Unpacking Matthew 28:6: He Has Risen!

The Empty Tomb and the Angel’s Announcement

Early on Sunday morning, just after sunrise, Mary Magdalene and another Mary arrived at Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body, only to find the stone rolled away and an angel sitting on it.

The angel tells them, 'He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.' These words confirm Jesus’ promise to rise from the dead after three days, turning their grief into awe and hope.

The empty tomb is not a sign of loss, but a powerful declaration that Jesus has broken the grip of death, just as He said He would.

Jesus’ Predictions and the Power of 'As He Said'

This moment wasn’t random - it fulfilled Jesus’ own predictions, which must be understood in light of Jewish beliefs about resurrection and His unique claims.

At the time, many Jews believed in a general resurrection of the dead at the end of time, but Jesus claimed something different: that He would rise individually, and soon. He had clearly said, 'He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things... and be killed, and on the third day be raised' (Matthew 16:21), and later repeated, 'they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day' (Matthew 17:23). The phrase 'as he said' is key - it shows this wasn’t a surprise or a new idea, but the fulfillment of His word, setting Him apart from any other teacher or prophet.

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.

The resurrection wasn’t just a miracle; it was a promise kept, proving Jesus had authority over life and death, and opening the way for everyone who trusts in Him to have eternal life.

The Call to Believe and Respond

The angel’s declaration isn’t just news - it’s an invitation to believe what Jesus promised and to respond with hope.

He is risen - just as He said - and this truth changes everything: death is not the end, and because He lives, we can live too. This is the heart of Matthew’s Gospel: Jesus is the promised Messiah who keeps His word, and now calls everyone to trust in His victory.

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.

Because of this, we don’t face life or death in fear, but with the living hope that the same power that raised Jesus can raise us.

One Story, One Resurrection: The Bible’s Unified Witness

The resurrection announced in Matthew 28:6 is not an isolated event, but part of a consistent testimony confirmed by multiple witnesses across the Gospels and summarized by the apostle Paul.

Other Gospel writers record the same core truth: in Luke 24:6, the angels remind the women, 'He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.' John also shows the disciples running to the tomb and believing after seeing the empty grave clothes, recording that 'he saw and believed' (John 20:5-9), even before fully understanding Scripture. Paul later confirms this unified witness by stating plainly, 'that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures' (1 Corinthians 15:4).

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.

This harmony across the New Testament underscores that Jesus’ resurrection was not a myth or a hope, but a real, witnessed event that fulfills God’s promises and stands at the center of Christian faith.

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