TRV
Translation
King James Version
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Complete Jewish Bible
He is not here, because he has been raised -- just as he said! Come and look at the place where he lay.
Berean Standard Bible
He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.
American Standard Version
He is not here; for he is risen, even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
World English Bible Messianic
He is not here, for he has risen, just like he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was lying.
Geneva Bible (1599)
He is not here, for he is risen; as he saide: come, see the place where the Lord was laid,
Young's Literal Translation
he is not here, for he rose, as he said; come, see the place where the Lord was lying;
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In the KJVVerse 24,202 of 31,102
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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Hilary of Poitiers (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 367
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The earthquake is the might of the resurrection, when the sting of death being blunted, and its darkness illuminated, there is stirred up a quaking of the powers beneath, as the Lord of the heavenly powers rises again.
This is an instance of the mercy of God the Father, to supply the ministry of heavenly power to the Son on His resurrection from the grave; and he is therefore the proclaimer of this first resurrection, that it may be heralded by some attendant token of the Father's good pleasure.
John Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 407
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Or the earthquake was to rouse and waken the women, who had come to anoint the body; and as all these things were done in the night-time, it was probable that some of them had fallen asleep.
As much as to say, If ye believe me not, remember His own words. And then follows further proof, when he adds, Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
And, behold, he shall go before you, that is, to save you from danger, lest fear should prevail over faith.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 89
"But in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow."
After the resurrection came the angel. Wherefore then came he, and took away the stone? Because of the women, for they themselves had seen Him then in the sepulchre. Therefore that they might believe that He was risen again, they see the sepulchre void of the body. For this cause he removed the stone, for this cause also an earthquake took place, that they might be thoroughly aroused and awakened. For they were come to pour oil on Him, and these things were done at night, and it is likely that some also had become drowsy. And for what intent and cause doth he say, "Fear not ye?" First he delivers them from the dread, and then tells them of the resurrection. And the ye is of one showing them great honor, and indicating, that extreme punishment awaits them that had dared to do, what the others had dared, except they repented. For to be afraid is not for you, he means, but for them that crucified Him.
Having delivered them then from the fear both by his words, and by his appearance (for his form he showed bright, as bearing such good tidings), he went on to say, "I know that ye seek Jesus the Crucified." And he is not ashamed to call Him "crucified;" for this is the chief of the blessings.
"He is risen." Whence is it evident? "As He said." So that if ye refuse to believe me, he would say, remember His words, and neither will ye disbelieve me. Then also another proof, "Come and see the place where He lay." For this he had lifted up the stone, in order that from this too they might receive the proof. "And tell His disciples, that ye shall see Him in Galilee." And he prepares them to bear good tidings to others, which thing most of all made them believe. And He said well "in Galilee," freeing them from troubles and dangers, so that fear should not hinder their faith.
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Or, otherwise; This apparent discrepancy in the Evangelists as to the times of their visits is no mark of falsehood, as wicked men urge, but shows the sedulous duty and attention of the women, often going and coming, and not enduring to be long absent from the sepulchre of their Lord.
And, behold, there was a great earthquake. Our Lord, Son at once of God and man, according to His twofold nature of Godhead and of flesh, gives a sign one while of His greatness, another while of His lowliness. Thus, though now it was man who was crucified, and man who was buried, yet the things that were done around show the Son of God.
The Angel in white raiment signifies the glory of His triumph.
The guards lay like dead men in a trance of terror, but the Angel speaks comfort not to them, but to the women, saying, Fear not ye; as much as to say, Let them fear with whom unbelief abides; but do ye who seek the crucified Jesus hear that He has risen again, and has accomplished what He promised.
That if my words fail to convince you, the empty tomb may.
Mystically; He shall go before you into Galilee, that is, into the wallowing stye of the Gentiles, where before was wandering and stumbling, and the foot had no firm and steady resting-place.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Matthew
(Vers. 6, 7.) Come and see the place where the Lord was laid. And quickly going, say to his disciples. That if you do not believe my words, you may believe in the empty tomb, and go with quick steps and announce to his disciples.
Because he has risen, and behold, he goes before you to Galilee: there you will see him: behold, I have told you.
Cyril of AlexandriaAD 444
FRAGMENT 317.24
So the angel became an evangelist and herald of the resurrection to the women. “Do not seek,” he says, “the one who” always “lives,” who in his own nature is life, “among the dead. He is not here,” that is, dead and in the tomb, “but he has been raised.” He has become a way of ascent to immortality not only for himself but also for us. For this reason he made himself nothing and put on our likeness, that “by the grace of God,” just as the blessed Paul says, “he might taste death on behalf of all.” And so he has become the death of death.
Peter ChrysologusAD 450
SERMONS 76.1
The Lord rises in the same flesh. He brings back the wounds, takes on again the holes from the nails and bears witness by his very body with the signs of his resurrection, which were the ravages of his suffering. If so, how could anyone imagine that he might return in some other body? How could anyone fail to believe that he will return in his own flesh? It is fanciful to think that the servant would by chance disdain his own flesh. Rest assured, my friend, when you arise from the dead it will be you in your own body. Otherwise it would not be you if you should rise in the flesh of another.
Peter Chrysologus (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 450
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Serm. 75.)g. