Skip to main content
Psalmlog Logo

Matthew 28

The risen Jesus receives worship, declares his authority over heaven and earth, and sends his disciples to all nations.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary come to Jesus’ tomb at dawn after the Sabbath. An angel announces that Jesus has risen and sends them to tell his disciples. Jesus meets the women, who take hold of his feet and worship him. Meanwhile, the chief priests pay the guards to spread a story that his body was stolen. In Galilee, the eleven meet Jesus on a mountain, where he declares his authority and commissions them to make disciples of all nations.

doubtpraise and worshipsermon or Bible study notes
Read
1Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky and came and rolled away the stone from the door and sat on it.
3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
4For fear of him, the guards shook, and became like dead men.
5The angel answered the women, “Don’t be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who has been crucified.
6He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.
7Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.”
8They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
9As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will see me.”
11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.
12When they were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,
13saying, “Say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept.
15So they took the money and did as they were told. This saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continues until today.
16But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them.
17When they saw him, they bowed down to him; but some doubted.
18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
19Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Matthew 28:18Jesus’ authority over heaven and earth grounds the commission that follows and establishes its reach across every nation.
Matthew 28:19The eleven are sent to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the one name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:20Jesus joins the command to teach obedience with his promise to remain with his disciples until the age ends.
Where this chapter reaches

Mark, Luke, and John share the witness to Jesus’ resurrection, including the empty tomb and encounters with the risen Lord. Acts carries forward the mission to the nations, while Philippians shares the theme of Jesus’ exalted authority and the worship he receives.

Matthew 28's chapter linksAll strongest linksHover or tap a book
Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What stands out to you about the women’s fear, joy, and worship as they encounter the risen Jesus?

Write on this

How does Jesus’ promise of his presence shape your response to his command to make disciples?

Write on this

Questions people ask about Matthew 28

What is the Great Commission in Matthew 28?

The Great Commission is the common name for Jesus’ closing charge to the eleven disciples. He commands them to make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teach obedience to his commands. His authority and promised presence frame the charge.

Why did some disciples doubt in Matthew 28:17?

Matthew says that the eleven saw Jesus and bowed down to him, yet “some doubted.” He does not identify those disciples or explain the cause of their hesitation. The account places their doubt alongside worship, then records Jesus addressing them with his authority, commission, and promise of his presence.

Did the disciples steal Jesus’ body in Matthew 28?

Matthew presents the stolen-body claim as a story the chief priests and elders paid the soldiers to spread. The guards had reported what happened at the tomb. The account itself testifies to Jesus’ resurrection through the angel’s announcement and encounters in which the women and the eleven see him.

Read it. Now write it.

Start an entry on Matthew 28. Your words go beside the text, and you get one next step for the week.

Matthew · 28 chapters
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
What the Bible says about doubt →What the Bible says about worship →

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).