Matthäus 28

1 Als aber der Sabbat um war und der erste Tag der Woche anbrach, kam Maria Magdalena und die andere Maria, das Grab zu besehen.

2 Und siehe, es geschah ein großes Erdbeben. Denn der Engel des HERRN kam vom Himmel herab, trat hinzu und wälzte den Stein von der Tür und setzte sich darauf.

3 Und seine Gestalt war wie der Blitz und sein Kleid weiß wie Schnee.

4 Die Hüter aber erschraken vor Furcht und wurden, als wären sie tot.

5 Aber der Engel antwortete und sprach zu den Weibern: Fürchtet euch nicht! Ich weiß, daß ihr Jesus, den Gekreuzigten, sucht.

6 Er ist nicht hier; er ist auferstanden, wie er gesagt hat. Kommt her und seht die Stätte, da der HERR gelegen hat.

7 Und gehet eilend hin und sagt es seinen Jüngern, daß er auferstanden sei von den Toten. Und siehe, er wird vor euch hingehen nach Galiläa; da werdet ihr ihn sehen. Siehe, ich habe es euch gesagt.

8 Und sie gingen eilend zum Grabe hinaus mit Furcht und großer Freude und liefen, daß sie es seinen Jüngern verkündigten. Und da sie gingen seinen Jüngern zu verkündigen,

9 siehe, da begegnete ihnen Jesus und sprach: Seid gegrüßet! Und sie traten zu ihm und griffen an seine Füße und fielen vor ihm nieder.

10 Da sprach Jesus zu ihnen: Fürchtet euch nicht! Geht hin und verkündigt es meinen Brüdern, daß sie gehen nach Galiläa; daselbst werden sie mich sehen.

11 Da sie aber hingingen, siehe, da kamen etliche von den Hütern in die Stadt und verkündigten den Hohenpriestern alles, was geschehen war.

12 Und sie kamen zusammen mit den Ältesten und hielten einen Rat und gaben den Kriegsknechten Geld genug

13 und sprachen: Saget: Seine Jünger kamen des Nachts und stahlen ihn, dieweil wir schliefen.

14 Und wo es würde auskommen bei dem Landpfleger, wollen wir ihn stillen und schaffen, daß ihr sicher seid.

15 Und sie nahmen das Geld und taten, wie sie gelehrt waren. Solches ist eine gemeine Rede geworden bei den Juden bis auf den heutigen Tag.

16 Aber die elf Jünger gingen nach Galiläa auf einen Berg, dahin Jesus sie beschieden hatte.

17 Und da sie ihn sahen, fielen sie vor ihm nieder; etliche aber zweifelten.

18 Und Jesus trat zu ihnen, redete mit ihnen und sprach: Mir ist gegeben alle Gewalt im Himmel und auf Erden.

19 Darum gehet hin und lehret alle Völker und taufet sie im Namen des Vaters und des Sohnes und des heiligen Geistes,

20 und lehret sie halten alles, was ich euch befohlen habe. Und siehe, ich bin bei euch alle Tage bis an der Welt Ende.

Matthäus 28 Commentary

Chapter 28

Christ's resurrection. (1-8) He appears to the women. (9,10) Confession of the soldiers. (11-15) Christ's commission to his disciples. (16-20)

Verses 1-8 Christ rose the third day after his death; that was the time he had often spoken of. On the first day of the first week God commanded the light to shine out of darkness. On this day did He who is the Light of the world, shine out of the darkness of the grave; and this day is from henceforward often mentioned in the New Testament, as the day which Christians religiously observed in solemn assemblies, to the honour of Christ. Our Lord Jesus could have rolled back the stone by his own power, but he chose to have it done by an angel. The resurrection of Christ, as it is the joy of his friends, so it is the terror and confusion of his enemies. The angel encouraged the women against their fears. Let the sinners in Zion be afraid. Fear not ye, for his resurrection will be your consolation. Our communion with him must be spiritual, by faith in his word. When we are ready to make this world our home, and to say, It is good to be here, then let us remember our Lord Jesus is not here, he is risen; therefore let our hearts rise, and seek the things that are above. He is risen, as he said. Let us never think that strange which the word of Christ has told us to expect; whether the sufferings of this present time, or the glory that is to be revealed. It may have a good effect upon us, by faith to view the place where the Lord lay. Go quickly. It was good to be there, but the servants of God have other work appointed. Public usefulness must be chosen before the pleasure of secret communion with God. Tell the disciples, that they may be comforted under their present sorrows. Christ knows where his disciples dwell, and will visit them. Even to those at a distance from the plenty of the means of grace, he will graciously manifest himself. The fear and the joy together quickened their pace. The disciples of Christ should be forward to make known to each other their experiences of communion with their Lord; and should tell others what God has done for their souls.

