Matthew 28:1–15: Witnesses to the Resurrection
Introduction
Finally, the fullness of God’s eternal plan comes into view. In this grand courtroom drama, Jesus Christ, the Son of David, was falsely accused, convicted, condemned, crucified, dead, and buried. Now, upon appeal to the Judge of all the earth, that verdict has been overturned, and Jesus Christ has been vindicated, his conviction vacated, and his sentence reversed. The one who died in shame and ignominy now arises triumphant in glory, never to die again. From now on, the resurrected Jesus Christ will be the person on the fate of every human being will turn, pressing every individual to take a side for him or against him. Whatever the costs we may suffer at the hands of the world for following him, Jesus’ resurrection pits the fear of God against the fear of man.
Discussion Questions
1. Why was the seventh day established originally as the day for observing the Sabbath (Gen. 2:1–3; Ex. 20:8–11)? What did the Sabbath signify (Ex. 31:13)? How did celebrating the Sabbath after a full week of work hold out future hope to God’s people? How does v. 1 suggest a shift in the day of observing the Sabbath (see also Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2)? What does celebrating the Sabbath before working remind us about the completeness of Christ’s work?
2. How might the language of “dawn” in v. 1 connect back to Matthew’s quotation of Isaiah 9:1–2 in Matthew 4:16? What causes the earthquake (v. 2a)? Why does the angel roll back the stone (v. 2b)? Why do you think Matthew uses the same word for the earthquake as to describe the trembling of the guards (v. 4)? Why does the angel tell the women alone (rather than the guards as well) not to be afraid (v. 5)?
3. What does the angel tell the women to do (v. 7)? How do the women respond (v. 8)? What does it mean that they went “with fear and great joy” (v. 8)? How do the women respond to Jesus when they meet him (v. 9b)? Why does Jesus insist—in addition to the angel’s command—that Jesus’ disciples must meet him in Galilee? What do the actions and the responses of the women teach us about the proper fear of the Lord?
4. How does Matthew contrast the actions of the guards with the actions of the women (v. 11)? Even though the guards had trembled like dead men at the appearance of the angel, and even though the guards had heard that Jesus had been raised from the dead, what do they primarily fear (v. 14)? Why does Matthew draw a comparison between the bribe taken by the guards and the bribe taken by Judas (v. 15)? How are you tempted to heed the fear of man?
