us that the He is the living ruler of God’s eternal kingdom
— He is not a false prophet or an imposter
( 3 ) We can be certain of our resurrection because He was resurrected
— Death is not the end
— There is a future life
( 4 ) The power that brought Jesus back to life is available to us to bring our spiritually dead selves back to life
( 5 ) The resurrection is the basis for the church's witness to the world
( 28:7 ) go quickly and tell His disciples
— It would have seemed more than justified to allow the disciples to suffer in fear and agony for a while before telling them the good news
— They had stubbornly refused to believe that Jesus would die and be raised, although He had told them many times
— But in His gracious mercy God sent the women to tell the disciples as soon as possible, so they would not have to experience another moment of misery and grief
Joy ( 28:8 )
( 28:8 ) So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word
— The women left the tomb with both fear and great joy
— Mary Magdalene had already left and reported her findings to Peter and John
— The other two women had left when Peter and John saw the empty tomb, they “went away again to their own homes” ( Jn 20:5-10 )
— While Mary remained outside the tomb weeping, the two angels appeared to her and then the Lord Himself
— It was not until Jesus called her by name, however, that she recognized Him and shouted, “Rabboni!” ( Jn 20:11-16 )
— She then reported her wonderful experience to the disciples ( Jn 20:18 )
Worship ( 28:9 )
( 28:9 ) And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
— χαίρω (chairō) Hello, Good Morning
— “Greeting” (NIV)
— This was an ordinary greeting, seemingly too mundane to be appropriate for such a momentous occasion
— Yet the glorified Christ, who had just finished conquering sin and death, greeted these faithful women with warm, informal tenderness
— As the writer of Hebrews assures us
— “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” ( Heb 4:15 )
— And immediately they fell at His feet and worshipped Him
— When He comes again, “every knee [will] bow…and…every tongue [will] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” ( Phil 2:10-11 )
Going Deeper
— At last the full reality of the resurrection was solidifying in the minds and hearts of the women
— They had heard the angel’s proclamation of the resurrection
— They had seen the empty tomb
— They had beheld the risen Lord
— They even touched His glorified body
— They could now do nothing but adore and worship Him
Hope ( 28:10 )
( 28:10 ) Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
— By “brothers” Jesus probably meant His disciples
— This showed that He had forgiven them, even after they had disowned Him and deserted Him
— Jesus told the women to pass a message to the disciples — that he would meet them in Galilee, as He had previously told them ( Mark 14:28 )
— But the disciples, afraid of the religious leaders, stayed behind locked doors in Jerusalem ( Lk 24:36 )
— So Jesus met them first met them there ( Lk 24:36 ) and then later in Galilee ( John 21 )
The Lie that Proves the Resurrection ( 28:11-15 )
( 28:11-15 ) Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day
— The guards first reported these things to the chief priests
— They had much less to fear from the chief priests than Pilate
— They may have hoped that those leaders could somehow protect them from the governor
— They reported all the things that happened
— The earthquake
— The rolling of the stone
— The blazing angel sitting on the stone
— The empty tomb
— The soldier’s news brought alarm, fear, and confusion to the religious leaders, but it did not bring repentance or faith
The Sanhedrin Acts
— First, the soldiers were given a large sum of money
— We don’t know how much but it must have been large
— Possibly a dozen soldiers had to be bribed
— Second, the soldiers were told to tell a lie that, His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’
— The soldiers became the first person to preach the anti-gospel falsehood
— Telling a lie was trivial in exchange for the protection that the Sanhedrin offered them
— Third, the Sanhedrin offered to protect the soldiers
— The soldiers knew they would forfeit their lives if Jesus body was stolen while they slept
— But the Sanhedrin had leverage with the Governor and could make an unfavorable report to Caesar
A Great Disturbance
— Jesus’ resurrection caused a great stir in Jerusalem
— A group of women was moving quickly through the streets looking for the disciples to tell the amazing news that Jesus was alive
— At the same time, a group of religious leaders was plotting how to cover up the resurrection
— Today there are still a great stir over the resurrection, and there are still only two choices
— To believe that Jesus rose from the dead
— Or to be closed to the truth: denying it, ignoring it, or trying to explain it away
Going Deeper
— Despite the firsthand unprejudiced testimony and their own awareness that Jesus claimed He would rise from the dead on the third day, the chief priests showed no interest in verifying the guard’s story
— It did not matter that He was raised from the dead just as it did not matter that He performed miracles before their very own eyes
— As Abraham told the rich man in Jesus’ parable, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” ( Luke 16:31 )
