Read Matthew 28:1–15
Questions from the Scripture text: What day was it after (Matthew 28:1)? But what day was it now? What time had already begun? Who came to see what? What occurred (Matthew 28:2)? Why–who had done what? What was he doing? What did he look like (Matthew 28:3)? What had happened to the guards (Matthew 28:4)? But what does he tell the women not to do (Matthew 28:5)? What does he know? Where does he say that Jesus isn’t (Matthew 28:6)? Why? What does he invite them to do? What does he tell them to do then (Matthew 28:7)? Where are they to tell the disciples that Jesus is going? And who will see Him there? How do the women respond (Matthew 28:8)? Who meets them, on the way to the disciples (Matthew 28:9)? What does He command them? How do they respond? What is His next command (Matthew 28:10)? And His third? What is happening at the same time (Matthew 28:11)? To whom do the guard go? With whom do the chief priests gather (Matthew 28:12)? What do they give to the soldiers? What story do they command (Matthew 28:13)? But what if the soldiers are in danger, on account of having failed (Matthew 28:14)? So what do the soldiers do (Matthew 28:15)? With what result?
What gives joy and banishes terror? Matthew 28:1–15 looks forward to the morning sermon in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these fifteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that, since we all must encounter the Lord, only belonging to Him can give us lasting joy and banish terror.
It’s a new Sabbath; the Sabbath has passed, but the first Sabbath has dawned (Matthew 28:1).
Everyone is going to have to encounter Jesus and His glory. We have a microcosm of that in our passage, and the parties couldn’t be more opposite.
First, we have the women: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (Matthew 28:1). They were among the “many women” of Matthew 27:55, and they had been among those who observed the burial in Matthew 27:59–61.
Over-against the women, we have the guards. Men. Strong enough to be soldiers for a living. Trained. With the authority of the government behind them.
But their experiences couldn’t have been more different. The guards shake for fear and are paralyzed (Matthew 28:4). They have to report their failure to their bosses (Matthew 28:11), but then they take a large sum of money to tell a lie (Matthew 28:12-13) that puts them into potential danger with the governor (Matthew 28:14).
The women, however, have an opposite experience of the angel. The angel’s power (Matthew 28:2) and glory (Matthew 28:3) are marshaled to their comfort: “do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:5). His message is one of gladness for them, “He is not here, for He is risen” (Matthew 28:6). And His assignment is for them to tell others the wonderful truth (Matthew 28:7). All of this leaves them not with the terror of the guards, but with reverential fear that is accompanied by great joy (Matthew 28:8)!
If the guards couldn’t withstand their encounter with the angel, how would they do with the second encounter that the women had: Jesus Himself.
He gives them a cheery greeting (Matthew 28:9; it’s the same as “greetings” in Matthew 26:49 and “hail” in Matthew 27:29), and they hurry to worship Him. Again, He tells them not to fear (Matthew 28:10).
It begs the question, for you, dear reader, “What will it be like for you to encounter the glories of heaven? What will it be like for you to encounter Jesus Himself?”
The women’s two encounters lead us to an assignment that brings our own experience of Christ to the forefront.
It is not as if a second interview, with Jesus Himself, was necessary for them to fulfill the assignment of telling the disciples that Jesus is risen, and that they are to meet Him in Galilee (Matthew 28:7). They were already going quickly, with great joy, and running (Matthew 28:8).
But, they do get a second interview, with Jesus Himself (Matthew 28:9-10). In this interview, Jesus gives the same exact message that they were already eagerly carrying. In doing so, He refers to the disciples as “My brethren.” Here is the key to joy and the banishing of fear: being Christ’s own dear ones, Christ’s own brethren.
And that’s what Jesus is preparing us for. That’s what He’s going to commission His apostles to do, when they see Him in Galilee: to make disciples. And, the Spirit urgently calls our attention to that by the double setup for that interview in our current passage.
The Lord give you to love Him, to believe in Him, to take comfort from His death, and confidence from His resurrection. The Lord give you to anticipate seeing Him with joy and not with terror.
What will it be like for you to encounter the glories of heaven? What will it be like for you to encounter Jesus Himself?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for giving to women, then to apostles, then to others, and eventually to us, the good news of Your death on account of our sins, and Your resurrection on account of our justification. Give us to look forward with joy to seeing You and having You greet us. And give us to tell others, and to be used in Your making them into disciples too, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP24 “The Earth and the Riches” or TPH259 “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You”
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