Matthew 28: He has risen, just as He said
Risen on the first day, Jesus sends His disciples with all authority to disciple the nations, and is with them always.
Where Matthew 28 sits
- In the story
- Act V, Christ: Matthew–John
- In the Bible
- New Testament · Gospels · chapter 28 of 28 in Matthew
- In Matthew
- Risen, with all authority, 28:1–20 · part of the King's death and resurrection
- Before
- Matthew 27: Truly this was the Son of God
- After
- Matthew closes here
Matthew 28 summary
As the first day of the week dawns, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to see the tomb. A great earthquake comes as an angel of the Lord rolls away the stone and sits on it, and the guards tremble and become like dead men. The angel tells the women not to be afraid: “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said!”; they are to tell His disciples that He goes before them into Galilee. Running with fear and great joy, they meet Jesus Himself, grasp His feet and worship Him, and He sends word to His brothers to go to Galilee. Some of the guard report to the chief priests, who bribe the soldiers to say the disciples stole the body while they slept, a story still told among the Jews. The eleven go to the mountain in Galilee Jesus had designated; seeing Him they worship, though some doubt. Jesus comes and says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” Therefore they are to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that He has commanded; and He is with them always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28 in context
- Speaking
- Matthew, narrating; the angel, the risen Jesus, the chief priests and the soldiers speak
- Written for
- Readers called to believe that He is risen and to go to all nations as His disciples
- Around it
- Follows His death and the sealed, guarded tomb (27:62–66); the book ends here, and Acts carries the commission to the nations
The sections of Matthew 28
Read Matthew 28
The Resurrection
1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
2Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men.
5But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay. 7Then 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.”
8So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. 9Suddenly 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 Report of the Guards
11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money 13and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
15So 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 Great Commission
16Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated. 17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted.
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Berean Standard Bible, 20 verses. The BSB is in the public domain.
Around Matthew 28
On the road
Places
- Jerusalem
- Galilee
Read alongside
- Daniel 7
- Genesis 12
- Acts 1
- Acts 2
- 1 Corinthians 15
- Acts 20
- John 20
Chapters that point here
- 1 Chronicles 27
- 2 Chronicles 15
- 2 Chronicles 17
- Ezra 7
- Psalm 20
- Obadiah 1
- Mark 16
- 2 Corinthians 13
Questions on Matthew 28
What does the angel tell the women, and how does it echo Jesus' own predictions (28:6)?
How does 28:20 close the frame opened by 1:23?
On what authority, and with what command, does Jesus send the eleven (28:18–20)?
The answers are in TheoMaps Challenges.
Plus What TheoMaps holds for Matthew 28
- How Matthew 28 points to Christ
- What each of its 5 sections says, and how one leads into the next
- 6 threads, 5 promises and 2 covenants, with the verses that join them
- 4 doctrines it teaches: death and the resurrection, baptism, the church and Christ the Mediator
- How it is shaped: God with us
- Why those 7 chapters belong beside it
- The answers to its questions, in Challenges
TheoMaps Plus opens every book the way Genesis is open, on the map, with Challenges to help you remember it.