Verses 9-10 God's gracious visits usually meet us in the way of duty; and to those who use what they have for others' benefit, more shall be given. This interview with Christ was unexpected; but Christ was nigh them, and still is nigh us in the word. The salutation speaks the good-will of Christ to man, even since he entered upon his state of exaltation. It is the will of Christ that his people should be a cheerful, joyful people, and his resurrection furnishes abundant matter for joy. Be not afraid. Christ rose from the dead, to silence his people's fears, and there is enough in that to silence them. The disciples had just before shamefully deserted him in his sufferings; but, to show that he could forgive, and to teach us to do so, he calls them brethren. Notwithstanding his majesty and purity, and our meanness and unworthiness, he still condescends to call believers his brethren.

Verses 11-15 What wickedness is it which men will not be brought to by the love of money! Here was large money given to the soldiers for advancing that which they knew to be a lie, yet many grudge a little money for advancing what they know to be the truth. Let us never starve a good cause, when we see bad ones so liberally supported. The priests undertook to secure them from the sword of Pilate, but could not secure these soldiers from the sword of God's justice, which hangs over the heads of those that love and make a lie. Those men promise more than they can perform, who undertake to save a man harmless in doing a wilful sin. But this falsehood disproved itself. Had the soldiers been all asleep, they could not have known what passed. If any had been awake, they would have roused the others and prevented the removal; and certainly if they had been asleep, they never would have dared to confess it; while the Jewish rulers would have been the first to call for their punishment. Again, had there been any truth in the report, the rulers would have prosecuted the apostles with severity for it. The whole shows that the story was entirely false. And we must not charge such things to the weakness of the understanding, but to the wickedness of the heart. God left them to expose their own course. 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; yet they took bribes to hinder others from believing. The plainest evidence will not affect men, without the work of the Holy Spirit.

Verses 16-20 This evangelist passes over other appearances of Christ, recorded by Luke and John, and hastens to the most solemn; one appointed before his death, and after his resurrection. All that see the Lord Jesus with an eye of faith, will worship him. Yet the faith of the sincere may be very weak and wavering. But Christ gave such convincing proofs of his resurrection, as made their faith to triumph over doubts. He now solemnly commissioned the apostles and his ministers to go forth among all nations. The salvation they were to preach, is a common salvation; whoever will, let him come, and take the benefit; all are welcome to Christ Jesus. Christianity is the religion of a sinner who applies for salvation from deserved wrath and from sin; he applies to the mercy of the Father, through the atonement of the incarnate Son, and by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and gives up himself to be the worshipper and servant of God, as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons but one God, in all his ordinances and commandments. Baptism is an outward sign of that inward washing, or sanctification of the Spirit, which seals and evidences the believer's justification. Let us examine ourselves, whether we really possess the inward and spiritual grace of a death unto sin, and a new birth unto righteousness, by which those who were the children of wrath become the children of God. Believers shall have the constant presence of their Lord always; all days, every day. There is no day, no hour of the day, in which our Lord Jesus is not present with his churches and with his ministers; if there were, in that day, that hour, they would be undone. The God of Israel, the Saviour, is sometimes a God that hideth himself, but never a God at a distance. To these precious words Amen is added. Even so, Lord Jesus, be thou with us and all thy people; cause thy face to shine upon us, that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.