Audio Download

Matthew 28:1– 20 The Resurrection 

[Study Aired December 29, 2025]

In our study today, we shall look at the testimony of the angel regarding Christ’s resurrection. The study is also about Jesus’ appearance to the women, the false report of the guards, Jesus’ appearance to the disciples in Galilee and finally, the commission He gave to the disciples. 

The Resurrection

Mat 28:1  In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.  

The time given here is to show us that Jesus was in the grave for three days as prophesied in the Book of Hosea as follows: 

Hos 6:1  Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 
Hos 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 

We can see that everything about Christ, regarding His life here on earth, had been written by God in His Book. As He is, so are we. Our lives here on earth have been written before the foundation of the earth by God.

Psa 139:16  but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do. (CEV)

Sometimes in our walk with Christ, we become confused and disillusioned as to what is happening to us. We wonder if we are going to make it to the first resurrection. Verse 1, which tells us about the time of Christ’s resurrection, therefore gives us the confidence that what God has started with us, He is able to bring to an expected end. He will not let us see corruption.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 

Psa 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 
Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 

Therefore, let’s not throw away our confidence, which will bring us the great reward of ruling over the kingdoms of this world and the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. 

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 
Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Our problem is that we worry about many things. This is what Jesus told Martha when Jesus went to Bethany to raise Lazarus from death. 

Luk 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 
Luk 10:42  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

The antidote to worrying is that we turn our focus from the raging storm around us and focus on Christ, that is, to believe in Him. 

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

It is instructive to note that here in verse 1, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the sepulcher where Jesus was buried. These women represent the church of the Lord’s elect. What this implies is that the role of the church is to support us as we go through the dying of our flesh or our old man. The fact that there were two women means the truth that the church must be supportive of us as we go through the dying of our flesh is an established fact.    

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.  

In 1 Corinthians 12:26, the Lord uses the metaphor of a body to illustrate that if one part suffers, every part suffers with it, emphasizing the church’s shared experience and concern for each other as we die to the flesh.

1Co 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 
Mat 28:3  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 
Mat 28:4  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 

Prior to these verses, the chief priests and the Pharisees, inspired by the devil, had conspired to keep Jesus in the grave by forcing Pilate to post soldiers at the tomb. This is all to show us that what the Lord has planned for us shall not be derailed by the forces of hell. 

Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

Isaiah 14:27 “For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”

Verses 2 to 4 relates to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. All that happened – the great earthquake, the angel descending from heaven, the rolling back the stone from the door, the angel’s countenance becoming like lightning and his raiment as white as snow, and the guards becoming like dead men, are all to show us the power of the Lord’s resurrection. This is the same power the Lord avails to us when He visits us in our spiritually dead state, to lift us up to become alive in Him.

Isa 29:6  Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. 

The power behind the raising of the Lord Jesus from death is what sets us free from our prison of sin. That is why it is important to experience the power of His resurrection in our lives.

Act 16:26  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.   

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 
Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

It is worth noting that the angel’s raiment was as white as snow. During the transfiguration, Jesus’ raiment was as white as snow. 

Mat 17:1  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 

On a positive note, the Bible shows us that although our sins be as scarlet, when Christ comes to us, our sins shall be as white as snow. In other words, when we are raised from death to sit with Christ in heavenly places, we shall put on Christ’s righteousness.

Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

Because of the fear of the angel, the guards became like dead men. Dead men in the Bible signify all those who are not given eyes to see and ears to hear the mysteries of the kingdom of God. These guards therefore represent our brothers and sisters who see the physical resurrection of our Lord Jesus but are not given to know the power of His resurrection in their lives.   

Isa 59:10  We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

Mat 28:5  And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
Mat 28:6  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 
Mat 28:7  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. 
Mat 28:8  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

It is the church of the Lord’s elect, symbolized by the women, who were given to know about the Lord’s resurrection. That is why when Jesus was resurrected, He did not show Himself to the Chief priests, Pharisees and Sadducees. Rather, it was the church in Jesus’ day that met the resurrected Jesus in Galilee. It is important to note that it was in Galilee that Jesus was to meet the disciples. Galilee in the Old Testament and in Jesus’ time was referred to as Galilee of the Gentiles. In other words, although Galilee was a Jewish city, there were many Gentiles living there, hence the name, Galilee of the Gentiles. 

Mat 4:15  The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 

Isa 9:1  Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.  

Jesus meeting the disciples in Galilee after His resurrection is therefore to show us spiritually that His death and resurrection was for the whole world and not just the prerogative of the physical Jews. 

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

In verse 8, the women left the sepulchre with fear and great joy as they ran to bring the good news of Christ’s resurrection to His disciples. As we know, the women represent the church of the Lord’s elect, and it is the church which is to make known to the body the fellowship of the Lord’s suffering and the power of His resurrection. 

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.     

The women departing with fear and with great joy was because of the message they had received from the angel. The fear here is the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom. 

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 

It is the word of the Lord which brings joy and comfort to our soul as we are refreshed by what every joint supplies. 

Phm 1:7  For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. 

Mat 28:9  And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.
Mat 28:10  Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” 

The women taking hold of Jesus’ feet when He appeared to them signify the church of the Lord’s elect’s profound respect, humility, and worship as it acknowledges the Lord’s divine authority. As the bride of Christ, we must submit to Him in all things.

