Bible Commentaries
Matthew 28

Verse 1

In the end of the Sabbath ; after the Sabbath.

As it began to dawn ; at break of day.

The other Mary ; Mary the wife of Cleophas, and mother of James the less, or younger, and Joses. The other James was the son of Zebedee, and brother of John.

Verse 2

There was ; there had been before the arrival of the women.

Verse 4

No soldiers are so intrepid, but that a single angel can cause them to quake with fear, and become as dead men. He can even strike dead a hundred and eighty-five thousand in a night. Isaiah 37:36 .

Verse 5

The angels of the Lord excel in strength, and whether for judgment or mercy, they do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Psalms 103:20 . Safe then amidst all their trials are his people, to whom angels are ministering spirits, sent forth by him to minister to the heirs of salvation. Hebrews 1:14 .

Verse 6

The Lord ; of angels as well as men. The evidence is conclusive, that while Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, on the third day he rose again for our justification according to the Scriptures. Romans 4:25 .

Verse 9

Held him by the feet ; fell at his feet and embraced them.

And worshipped him ; John 5:23 .Matthew 28:17; Matthew 28:17 . While no holy man or angel ever suffered himself to be worshipped, Christ received divine worship, and never said any thing against it, nor has God the Father, or the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, it is the distinguishing trait of true believers, that they invoke his name, and serve the Lord Christ. Acts 9:14 , Colossians 3:24 . In doing this, they follow the direction, chapter Matthew 4:10 , "Worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve"; and the direction, Hebrews 1:6 , "Let all the angels of God worship him."

Verse 10

My brethren ; his disciples. He still calls them brethren, though in the hour of his distress they had deserted him.

Verse 11

The watch ; the soldiers who had been appointed to watch the sepulchre, and see that his disciples did not come and steal him away.

Verse 12

Taken counsel ; in what way they could prevent the knowledge of his resurrection, and thus keep the people from receiving him as the Messiah.

Verse 13

The Jews did not deny the resurrection of Christ for want of evidence to prove it, nor did they hire the soldiers to tell a lie because they believed it or could substantiate it; but only to keep the people from knowing the truth. False teachers are afraid to trust the people with the means of knowledge, or to have them become acquainted with facts. They do not wish to have them examine, think, and judge for themselves, but to have them leave this to their teachers, who wish thus to rule over them.

Verse 14

Persuade him ; not to punish them for sleeping on duty, which by the Roman law was death.

Verse 15

This saying ; that the disciples came by night and stole him away.

Until this day ; the time when Matthew wrote this gospel.

Verse 17

Worshipped him ; as the Son of God and the Saviour of men.

Some doubted ; whether his resurrection was real.

Verse 18

All power ; power is here used in the sense of authority.

Is given unto me ; as mediator, God and man. As Christ has authority over all, and power to direct and govern all, they who put their trust in him will be for ever safe.

Verse 19

Teach ; disciple all nations; proclaim to them the gospel, for the purpose of persuading them to become my disciples.

The Father-the Son , and-the Holy Ghost ; the one only living and true God. The making of all nations the disciples of Christ should be the great object of all. Some should labor for it in one way, and some in another, as the Lord shall call them. But all should strive together that the Scriptures may be translated into every tongue, and the gospel be preached to every creature.

Verse 20

I am with you ; in this work, to guide, comfort, sanctify, and sustain you; to render you successful in awakening the attention of men, convincing them of sin, and turning them from darkness to light, and from the power of sin unto God. I will be with you and all who succeed you in preaching the gospel, to the end of time.

Amen ; so let it be and so it shall be. Amen. Christ, with his divine presence and aid, will be with his people in doing his will, to the end of time; and after having inclined and enabled them to serve him and their generation according to the will of God, will receive them to himself, that where he is they also may be, to behold his glory, the glory which he had with the Father before the world was. John 17:24 .