Matthew 28 5

Matthew 28:5 kjv

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Matthew 28:5 nkjv

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

Matthew 28:5 niv

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

Matthew 28:5 esv

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

Matthew 28:5 nlt

Then the angel spoke to the women. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

Matthew 28 verses

Matthew 28 5 Meaning

Matthew 28:5 records the reassuring words spoken by the angel at the empty tomb to the women who had come to mourn and minister to the crucified Jesus. The angel begins by addressing their fear, a common reaction to a divine encounter, and then immediately reveals a profound understanding of their intent: they were earnestly seeking Jesus, the very one who had been publicly and brutally executed on a cross. This declaration confirms the women's loving devotion and sets the stage for the earth-shattering news of His resurrection. It establishes the continuity between the crucified Messiah and the soon-to-be-proclaimed risen Lord.

Matthew 28 5 Context

Matthew 28:5 is situated at the climax of Matthew's Gospel, immediately following the description of a great earthquake, the descent of an angel of the Lord from heaven, and the terror of the Roman guards, who became "as dead men." The verse records the first direct address from this heavenly messenger to the women who had arrived at the tomb early on the first day of the week, presumably to anoint Jesus' body. The immediate historical context is the early morning after the Sabbath, following Jesus' crucifixion on Friday. The women, including Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (Mt 28:1), were coming to a burial site, not to a resurrection. Their grief and sense of duty would have been palpable. The angelic announcement, therefore, provides comfort in a moment of fear and radically shifts their understanding from mourning a dead man to proclaiming a living Savior. The entire scene builds towards the monumental declaration of Jesus' resurrection.

Matthew 28 5 Word analysis

• The angel (ὁ ἄγγελος - ho angelos):
  • Greek angelos literally means "messenger." In biblical contexts, it refers to a divine messenger sent by God, often with crucial revelations or directives. This signifies a message of divine authority and truth, not mere human speculation.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the supernatural intervention and validates the extraordinary news to follow. Angels often serve as intermediaries for God's significant acts (e.g., announcing births, delivering prophecies).
• answered (ἀποκριθεὶς - apokritheis) and said (εἶπεν - eipen):
  • Apokritheis is an aorist participle, meaning "having answered." This implies the angel was responding to the women's implicit fear or perhaps their unvoiced sorrow/question at the empty tomb's initial appearance, even before they fully comprehended the scene.
  • Significance: Shows the angel's awareness of their emotional state and their underlying purpose. The "answer" addresses their natural human response to a profound, supernatural event.
• to the women (ταῖς γυναιξίν - tais gynaixin):
  • Specifically highlights the women as the first recipients of this groundbreaking message. This is significant given societal norms of the time, where women's testimony was often undervalued.
  • Significance: Elevates the role of these faithful female disciples. They become the primary, earliest witnesses of the resurrection, tasked with sharing the news, emphasizing God's choice irrespective of human hierarchies.
• Do not be afraid (Μὴ φοβεῖσθε - Mē phobeisthe):
  • A common imperative in divine or angelic encounters throughout Scripture (Gen 15:1; Dan 10:12; Lk 1:13; Lk 2:10; Rev 1:17). Mē phobeisthe is a prohibitive imperative in the present tense, meaning "stop being afraid" or "do not continue to be afraid."
  • Significance: Assuages their immediate terror and prepares them to receive astonishing news. It signals that what follows, despite its shocking nature, is not to be feared but embraced as good news. It is a divine assurance of safety and comfort.
• for I know (οἶδα γὰρ ἐγώ - oida gar egō):
  • Oida implies knowing through intuition, experience, or innate understanding, rather than learning through inquiry. Gar ("for" or "because") introduces the reason for the comfort. Egō (I) adds emphasis, showing the angel's direct knowledge.
  • Significance: The angel possesses divine knowledge. He knows their heart, their motives, and their earnest seeking without them needing to verbalize it. This reassures the women that their sincere devotion is acknowledged by heaven.
• that you are looking for (ὅτι Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον ζητεῖτε - hoti Iēsoun ton estaurōmenon zēteite):
  • Zēteite is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing action or present state of searching/seeking. This signifies their devoted, active search for Jesus.
  • Significance: Confirms their deep affection and purpose for being at the tomb. It highlights their pursuit of Jesus even after His death, which sets up the ironic twist of finding Him alive. Their action is acknowledged and validated by the divine.
• Jesus (Ἰησοῦν - Iēsoun):
  • The personal name, directly identifying the object of their search.
  • Significance: Ensures there is no ambiguity about who is being spoken of, tying the coming resurrection specifically to the person known to them.
• who was crucified (τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον - ton estaurōmenon):
  • Estaurōmenon is a perfect passive participle, meaning "the one having been crucified." The perfect tense indicates a completed action with ongoing results; Jesus remains "the crucified one" in identity, even in resurrection. It highlights the historical, undeniable reality of His death.
  • Significance: This specific identifier grounds the supernatural message in the brutal historical reality known to them and the world. It emphatically links the death of Jesus, the object of their sorrow, to the imminent announcement of His triumph over it. This specific detail reinforces the truth and historical grounding of the resurrection.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "The angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid...'": This opening establishes a pattern of divine communication where angels initiate interaction with people by first addressing their fear before delivering the main message. This immediate comfort highlights divine empathy and the preparation of human recipients for extraordinary news. It underscores the profound reverence and awe inspired by heavenly beings, validating the experience as genuine.
• "...for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.": This phrase serves multiple crucial purposes. Firstly, it demonstrates the angel's omniscient-like awareness of the women's inner thoughts and loving devotion, validating their intentions. Secondly, by explicitly mentioning "Jesus, who was crucified," it affirms the identity of the person they are seeking. This links the historical Jesus, who suffered a real, tangible death, directly to the one whose tomb is now empty. This identity connection is vital to ensure that the resurrection proclaimed is indeed that of the same person they loved and followed, countering any notion of a different being or a spiritualized, non-bodily resurrection. It provides assurance that their quest, while seemingly futile in its initial goal (to anoint a dead body), is understood and appreciated by Heaven.

Matthew 28 5 Bonus section

The choice of women as the first witnesses and recipients of this crucial message carries significant theological weight. In a patriarchal society where women's testimony was often dismissed, God chose these faithful women to be the first to learn of and proclaim the resurrection. This not only elevates their status but also subtly challenges societal norms, highlighting that God's ways are often contrary to human expectations. Their fervent "seeking" demonstrates active faith, which God then honors with unprecedented revelation. This also provides an example of persistent seeking in faith, which is often met by divine encounter and transformative truth.

Matthew 28 5 Commentary

Matthew 28:5 is a pivotal verse in the Gospel narrative, marking the transition from death to life, sorrow to joy. The angel’s words serve as a divine intervention that reframes the women's perception. Their deep devotion to "Jesus, who was crucified," is acknowledged, shifting their fearful confusion into hopeful anticipation. The phrase "Do not be afraid" is a classic biblical response to divine encounters, immediately dispelling terror to prepare for profound revelation. By identifying Jesus precisely as "the crucified one," the angel bridges the gap between the suffering Savior and the soon-to-be-revealed risen Lord, ensuring that the identity of the resurrected Christ is inextricably linked to His sacrificial death. This statement lays the essential foundation for the astounding declaration in the next verse: "He is not here, for He has risen!" The women's human quest to tend to a dead body is met with God's divine revelation of triumphant life, making them the first messengers of the gospel of resurrection.