BIBLE STUDY
Go and meet him! Major Martin Hill explores the reactions to Jesus’ resurrection
MATTHEW 28:1–15
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T was dawn on the day after the Sabbath – a lonely time. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary only had each other and their silent thoughts for companionship. They were making their sombre journey to the tomb, with few words exchanged. What drew them there? Matthew says their purpose was to ‘look at the tomb’ (v1). Maybe they just wanted the reassurance of seeing Jesus’ resting place. They could share their tears and add a final image to their album of memories to recall in future years: something to expunge their most recent recollection from two days earlier, a dying man’s body twisting in excruciating pain as he called out. But this was a new day. It would have been no surprise if they’d
Through the week with Salvationist – a devotional thought for each day by Major Freda Benneyworth
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Salvationist 11 April 2020
had the conversation common to so many newly bereaved people: ‘It doesn’t seem like he’s gone.’ ‘It’s as if he’s going to walk back in any moment.’ Jesus did. This is how it happened. The scene that met the women was not one of calm. There was a violent earthquake and the earth shook, as it had done when Jesus died two days earlier (see Matthew 27:51). An angel in dazzling white descended from Heaven and rolled back the stone covering the tomb’s entrance. The seasoned Roman guards were petrified. But the angel spoke reassuringly to the women. They need not be afraid. The angel knew they were looking for Jesus. There was good news. Jesus had risen, just as he had said, and the angel showed them the empty tomb as proof. The angel told them to go straight away and tell the disciples the news, and that Jesus was
going ahead of them to Galilee. The excited women hurried off unquestioningly with a mixture of fear and joy and broke into a run (see v8), only to stop suddenly in their tracks. In their keenness to obey they came face-to-face with Jesus and fell at his feet in worship. He reassured them and told them to go and tell his disciples to meet him in Galilee. But he used the word ‘brothers’ to refer to them (v10), hinting at a new phase of his relationship with them; they were now peers and partners. QUESTIONS O Have you experienced a sense of God’s absence? How did it feel? O Are we more likely to find God present when we are obedient? O When faced with a new challenge have you ever found that God has gone ahead of you?
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‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”’ (Mark 16:6 and 7)
Lo! Jesus meets thee,/ Risen from the tomb;/ Lovingly he greets thee,/ Scatters fear and gloom;/ Let his Church with gladness/ Hymns of triumph sing,/ For her Lord now liveth;/ Death has lost its sting. (SASB 276)
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. ( John 20:19 and 20)
