Matthew 28 6

Matthew 28:6 kjv

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Matthew 28:6 nkjv

He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Matthew 28:6 niv

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

Matthew 28:6 esv

He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

Matthew 28:6 nlt

He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

Matthew 28 verses

Matthew 28 6 Meaning

This verse contains the angel's pivotal announcement to the women at Jesus' tomb. It declares emphatically that Jesus is no longer dead or present in the tomb. Instead, He has been raised from the dead, precisely as He had foretold during His earthly ministry. The angel then invites the women to approach and witness the empty burial place for themselves, providing tangible proof of this miraculous event, thereby confirming Jesus' victory over death and His divine authority.

Matthew 28 6 Context

This verse forms the core of the angelic message delivered to Mary Magdalene and the "other Mary" at the tomb of Jesus early on resurrection Sunday. The preceding verses (Matt 28:1-5) set the scene: the women arrive at the tomb, witness a great earthquake, and behold an angel of the Lord descend from heaven. His appearance is terrifying, causing the guards to tremble and become like dead men. Against this dramatic backdrop of awe and fear, the angel addresses the women, alleviating their apprehension and replacing it with the profound truth of Jesus' resurrection. The declaration in verse 6 directly counters any expectation of finding Jesus' lifeless body and implicitly refutes any future claims of body-snatching, presenting an undeniable fact confirmed by both divine testimony and empirical evidence. It marks the transition from mourning to jubilant proclamation for the disciples.

Matthew 28 6 Word analysis

• He is not here: Greek: οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε (ouk estin hōde).
  • οὐκ (ouk): A strong negative particle, signifying an absolute denial. "Absolutely not," "in no way."
  • ἔστιν (estin): "He is" (third person singular, present indicative of εἰμί, "to be"). Denotes a present state. The angel asserts a current, verifiable fact.
  • ὧδε (hōde): "Here," indicating physical location. The empty tomb is the critical evidence. The combination clearly states the body's absence. This simple declaration shatters the finality of death and burial, marking the definitive moment of resurrection.
• for he is risen: Greek: ἠγέρθη γάρ (ēgerthē gar).
  • γάρ (gar): "For," "because." It provides the reason for His absence – His resurrection.
  • ἠγέρθη (ēgerthē): "He has been raised," "He was raised" (aorist passive indicative of ἐγείρω, "to raise up," "to awaken"). The passive voice indicates that the action was performed by an external agent – God the Father (Acts 2:24; Rom 6:4). It emphasizes that Jesus did not just "come back to life" by His own will (though He possessed the power to lay down and take up His life, Jn 10:18), but that He was definitively acted upon by God. It signifies a completed past event with ongoing implications.
• as he said: Greek: καθὼς εἶπεν (kathōs eipen).
  • καθὼς (kathōs): "Just as," "according as." This validates Jesus' prior predictions regarding His death and resurrection (Matt 16:21; 17:23; 20:19).
  • εἶπεν (eipen): "He said" (aorist active indicative of λέγω, "to say"). Confirms Jesus' divine foresight and the faithfulness of His words, elevating His authority and truthfulness beyond question. This aspect underscores that the resurrection was not an unexpected event but a fulfillment of prophecy.
• Come, see the place: Greek: δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον (deute idete ton topon).
  • δεῦτε (deute): "Come!" (imperative plural). An immediate, urgent invitation, compelling them to move forward and verify.
  • ἴδετε (idete): "See!" (aorist active imperative plural of ὁράω, "to see"). Not just a glance, but an instruction to carefully observe, inspect, and confirm with their own eyes. It makes them eyewitnesses.
  • τὸν τόπον (ton topon): "The place." Refers specifically to the burial slab or niche within the tomb where His body had been laid. The specificity rules out misunderstanding; it was the actual burial place that was now empty.
• where the Lord lay: Greek: ὅπου ἔκειτο ὁ Κύριος (hopou ekeito ho Kyrios).
  • ὅπου (hopou): "Where." Connects the inspection to the specific location.
  • ἔκειτο (ekeito): "He was lying," "had been laid" (imperfect middle/passive indicative of κεῖμαι, "to lie," "to be laid"). The imperfect tense indicates a past, continuous state, signifying where Jesus had been for a period. This contrasts powerfully with "He is not here" (present tense), highlighting the definitive change from presence in death to absence due to resurrection.
  • ὁ Κύριος (ho Kyrios): "The Lord." This title is immensely significant. Used frequently in the Septuagint for Yahweh, and applied by the early church to Jesus after His resurrection, it proclaims His divine identity, authority, and sovereignty over all things, including death itself. Even in death, His status as "the Lord" is affirmed, now fully vindicated by His resurrection.

Matthew 28 6 Bonus section

• The Power of the Passive Voice: The Greek "ēgerthē" (he was raised) is in the passive voice. While Jesus possessed the power to take His life back (Jn 10:18), the consistent emphasis in the New Testament is that God the Father "raised" Him (Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15, 26; Rom 6:4). This highlights God's active power in accomplishing the greatest miracle, establishing Jesus' exalted position through the Father's sovereign will.
• Women as First Witnesses: In a culture where women's testimony was often considered unreliable, God chose women to be the first witnesses and messengers of the resurrection (Matt 28:7-10). This choice underscores God's valuing of all individuals and His unconventional ways, using the seemingly weak to shame the wise, further testifying to the truth of the event given the inherent skepticism toward their witness.
• Direct Refutation of Deceit: The emphasis on "come, see the place" served as a powerful preemptive counter to the later lie perpetuated by the Jewish leaders, that the disciples had stolen Jesus' body (Matt 28:11-15). The empty grave clothes and the undisturbed grave cloths (Jn 20:6-7) also testified against a hurried theft.
• Implication for Believers: Jesus' resurrection is not just a historical event but provides a living hope for believers (1 Pet 1:3). Just as He was raised, those who believe in Him will also be raised to new life and have victory over sin and death (Rom 6:5; 1 Cor 15:20-22). The empty tomb is a pledge of our future resurrection.

Matthew 28 6 Commentary

Matthew 28:6 stands as the linchpin of the Gospel narrative, proclaiming the triumph of life over death. The angelic pronouncement, "He is not here: for he is risen," encapsulates the foundational truth of Christianity. The emptiness of the tomb is not a puzzle but profound proof, directly affirming Jesus' resurrection. This resurrection, moreover, is shown to be a divine act, indicating God's intervention, and a fulfillment of Jesus' own predictions, verifying His unique authority and truthful claims. The invitation "Come, see the place where the Lord lay" is critical. It transforms the women from mere recipients of a message into active investigators and the first, critical witnesses of the resurrected Christ, who are then commissioned to spread this joyous news. The title "Lord" underscores Jesus' ongoing divine status even during His period in the tomb, which is now gloriously revealed.