Three Commissions of the Resurrection

Matthew 28:1-15

The most important event of all time is about to be discovered by some female disciples of Jesus – the resurrection of the Son of God. All four Gospels speak of this great event from their own perspective. Many have attacked the Gospel record due to perceived contradictions between these writers. The critics will point out there were discrepancies in the time of day, disagreements in the number of women, and the variants related to the number of angels. The fact that the Gospel accounts vary is not evidence of contradictions but proof they were not in collusion but giving supplementary facts and not merely copying each other verbatim.

Women Commissioned by Angels to Proclaim the Empty Tomb, 28:1-8

The phrase “after the Sabbath” could be translated “well after the Sabbath had passed.” The Sabbath would have ended at Sunset several hours before. This is the first Day of the week or Sunday.

Coffman believes “Matthew in this place obviously used the Roman method of counting days, making the first day of the week begin at dawn, contrary to the Jewish usage which made it begin the night before at sunset” (Coffman 515). The first day of the week would become known as the “Lord’s Day.” The day saints would gather to partake of the Lord’s Supper and give as one has been prospered. The day John would receive the Revelation on the Island of Patmos.

On their way to the tomb, the women believed Jesus’ body to still lay dead in the tomb. They would have wondered who was going to move the stone (Mark 16:3). After they arrived, they would question: “Who moved the stone?” “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” (28:2). The earthquake is not same one which had occurred at the moment of His death (27:51). The angel’s appearance “was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow” (28:3). The lightning represents their glory, and the snow-white clothing indicates pure holiness.

This supernatural event had a profound effect on those guarding the tomb. They “shook for fear of him, and became like dead men” (28:4). They were totally impaired with fright. Human weapons, numbers and strength can avail nothing against even one angel of God.

The angel had a message for the women. It consisted of several commands. First, “do not be afraid” (28:5a). This is one of the most common commands in all the Bible. The angel gave them a very good reason for not being afraid. “For I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said” (28:5b,6a). These women are reminded of Jesus promise of His resurrection (16:21; 17:22,23; 20:17-19). Jesus is not in His tomb. He has arisen. This is a message of great joy.

Next, the angel command them to “come” (27:6b). Overcoming their fear they can approach. The seal is broken the guards are gone or playing dead.

The third imperative given by the angel is: “see the place where the Lord lay” (27:6c). The angel did not come to remove the stone so Jesus could get out, He had no need. If He could pass through the grave cloths bound up with a hundred pounds of spices, a stone would offer no hindrance. It was rolled away for the women to see that it was empty.

The fourth command was for them to “go quickly” (28:7a). Time is of importance. The news of the resurrection cannot be delayed. The first five of those appearances occurred on the day of his resurrection.

Finally, they were to “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” (28:7b). Their message to the disciples were twofold. 1) tell them the joyful news of the resurrection and 2) remind them of their rendezvous at the pre-appointed location in Galilee.

These women responded with exact obedience. “So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word” (28:8). Notice they still had fear but it was tempered by their overwhelming sense of joy. This type of joy is so great that one must share it with others.

Women Commissioned by Jesus with a Message to Disciples, 28:9-10

On their way, Jesus meets them with a common greeting as if He’s just bumping into them at the market or passing by on the road. Recognizing Jesus, they came and “worshiped Him.” Mere men who are godly reject worship by other men. Even the angels of Heaven refuse to be worshiped. Jesus never refused worship from man while alive and has never rejected it sense He has resurrected from the grave. He is God and worthy of all worship (4:10).

Jesus also gives them several of the same imperatives, they had received from the angel. “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me” (28:10). Notice that Jesus now refers to the disciples as “My brethren.” The Hebrew writer explains, “for both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying ‘I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You” (Heb. 2:11,12).

Before this appearance of Jesus to the women, Mary Magdalene has already received the greatest of blessings in being the first to see the resurrected Lord (John 20:11-18; Mark 16:9). Now more women are so blessed. The first ones commissioned to share the Gospel are women. They were with Jesus and serving Him during His ministry. Women stayed with Him at the cross. The same women observed His tomb’s location, and they were the first to see the empty tomb as proof of the resurrection.

Soldiers Commissioned by Chief Priests to Lie, 28:11-15

As the women were carrying out their commission from the angel and Jesus, the guards were about to be given a commission by the chief priests to go and tell others a lie to cover up the real reason Jesus’ tomb is empty. Only Matthew tells us of the bribing of the guard concerning the events surrounding the empty tomb. The guards did not go to Pilate but to the chief priests. This seems to be more evidence that the soldiers were part of the Temple police under the authority of the chief priests and not Roman soldiers.

Upon hearing of the events at the tomb the chief priests assemble the Sanhedrin for them to all hear about the angel and the empty tomb. Instead of believing in the resurrection of Jesus based on the evidence from the guards, they concoct a story. First, “they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers” (28:12). They first hired Judas to betray Jesus and now they bribe guards to lie about His body.

They come up with a story for them to tell: “His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept” (28:13). They promise to keep them safe from Pilate. Their failure could mean the death penalty for them all. Later the soldiers who were to guard Peter were executed by Herod Agrippa I after an angel delivered the apostle Peter from jail (Acts 12:19). The guards took the money. “And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day” (28:15). This story has been in circulation ever since. Justin and Tertullian spoke about it being spread in their day. Mark Twain wrote, “A lie can travel around the world and back again while the truth is lacing up its boots.”

Could the body of Jesus have been stolen? Only if the disciples could steal it and successfully dispose of it (Matthew 27:62-66). Many would also lose their life for preaching the resurrection. Why would they die for a lie? Why did not one of them crack under the pressure of persecution and expose the deed? Why would the disciples steal it when they ran away in fear and did not even show any hope in the resurrection? Why would the disciples risk execution?  A marble tablet called the Nazareth Decree, because of where it was found, warns of the death penalty for grave robbers. It is from the first century.

How could the guards know what happened if they were all asleep? If they were asleep, how did the rolling away of the stone not awake at least one of them?

The Jews would not have stolen it (Matthew 28:11-15). What motive would they have to steal it? Besides, they had every reason to keep Him in the tomb. The Jews were the ones who set up a guard and then paid them to promote the story of the stolen body. Furthermore, if they did steal it, why didn’t they produce the body on the day of Pentecost when the disciples were preaching that Jesus arose, thus silencing their claims forever.

One more thing, what grave robber would stop and take the time to remove the grave cloths, unwrap the body with the spices, and fold the napkin used to cover Jesus. Was Jesus’ body taken by a bunch of O.C.D. disciples who just had the leave the tomb neat and tidy? Over the millennia, other attacks on the veracity of the resurrection have been argued. They likewise have no merit.

When Christ returns there will be a resurrection of the dead. We were not there to witness the resurrection of Jesus on the Sunday morning two thousand years ago. But everyone will be there for the resurrection of the dead both those who are faithful and those who are unfaithful.

– Daniel R. Vess