5 And G1161 the angel G32 answered G611 and said G2036 unto the women, G1135 Fear G5399 not G3361 ye: G5210 for G1063 I know G1492 that G3754 ye seek G2212 Jesus, G2424 which G3588 was crucified. G4717
Are they G1526 not G3780 all G3956 ministering G3010 spirits, G4151 sent forth G649 to G1519 minister G1248 for G1223 them who shall G3195 be heirs of G2816 salvation? G4991
Fear H3372 thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; H8159 for I am thy God: H430 I will strengthen H553 thee; yea, I will help H5826 thee; yea, I will uphold H8551 thee with the right hand H3225 of my righteousness. H6664
Fear H3372 not, thou worm H8438 Jacob, H3290 and ye men H4962 of Israel; H3478 I will help H5826 thee, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and thy redeemer, H1350 the Holy One H6918 of Israel. H3478
Then said H559 he unto me, Fear H3372 not, Daniel: H1840 for from the first H7223 day H3117 that thou didst set H5414 thine heart H3820 to understand, H995 and to chasten H6031 thyself before H6440 thy God, H430 thy words H1697 were heard, H8085 and I am come H935 for thy words. H1697
And said, H559 O man H376 greatly beloved, H2532 fear H3372 not: peace H7965 be unto thee, be strong, H2388 yea, be strong. H2388 And when he had spoken H1696 unto me, I was strengthened, H2388 and said, H559 Let my lord H113 speak; H1696 for thou hast strengthened H2388 me.
And G1161 he saith G3004 unto them, G846 Be G1568 not G3361 affrighted: G1568 Ye seek G2212 Jesus G2424 of Nazareth, G3479 which G3588 was crucified: G4717 he is risen; G1453 he is G2076 not G3756 here: G5602 behold G2396 the place G5117 where G3699 they laid G5087 him. G846
And G2532 when Zacharias G2197 saw G1492 him, he was troubled, G5015 and G2532 fear G5401 fell G1968 upon G1909 him. G846 But G1161 the angel G32 said G2036 unto G4314 him, G846 Fear G5399 not, G3361 Zacharias: G2197 for G1360 thy G4675 prayer G1162 is heard; G1522 and G2532 thy G4675 wife G1135 Elisabeth G1665 shall bear G1080 thee G4671 a son, G5207 and G2532 thou shalt call G2564 his G846 name G3686 John. G2491
And G1161 as G1096 they G846 were G1096 afraid, G1719 and G2532 bowed down G2827 their faces G4383 to G1519 the earth, G1093 they said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 Why G5101 seek ye G2212 the living G2198 among G3326 the dead? G3498
And G2532 they G1565 say G3004 unto her, G846 Woman, G1135 why G5101 weepest thou? G2799 She saith G3004 unto them, G846 Because G3754 they have taken away G142 my G3450 Lord, G2962 and G2532 I know G1492 not G3756 where G4226 they have laid G5087 him. G846 And G2532 when she had G2036 thus G5023 said, G2036 she turned G4762 herself G1519 back, G3694 and G2532 saw G2334 Jesus G2424 standing, G2476 and G2532 knew G1492 not G3756 that G3754 it was G2076 Jesus. G2424 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto her, G846 Woman, G1135 why G5101 weepest thou? G2799 whom G5101 seekest thou? G2212 She, G1565 supposing G1380 G3754 him to be G2076 the gardener, G2780 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Sir, G2962 if G1487 thou G4771 have borne G941 him G846 hence, G941 tell G2036 me G3427 where G4226 thou hast laid G5087 him, G846 and I G2504 will take G142 him G846 away. G142
And G2532 when G3753 I saw G1492 him, G846 I fell G4098 at G4314 his G846 feet G4228 as G5613 dead. G3498 And G2532 he laid G2007 his G846 right G1188 hand G5495 upon G1909 me, G1691 saying G3004 unto me, G3427 Fear G5399 not; G3361 I G1473 am G1510 the first G4413 and G2532 the last: G2078 G2532 I am he that liveth, G2198 and G2532 was G1096 dead; G3498 and, G2532 behold, G2400 I am G1510 alive G2198 for G1519 evermore, G165 G165 Amen; G281 and G2532 have G2192 the keys G2807 of hell G86 and G2532 of death. G2288
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 28
Commentary on Matthew 28 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 28
In the foregoing chapters, we saw the Captain of our salvation engaged with the powers of darkness, attacked by them, and vigorously attacking them; victory seemed to hover between the combatants; nay, at length, it inclined to the enemies' side, and our Champion fell before them; behold, God has delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemies' hand. Christ in the grave is like the ark in Dagon's temple; the powers of darkness seemed to ride masters, but then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine, Ps. 78:61, 65. The prince of our peace is in this chapter rallying again, coming out of the grave, a Conqueror, yea, more than a conqueror, leading captivity captive; though the ark be a prisoner, Dagon falls before it, and it proves that none is able to stand before the holy Lord God. Now the resurrection of Christ being one of the main foundations of our religion, it is requisite that we should have infallible proofs of it; four of which proofs we have in this chapter, which are but a few of many, for Luke and John give a larger account of the proofs of Christ's resurrection than Matthew and Mark do. Here is,
