This is the last chapter of the book of Matthew, this is the first book of the new testament . The gospels or the 4 accounts of the life of Jesus were written quite a few years after Jesus died . This commentary on Matthew chapter 28 explains to us that the great mission we need to do, the main reason we were called of God on this earth is to tell others that they have a hell to shun and a heaven to gain.
This last chapter of the book of Matthew talks about the resurrection of Jesus which says you and me can be resurrected when Jesus returns to take us to heaven . The resurrection of Jesus proves that He did raise up his body if they killed the temple . Jesus raised Himself from the dead. Jesus is all powerful, when things go wrong, Jesus has all power on your behalf. The earthlastday.com commentary on Matthew chapter 28 tells us if we do not work for God in telling others about his live, our life was worthless and vain .
MT 28 1 'In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.' This is an excellent proof that the sabbath is still binding. Many Christians teach that there is no more commandments. But the bible never says that , it only says we are not under the condemnation of the law. In Luke 23 the last chapter it says that the apostles rested the sabbath according to the commandment.
LK 23 56 'And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.' Why would the apostles rest on sabbath after Jesus died if
the sabbath has been changed ? Why did they return on Sunday the first day of the week is Sunday became the rest day ? It proves the sabbath was never changed. The sabbath was given to all humans in Edan, 1500 years before there was a Jew.
The Sabbath was kept by all apostles all their lives. John says he was in the Spirit on the sabbath 90 years after Jesus . Why was John still keeping the sabbath ? We are not saved by keeping the commandments, also we cannot be saved without keeping the 1à commandments by the righteousness of Jesus . The apostles came to see the tomb of Jesus on Sunday because it was a working day. They could have done work on the tomb . But they did not understand that Jesus told them He would rise again .
MT 28 2 'And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.' It was time for Jesus to rise from the grave. An angel came. In case people would prevent or Satan himself would prevent the resurrection of Jesus maybe God sent an angel .
This is also the witness of Jesus raised up from the dead to be welcomes by the hosts of heaven . Who welcomed their commander with great love and worship . The commentary on Matthew chapter 28 tells us that Jesus gained the victory against sin. He lived a sinless life and now we have hope that if faithful by the righteousness of Jesus we will be raised up too one day to go to a land where there is no more tears, no more suffering, no more death .
MT 28 3 'His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:' This is like Moses who reflected the glory of God and his face was shining so much that people were afraid to look at Moses. Earth is dim, in heaven the glory and light of Gods presence must be astounding . Angels are much more powerful than humans, we remember one angel in the times of Israel killed many thousands of Assyrians in a moment .
MT 28 4 'And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.'Men need to understand that God is real, even if we do not see Him. Many live as if God did not exist, not understanding that all our thoughts, words and actions are noted. Those to do evil, will need to know that one day they will have to meet God . But many humans are not very responsible and they postpone something they do not see as if this day to meet God will never come .
Commentary on Matthew chapter 28 tells us that one day we will meet Jesus at the judgment , if we resemble his character of humility, love kindness, sincerity, honesty we will be able to enter heaven If we are legalists, proud, selfish, dishonest, filled with unbelief, rude and unkind we will never enter heaven .
MT 28 5 'And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.'The fear that a message of God gives to the lost, gives comfort to the humble and honest followers of Jesus . The same angel who loosed Peter from the jail in the book of Acts, is the same one who struck in a different way the proud Herod.
AC 12 21 'And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.'
MT 28 6 'He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.' The unbelief of the apostles who thought that Jesus would reign needed now to be addressed as they had a disappointment but it was explained. The difference between a false prophecy and a disappointment is that God allows sometimes his followers to not see the light and God puts his hand to hide the facts, then God explains the truth . In the first angels story of 1844, the first angel messenger William Miller thought the cleanssing of the sanctuary of Daniel 8 14 was the return of Jesus .
When the time came the people were greatly disappointed. But it was not a false prophecy as the calculations, even a child can count and see they are correct. The next day God gave a vision to Hiram Edson and explained that the cleansing of the sanctuary is not the earth but Jesus passing in 1744 from the holy to the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary .
MT 28 7 'And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.' Jesus appeared to the disciples for 40 days . Let us remember that Jesus did not to go heaven when He died as he told Mary Touch me not for I have not yet assended to my Father.
This is because biblically people do not go to heaven when they die. They wait the return of Jesus to be resurrected. The first message of the angels to the disciples was already an evangelism mission to tell others about the resurrection of Jesus . Angels could do that work of evangelism, but God wants us to develop love and care and skills in evangelism to be spokesmen for Him .
