Matthew 28:6

Analysis & Commentary

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. These words constitute the greatest announcement in human history. 'He is not here' (οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε/ouk estin hōde)—the tomb designed to hold the dead cannot contain the Author of Life. Death's prison is broken; the grave is defeated.

'For he is risen' (ἠγέρθη γάρ/ēgerthē gar)—aorist passive indicates completed action: He has been raised. The passive voice suggests divine agency: God the Father raised Him (Romans 6:4, Galatians 1:1), though Jesus also claimed power to lay down and take up His life (John 10:18). The resurrection is the Father's vindication of the Son's perfect obedience and atoning death.

'As he said' (καθὼς εἶπεν/kathōs eipen) recalls Jesus's repeated predictions of His resurrection (Matthew 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 26:32). Every word of Christ proves true; His promises never fail. If He prophesied His resurrection and it occurred, we can trust every other promise He made—forgiveness for believers, judgment for unbelievers, His return in glory, eternal life for His people.

'Come, see the place where the Lord lay' (δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο/deute idete ton topon hopou ekeito)—the angel invites investigation. Christianity invites scrutiny; it does not ask for blind faith but presents evidence. The empty tomb, the grave clothes, the stone rolled away—all can be verified. The resurrection is not myth or symbol but historical fact occurring in space and time, in a specific identifiable tomb.

Note: the angel says 'the Lord' (ὁ Κύριος/ho Kyrios)—even in death's realm, Jesus is Lord. The tomb did not diminish His sovereignty. He lay there voluntarily, under no compulsion but His own decree and the Father's plan. And now He is risen as Lord over death, sin, Satan, and hell.

Historical Context

Empty tomb traditions are multiply attested in early Christian sources (all four Gospels, 1 Corinthians 15:3-5) and even acknowledged by Jesus's opponents, who had to invent alternative explanations (Matthew 28:13). No ancient source claims Jesus's body remained in the tomb—the dispute was over why it was empty.

If disciples had fabricated the resurrection, they would have described Jesus emerging from the tomb. Instead, all accounts show the tomb already empty when discovered, with Jesus appearing later. This restraint and lack of legendary embellishment marks authentic testimony, not fabrication.

The invitation to 'see the place' assumes verifiability. Early Christians could point to the specific tomb (whether correctly identified with today's Church of the Holy Sepulchre is debated, but early Christians identified a location). The resurrection proclamation emerged in Jerusalem where it could be investigated and refuted if false—yet it flourished despite official opposition.

Jewish expectation was resurrection at the end of the age (Daniel 12:2, Martha's confession in John 11:24), not mid-history resurrection of one person. Jesus's resurrection thus confounded categories—God did something unprecedented, beginning the eschatological resurrection in Christ as 'firstfruits' (1 Corinthians 15:20) while consummation awaited the future.

Questions for Reflection

• How does the phrase 'as he said' strengthen our confidence in Christ's other promises that await fulfillment, including His return and our resurrection?
• What is the significance of the angel inviting empirical investigation ('come, see') rather than demanding blind faith—how does this inform Christian apologetics?
• How does Christ's lordship 'even in death' (the place where 'the Lord lay') encourage believers facing suffering, persecution, or death?