Matthew 28:16

¶ Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

Then {G1161} the eleven {G1733} disciples {G3101} went away {G4198} into {G1519} Galilee {G1056}, into {G1519} a mountain {G3735} where {G3757} Jesus {G2424} had appointed {G5021} them {G846}.

So the eleven talmidim went to the hill in the Galil where Yeshua had told them to go.

Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated.

But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

Matthew 28:16 marks a crucial moment in the post-resurrection narrative, setting the stage for Jesus' final and most significant instructions to His disciples before His ascension. It highlights the obedience of the disciples and the intentionality of Jesus' plan.

Context

Following Jesus' resurrection from the dead, angels and then Jesus Himself (Matthew 28:7, 10) had instructed the disciples to go to Galilee, where He would meet them. This particular meeting on a mountain was prophesied by Jesus Himself even before His crucifixion. The "eleven disciples" refers to the original twelve, minus Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus and died. Their journey to Galilee signifies their faithful response to Jesus' specific appointment.

Key Themes

  • Obedience to Divine Appointment: The disciples' act of going "into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them" directly demonstrates their obedience to Christ's command. This highlights the importance of heeding and acting upon Jesus' instructions.
  • Significance of Galilee: While Jerusalem was the religious center, Galilee was the primary region of Jesus' earthly ministry and where most of His disciples were called. Meeting them there post-resurrection reinforces that His kingdom is not limited to traditional religious strongholds but extends to ordinary places and people.
  • Preparation for Mission: This gathering was not merely a reunion but a deliberate preparation for the monumental task Jesus was about to entrust to them. It was a moment of anticipation and spiritual readiness for the Great Commission that follows in the subsequent verses.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "where Jesus had appointed them" (Greek: etaxato from tassō) emphasizes the deliberate and pre-arranged nature of this meeting. It signifies a fixed arrangement or an orderly disposition, underscoring that this was not a casual encounter but a divinely orchestrated rendezvous with a specific, vital purpose.

Practical Application

This verse encourages believers to:

  • Respond to God's Call: Just as the disciples obediently went to the appointed place, we are called to respond faithfully to God's leading in our lives, whether it involves a specific task, a change in direction, or simply drawing closer to Him in quiet devotion.
  • Value Corporate Gathering: The act of the disciples meeting together, as instructed by Jesus, underscores the importance of communal gathering for believers. It is often in community that we receive instruction, encouragement, and empowerment for God's work.
  • Prepare for God's Purpose: Our obedience and readiness to meet with Christ, in whatever form that takes, prepares us for the greater purposes and missions God has for us, just as this meeting prepared the disciples for their global mandate.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 26:32

    But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

  • Matthew 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.

  • Matthew 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.

  • Mark 16:14

    ¶ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

  • Acts 1:13

    And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas [the brother] of James.

  • Acts 1:26

    And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

  • 1 Corinthians 15:15

    Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

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