— The heart that is hardened to God will not be persuaded by any miracle or by any amount of evidence, no matter how compelling
The Propagation ( 28:15 )
( 28:15 ) So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
— The soldiers gladly took the money
— Rather than being punished, they were rewarded
— Matthew then comments that this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day
— Matthew wrote his gospel some thirty years later, about A.D. 63
A Central Truth
— Many have doubted the resurrection
— Many theories of what happened have been circulated
— And despite compelling evidence some still chose not believe
— Paul says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” ( Ro 10:9-10 )
— Salvation belongs only to those who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and who confess Him as Lord and Savior and thereby identify themselves with Him
Making Disciples of All Nations ( 28:16-20 )
( 28:16-20 ) Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
— If a Christian understands all of the rest of the gospel of Matthew and fails to understand this closing passage, he has missed the point of the entire book
— This passage is the climax and major focal point not only of this gospel but the entire NT
— This central message of Scripture pertains to the central mission of the people of God
— Tragically, many Christians do not understand or are unwilling to fulfill it
— It seems obvious that some think little about their mission in this world, except in regard to their own personal needs
— They are involved in the church only to the extent that it serves their own personal needs
— We are to be His instruments in His divine plane to redeem the world
— The great mission of the church is to call men and women to Jesus Christ
— There is only one reason the Lord allows His church to remain on earth: to seek and save the lost
Going Deeper
— God has always taken the initiative for man’s salvation and restoration, from His first call to Adam, “Where are you?” ( Gen 3:9 ), to His last call in Revelation: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” ( Rev 22:17 )
— God has been drawing, is now drawing, and, until the final judgment, will continue to draw sinful men back to Himself and to restore the world that sin has corrupted
— All for the purpose of bringing glory to Himself
— When sinners are saved, God is glorified, because their salvation cost Him the death of His own Son
— The supreme way in which God chose to glorify Himself was through the redemption of sinful men, and it is through the participation in that redemptive plan that believers themselves most glorify God
— Therefore, the believer who desires to glorify God, who wants to honor God’s supreme will and purpose, must share God’s love for the lost and share in His mission to redeem the lost to Himself
Availability ( 28:16 )
( 28:16 ) Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them
— The eleven disciples were where they were supposed to be in Galilee
— As far as a believer’s service to God is concerned, the greatest ability is availability
— It always begins with being available to be used by God
— Because they were there
— They met Christ
— They were commissioned
— They received the Lord’s promise of His continual presence and power
— It all started with being available
Going Deeper
— The last recorded appearance of Jesus in Jerusalem was eight days after the resurrection, when Thomas saw the resurrected Lord for the first time ( John 20:26 )
— The journey from Jerusalem to Galilee would have taken about a week
— Then, after they arrived there some of the disciples went fishing and the Lord asked Peter three times if he loved Him ( John 21:1-17)
— That event would have occurred at least fifteen days after the resurrection and probably closer to twenty
— We are not told who was present when Jesus gave the Great Commission, but it seems probable that it was a group of more than five hundred that Paul mentions in 1 Cor 15:6
— “After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.” ( 1 Cor 15:6 )
— The fact that Matthew specifically mentions only the eleven disciples does not limit the gathering to them
— Because the Great Commission applies to all of His church, Jesus would surely have wanted to deliver it to the largest possible group of His faithful followers
— Not only were most of Jesus’ followers from Galilee, but that region was secluded and was a safe distance from Jerusalem, where most of Jesus’ enemies were
Worship ( 28:17-18a )
( 28:17-18a ) When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying
— Effective fulfillment of the church’s mission requires genuine worship
— When God is not truly worshiped, He cannot be truly served, no matter how talented, gifted, or well-intentioned His servants might be
— Yet, amazingly some doubted
— Some interpreters insist that those who doubted were some of the disciples
— But the disciples had already seen the risen Lord on several occasions
— It is more likely that some in the large crowd doubted whether the person who appeared to them was actually the risen Lord
— As to remove any doubt, Jesus graciously came up and spoke to them
—Now those who doubted joined the others in worship
Q: Why does Jesus make know this claim ( 28:18) ?