Mat 28:1-10
For the proof of Christ's resurrection, we have here the testimony of the angel, and of Christ himself, concerning his resurrection. Now we may think that it would have been better, if the matter had been so ordered, that a competent number of witnesses should have been present, and have seen the stone rolled away by the angel, and the dead body reviving, as people saw Lazarus come out of the grave, and then the matter had been past dispute; but let us not prescribe to Infinite Wisdom, which ordered that the witnesses of his resurrection should see him risen, but not see him rise. His incarnation was a mystery; so was this second incarnation (if we may so call it), this new making of the body of Christ, for his exalted state; it was therefore made in secret. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Christ gave such proofs of his resurrection as were corroborated by the scriptures, and by the word which he had spoken (Lu. 24:6, 7, 44; Mk. 16:7); for here we must walk by faith, not by sight. We have here,
Observe,
Two things the angel refers these women to, for the confirmation of their faith, touching Christ's resurrection.
Here is,
Mat 28:11-15
For the further proof of the resurrection of Christ, we have here the confession of the adversaries that were upon the guard; and there are two things which strengthen this testimony-that they were eye-witnesses, and did themselves see the glory of the resurrection, which none else did-and that they were enemies, set there to oppose and obstruct his resurrection. Now observe here,
The result of their debate was, that those soldiers must by all means be bribed off, and hired not to tell tales.
But lest the soldiers should object the penalty they incurred by the Roman law for sleeping upon the guard, which was very severe (Acts 12:19), they promised to interpose with the governor; "We will persuade him, and secure you. We will use our own interest in him, to get him not to take notice of it;' and they had lately found how easily they could manage him. If really these soldiers had slept, and so suffered the disciples to steal him away, as they would have the world believe, the priests and elders would certainly have been the forwardest to solicit the governor to punish them for their treachery; so that their care for the soldiers' safety plainly gives the lie to the story. They undertook to secure them from the sword of Pilate's justice, but could not secure them from the sword of God's justice, which hangs over the head of those that love and make a lie. They promise more than they can perform who undertake to save a man harmless in the commission of a wilful sin.
Well, thus was the plot laid; now what success had it?
The great argument to prove Christ to be the Son of God, is, his resurrection, and none could have more convincing proofs of the truth of that than these soldiers had; they saw the angel descend from heaven, saw the stone rolled away, saw the body of Christ come out of the grave, unless the consternation they felt hindered them; and yet they were so far from being convinced by it themselves, that they were hired to belie him, and to hinder others from believing in him. Note, The most sensible evidence will not convince men, without the concurring operation of the Holy Spirit.
Mat 28:16-20
This evangelist passes over several other appearances of Christ, recorded by Luke and John, and hastens to this, which was of all other the most solemn, as being promised and appointed again and again before his death, and after his resurrection. Observe,
In opening this great charter, we may observe two things.
All that are baptized, are thereby obliged,
Two solemn farewells we find our Lord Jesus giving to his church, and his parting word at both of them is very encouraging; one was here, when he closed up his personal converse with them, and then his parting word was, "Lo, I am with you always; I leave you, and yet still I am with you;' the other was, when he closed up the canon of the scripture by the pen of his beloved disciple, and then his parting word was, "Surely, I come quickly. I leave you for awhile, but I will be with you again shortly,' Rev. 22:20. By this it appears that he did not part in anger, but in love, and that it is his will we should keep up both our communion with him and our expectation of him.
There is one word more remaining, which must not be overlooked, and that is Amen; which is not a cipher, intended only for a concluding word, like finis at the end of a book, but it has its significancy.