Chapter 28
The Resurrection and Great Commission
Jesus rises from the dead and commissions His disciples
"He is not here, for he has risen, as he said."
Matthew 28:6
Chapter Overview
Matthew chapter 28, "The Resurrection and Great Commission," stands at the heart of the good news of Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah and Savior. Jesus rises from the dead and commissions His disciples. Here the reader encounters not merely ancient history or religious instruction, but the living word of a God who speaks with purpose — weaving themes of resurrection and great commission into a narrative that addresses both its original audience and every generation since.
He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Every detail in the Gospel account is theologically loaded — each encounter, each word, each location is chosen to reveal who Jesus is and what he has come to do. The Evangelists write as theologians, not mere reporters.
The theme of resurrection is not incidental here — it is the load-bearing pillar of the chapter's argument or story. Alongside it, great commission operates as a clarifying lens, sharpening the reader's understanding of what God is accomplishing and why it matters beyond the immediate circumstances.
Looking across the wider biblical landscape, Matthew 28 does not stand alone. The interplay between resurrection and presence appears at critical junctures throughout Scripture — moments when God reshapes his people's self-understanding and renews his covenant claims on their lives. This chapter is precisely such a moment: a turning point where the reader is invited to see with fresh eyes what it means to be formed and held by God.
Chapter Outline
The Setting: Resurrection
vv. 1–7This section of Matthew 28 focuses on resurrection — opening the reader to a fresh encounter with this truth.
The Encounter: Great Commission
vv. 8–14This section of Matthew 28 focuses on great commission — pressing the implications into concrete human experience.
Jesus Speaks: Authority
vv. 15–21This section of Matthew 28 focuses on authority — revealing the divine perspective behind the human events.
The Response: Presence
vv. 22–30This section of Matthew 28 focuses on presence — showing how this theme reshapes the community of faith.
Key Verses
"He is not here, for he has risen, as he said."
Matthew 28:6
"Come, see the place where he lay."
Matthew 28:19
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Matthew 28:20
Scripture Passage
He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Study Notes
Resurrection in Matthew 28: Jesus rises from the dead and commissions His disciples (see Matthew 28:6). This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand resurrection in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Great Commission in Matthew 28: Jesus rises from the dead and commissions His disciples (see Matthew 28:19). This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand great commission in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Authority in Matthew 28: Jesus rises from the dead and commissions His disciples (see Matthew 28:20). This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand authority in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Presence in Matthew 28: Jesus rises from the dead and commissions His disciples. This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand presence in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Life Application
In the light of resurrection in Matthew 28: ask how you are actively engaging with this theme in your own life — not as a distant theological concept, but as a living reality that shapes your decisions, relationships, and worship today.
In the light of great commission in Matthew 28: ask how you are actively engaging with this theme in your own life — not as a distant theological concept, but as a living reality that shapes your decisions, relationships, and worship today.
In the light of authority in Matthew 28: ask how you are actively engaging with this theme in your own life — not as a distant theological concept, but as a living reality that shapes your decisions, relationships, and worship today.
Reflection Questions
What specific aspect of "The Resurrection and Great Commission" in Matthew 28 challenges or confirms your current understanding of God?
How does the theme of resurrection in this chapter connect to your own experience of faith — where have you seen or struggled with this theme in your own life?
In what ways do resurrection and great commission work together in this passage, and what does that relationship reveal about God's purposes?
If the original audience of Matthew heard this chapter in their historical context, what would have been their most immediate reaction — and what can that response teach us about how we should receive these words today?
Cross-References
Your word is a lamp to my feet
All Scripture is God-breathed and useful
The word of God is living and active