Submission ( 28:18b )
( 28:18b ) All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
— Effective fulfillment of the church’s mission also requires submission
— We are to submit to His rule; we are to have humble and complete submission to His will
— Before giving the commission, Jesus first established His absolute authority so that, they may know moment by moment they can lean on Him
— The disciples had the Lord’s demand as well as His resources to guide and empower them
Obedience ( 28:19-20 )
( 28:19-20 ) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
— The fourth element for effective fulfillment of the church’s mission is obedience to the Lord’s command
— When someone is dying or leaving us, his or her last words are very important
— Jesus left the disciples with these last words of instruction:
— They were under His authority
—They were to make more disciples
— They were to baptize and teach these new disciples to obey Christ
— Christ would be with them always
— Whereas in previous missions Jesus has sent His disciples only to the Jews ( 10:5,6 ), their mission from now on would be worldwide
— Jesus is Lord of the earth, and he died for the sins of people from all nations
Go
— “Go” implies that the disciples — and this hold for God’s children in general — must not concentrate all their thoughts on “coming” to church
— They must also “go” to bring the precious tidings to others
— We are to go — whether it is next-door or to another country — and make disciples
— It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus "Lord”
— We are not all evangelists in the formal sense, but we have all received gifts that we can use to help fulfill the great commission
— As we obey, we have comfort in the knowledge that Jesus is always with us
Make Disciples
— Not the same as make converts
— Carries the idea that the mind, heart and the will must be won for God
— A disciple is a pupil, a learner
The Father, Son and Holy Spirit
— Jesus's words affirm the reality of the Trinity
— Some people accuse theologians of making up the concept of the Trinity and reading it into Scripture
— As we see here, the concept comes directly from Jesus himself
— He did not say baptize them into the names but into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
— The word Trinity does not occur in Scripture, but it well describes the three in one nature of the father-son Holy Spirit
— The disciples were to baptize people because baptism unites a believer with Jesus Christ in our death to sin and resurrection to new life
— Baptism symbolizes submission to Christ and willingness to live God's way
A teaching them to observe
— Teaching both before and after baptism
— The early church insisted that before the person be admitted to membership he give evidence of genuine repentance and of knowledge of the basics of Christianity
— That teaching should not stop after baptism
The Great Comfort
Q: How is Jesus always with us ( 28:20 )?
— Jesus was with the disciples physically and he ascended into heaven, and then spiritually through the Holy Spirit ( Acts 1:4 )
— The Holy Spirit would be Jesus's presence that would never leave them ( or us )
— Jesus continues to be with us today through the spirit
Summary
— The Old Testament prophecies and genealogies in the book of Matthew present Jesus's credentials for being king of the world
— Not a military or political leader, as the disciples had originally hoped
— Rather, a spiritual King who can overcome all evil and rule heart of every person
— If we refuse to serve the King faithfully, we are disloyal subjects, fit only to be banished from the kingdom
— We must make Jesus King of our lives and worship him as our Lord and Savior King
Because of Christ’s glorious resurrection we know that our
Right to heaven has been secured ( Rom 8:1 )
Earthly house is to be exchanged for the heavenly ( 2 Cor 5:1 )
Sins are forgiven ( Rom 4:25 )
Union with the church above has begun ( Eph 3:14 )
Requests are being heard and answered ( Eph 3:20 )
Redeemer has triumphed; hence, so shall we triumph ( John 16:33 )
Energies are being constantly replenished ( Phil 4:12, 13 )
Christ is living evermore to intercede for us ( Heb 7:25 )
Trials are understood and attended to ( Heb 4:15 )
Immortality ( glorious ) is guaranteed ( John 14:19 )
Oblations are being accepted ( Phil 4:18, 19 )
Names are written in heaven ( Luke 10:20 )
Additional Resources
MacArthur, John. Matthew 24-28. Moody Press, 1989.
MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary. Moody, 1985.
William Hendriksen. Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1973.