Eph 5:24  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 

One of the tools used by the devil against us is to cause us to be afraid or to fear the unknown. Today, the Lord is telling us not to be afraid of whatever circumstance in which we find ourselves. This is because the Lord is in control of everything as all authority has been given to Him after His resurrection. 

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

The Lord’s instruction to the church, represented by the women, was that they should meet Him in Galilee. At every point in time, the Lord has predestinated us to be at certain places, and it is these places that when we seek Him, we shall find Him, although He is not far from us. 

Act 17:26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 

The Report of the Guard

Mat 28:11  Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. 
Mat 28:12  And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
Mat 28:13  Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 
Mat 28:14  And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. 
Mat 28:15  So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. 

The chief priests here signify the leaders of the church system of this world. In the Bible, a city stands for a church, either positively or negatively. The elders represent the political leaders who are in league with the church system of this world.  

Isa 1:21  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. 

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.

The guards who came to the city represent us when the Lord first came into our lives. We were very willing to share the resurrection power of the Lord in our lives with the leaders of the church system of our day. However, the church system offered us the false doctrine of prosperity as signified by the money the chief priests gave to the guards. This is because the church system is in league with the government and are not interested in the truth, as we see the chief priests consulting with the elders or the kings of the earth.

Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. 

In verse 13, the chief priests came up with falsehood by telling the guards to say that Jesus’ body was stolen in the night by His disciples, which the guards accepted because of the money they had received. This is a clear example of the false doctrine spewed by the devil, which the church system of this world accepts. 

Rev 12:15  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 

We can conclude from this incident that the church system of this world or Babylon does not love the truth. This is because the minds of our brothers and sisters in Babylon have been polluted with false doctrines propagated by the devil and his messengers. We were filled with false doctrines at a certain stage of our walk with Christ, which prevented us from knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection.

2Co 11:12  And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 
2Co 11:13  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 

The second thing we can conclude from this story with the guards is that the church system of this world spews false doctrines which clouds the minds of people who have begun their journey with Christ.

2Co 4:3  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 

Thirdly, most of the preachers of Babylon are motivated by the love of money which is the root of all evil. 

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The Call to Teach all Nations

Mat 28:16  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 
Mat 28:17  And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 
Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

As we have learned from previous studies, a mountain on a positive note represents the assembly of the Lord’s elect as shown in the following verses:

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 
Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isa 56:7  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 

Therefore, the Lord wanting to meet the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee is another way of saying that where two or three people are gathered together in His name, He is there with them. This implies that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as He speaks to us through what every joint supplies. 

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 

It is instructive to note that among the eleven disciples who met Jesus in Galilee, some of them doubted. This implies that in our gathering, we are not of the same level of faith. However, we all have the same mind of seeking to know the Lord. 

Psa 122:9  Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good. 

Jesus proclaiming that all power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth is not to make us see how powerful He is. It is to make us aware that He is making this power available to us, His elect, to bring us to an expected end as His brothers. Verse 18 is the same as what is spoken in John 3:35 as follows:

Joh 3:35  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.  

All of these verses show us the Lord’s intention and powerful ability to fulfill His purpose concerning His elect, in this age, and the rest of the world later. It entails working through our trials to bring about His ultimate plan of uniting all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. 

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  

2Pe 1:3   According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. 

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

Here in verse 19, Jesus is admonishing us to go and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To be able to understand verse 19, we need to know what the sum of the Lord’s words says about discipling people of the nations. This is because many have used this Bible verse to spend their resources to go to the nations preaching to people who do not even have a clue as to who Jesus is.

Psa 119:160  The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. (ESV)

Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman gives us a clue of what we are to do. 

Mat 15:22  And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 
Mat 15:23  But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”
Mat 15:24  He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 
Mat 15:25  But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 
Mat 15:26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 

As Jesus is, so are we. Our mission is to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The lost sheep of the house of Israel are God’s people who have gone astray and are scattered in the nations of this world. We are to preach to our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are deceived, when given the opportunity. If we look at Paul’s ministry in the Book of Acts, he was ministering mostly to the Jews scattered in the nations. 

Act 17:1  Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 
Act 17:2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,   

Apostle Peter puts our responsibility to preach the gospel to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, this way:

1Pe 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
1Pe 3:16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 

According to verse 19, if our hearers respond to our message of Christ, we are to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Christ’s words are spirit, and therefore this does not mean that we have to physically baptize them in water. According to Acts 1:4-5, we are to baptize them in the Holy Spirit and with fire. 

Act 1:4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 
Act 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.  

Luk 3:16  John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 

Baptizing them with the Holy Ghost means helping them to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. This entails opening their eyes to understand the word of the Lord in the spirit. Baptizing them with fire means making them to understand that it is through our suffering that we learn righteousness.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

Verse 20 makes it clear that our role is to disciple those whom the Lord makes available to us to talk to. We are to teach them to become obedient children of the Lord. In His words to the disciples, Jesus told them that He is with them always, even to the end of the world. This calls for us to fight the good fight of faith knowing that we are not alone in this fight.

Jos 1:9  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Glory be to God. Amen!!