Matthew 28: 1-10 – He has risen!

While the cross is the climax of Christ’s mission, the resurrection is God’s greatest moment in history. It’s not a fiction, it’s a fact. More than everything, the resurrection of Jesus is the climax of faith. Unlike the suffering, the agony and death of Christ at the cross that was witnessed by many, the resurrection did not happen in full view of many. Here in these ten verses, we see how Matthew presented the fact of the resurrection through the witness of the two Mary’s.

In verse 1, we see the women coming early to the grave of Jesus. They had rested on the Sabbath day, and had come to the grave early in the morning of the first day of the week. Matthew explicitly emphasized their devotion. The last we saw of them was in Matthew 27:61 to prove that the empty tomb was indeed Jesus’. They had hung around both at the cross and the grave; now they came early to see the tomb. When they arrived that morning, what they encountered was an angel. Jesus’ birth was announced by an angel and now in His resurrection, the angel again came to announce it.

The women did not expect the tomb to be opened, but something miraculous had taken place, an earthquake had just occurred and an angel came down from heaven and rolled away the stone. It was a brilliant sight. For what purpose was the angelic encounter? Matthew made it clear that the angel came not only to announce Christ’s resurrection, but also with a commission for the women. They were tasked to report the fact of Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples. What the angel said corroborated with Jesus’, who told them that He would go before them to Galilee.

The joy of the women at the news turned into worship when they encountered the living Jesus on the way. When He greeted them, they responded by prostrating themselves before Him in worship. Jesus then reaffirmed the commission of the angel to them. They were told to take His word to the disciples to tell them to leave for Galilee where He would meet up with them there.

The resurrection of Christ had changed the world forever. Death is indeed defeated! The resurrection is the ultimate announcement that the Kingdom of God has indeed come. And this Kingdom will continue until the nations of the world have been brought into obedience to Christ. It makes perfect sense when we see the one who came to teach, heal and restore mankind, and who suffered and died at the hand of His creatures, is none other than the Risen Lord. Like the women at the tomb, we who have also encountered Him must also worship Him. Like them, encountering Jesus is also a commissioning for us – a commissioning to do His work and to live the life that He taught and demonstrated.