MT 28 8 'And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.'This was amazing news, the Jesus they loved so much they thought to be dead and they did not understand as Jesus is God why did He die ? How could God die ? The divinity of Jesus did not die as this is impossible. Only the human part of Jesus. This is why He said destroy this body the human part, and I the divine Jesus will raise it up . This first evangelistic campaign got success as the apostles ran to see the tomb of Jesus with great joy .
MT 28 9 'And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.'Jesus was so longing to meet his friends again that He appeared to them on the way to tell the disciples. It seems that all unbelief was gone as the worshipped Jesus and knew that He is the son of God as no one can raise Himself from the grave unless He is God . The word worship is PROSKUNEO which is the same word ussed to worship of the Father .
When the Father is worshipped in the bible it says PROSKUNEO , here Jesus too is worshipped as the Father . Jesus is also God.
MT 28 10 'Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.' Jesus here gives a meeting for his apostles . It says that when Jesus rose there was about 500 persons .
These 500 turned the whole world around . As Paul says that in his lifetime they preached the gospel to the whole world. And this is without television, internet. There is no excuse for us today as spending one hour a day online we can tell many people that Jesus loves them and they are live forever without pain, tears and suffering.
MT 28 11 'Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.'The guards told the priests that Jesus rose from the dead. This time as in the times of Pharaoh unbelief met his march . There came a time the priests could not have unbelief any more as Jesus being raised from the dead proves He is God .
But pride seems to be stronger than faith and as Pharaoh refused to humble himself and was so blinded by his pride that he followed Israel to the red sea. After seeing all the incredible miracles. And the plagues , he still followed Israel. The priest instead of repenting and asking forgiveness tried to lie and continued their work of deception . It comes a time when the heart is so hardened that it cannot repent any more.
MT 28 12 'And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,' MT 28 13 'Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.' So blinded by sin the religious leaders, lied to the people this is to not lose their front . Not realizing that they were fighting against God . The bible says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. When Ananias and Saphira lied to God they were killed instantly .
This is one of the most amazing thing i can read in the bible . Human beings being so blind to the truth, human beings who have lied to themselves to much that they will be ready to confront a lion, not understanding that the lion is stronger than them . A saw a video one time on yotube of a proud men who entered the cage of a lion He was so proud that he did not realizing what he was getting himself into .
He came out of that cage bruised and his clothes torn apart. Pride is a terrible thing it makes one believe they are something when it is all a lie. This is one reason many people will not enter heaven . Many worship human reasoning and only believe men s arguments rather than worshipping God . And men are so proud that they decisive themselves into being something they are not , not measuring the eternal danger they put themselves in .
MT 28 14 'And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.' MT 28 15 'So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.' The soldiers are so foolish that they feared still men rather than God and were afraid to not follow orders. Not seeing that God would bless them for being faithful and true .
MT 28 16 'Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.' MT 28 17 'And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.' Here too there was still unbelief. We do not know how much those who doubted were exposed to the ministry of Jesus and the Torah .
As the more we know the more we are responsible for the truth we have heard. It does not mean that if we do not listen to the bible and if we avoid the bible that we will be excused. As we all have the opportunity to read the bible, there are free bible apps online . Nobody will have any excuse the book of Romans says .
RO 1 19 'Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:'
MT 28 18 'And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.' Jesus on earth had a live the same life we could live. But after his resurrection Jesus can use his power as the Father can , There is no limit to Gods power it says There is nothing impossible for God . Is there anything too hard for the Lord ? In all your troubles and sufferings Jesus is there . Jesus can deliver your from loneliness, pain, suffering, poverty, sickness and all troubles. Call upon Him He says Call upon Me in the day of trouble I will deliver you and you will glorify Me .
MT 28 19 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:' This is the main reason we are on earth, apart from cleansing our personality in Gods righteousness and becoming like Jesus . We need to work for Jesus , we need to evangelize, we need to tell others that creation is true, that Jesus is God that the 3 angels message is the last message for planet earth, that it is life or death .
MT 28 20 'Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.' Jesus will be with us as we preach the truth . But if we do not do the work of God then a curse rests upon us . When we know something that can save people, we have a responsibility to tell others and to save them from eternal destruction .
Are we going to be so selfish that we do not care about others ?
Then why do we bear the name Christians when we only care about ourselves. As people are dying all around us without God lost and ready for eternal destruction . Then the blood of those people who we did not reach will be upon us . Even as we do God work we need to say We have done our duty we are umprofitable servants. As this work is a duty . I counsel to read these 2 stunning books the great controversy Ellen g White and Daniel and the revelation Uriah Smith
