Mat 28:5-8 | RWP | e4.org | Unto the women ( ταις γυναιξιν ). According to John, Mary Magdalene had left to go and tell Peter and John of the supposed grave robbery ( .). But the other women remained and had the interview with the angel (or men, Luke) about the empty tomb and the Risen Christ. Jesus the Crucified ( Ιησουν τον εσταυρωμενον ). Perfect passive participle, state of completion. This he will always be. So Paul will preach as essential to his gospel "and this one crucified" ( κα τουτον εσταυρωμενον , ).

‏ Matthew 28:5-8

Unto the women ( ταις γυναιξιν ). According to John, Mary Magdalene had left to go and tell Peter and John of the supposed grave robbery (Joh 20:1f.). But the other women remained and had the interview with the angel (or men, Luke) about the empty tomb and the Risen Christ.

Jesus the Crucified ( Ιησουν τον εσταυρωμενον ). Perfect passive participle, state of completion. This he will always be. So Paul will preach as essential to his gospel "and this one crucified" ( κα τουτον εσταυρωμενον, 1Co 2:2).

Risen from the dead ( ηγερθη απο των νεκρων ).

Jesus the Risen. This is the heart of the testimony of the angel to the women. It is what Paul wishes Timothy never to forget (2Ti 2:8), "Jesus Christ risen from the dead" ( Ιησουν Χριστον εγηγερμενον εκ νεκρων ). They were afraid and dazzled by the glory of the scene, but the angel said, "Come, see the place where the Lord lay" ( δευτε ιδετε τον τοπον οπου εκειτο ο Κυριος ). Some MSS. do not have ο Κυριος, but he is the subject of εκειτο. His body was not there. It will not do to say that Jesus arose in spirit and appeared alive though his body remained in the tomb. The empty tomb is the first great fact confronting the women and later the men. Various theories were offered then as now. But none of them satisfy the evidence and explain the survival of faith and hope in the disciples that do not rest upon the fact of the Risen Christ whose body was no longer in the tomb.

He goeth before you into Galilee ( προαγε υμας εις την Γαλιλαιαν ). Jesus did appear to the disciples in Galilee on two notable occasions (by the beloved lake, Joh 21, and on the mountain, Mt 28:16-20). Probably before the women were permitted to tell this story in full to the disciples who scouted as idle talk (Joh 24:11) their first accounts, Jesus appeared to various disciples in Jerusalem on this first great Sunday. Jesus did not say that he would not see any of them in Jerusalem. He merely made a definite appointment in Galilee which he kept.

With fear and great joy ( μετα φοβου κα χαρας μεγαλης ). A touch of life was this as the excited women ran quickly ( ταχυ εδραμον ) as they had been told "to bring his disciples word" ( απαγγειλα τοις μαθηταις αυτου ). They had the greatest piece of news that it was possible to have. Mark calls it fear and ecstasy. Anything seemed possible now. Mark even says that at first they told no one anything for they were afraid (Mr 16:9), the tragic close of the text of Mark in Aleph and B, our two oldest manuscripts. But these mingled emotions of ecstasy and dread need cause no surprise when all things are considered.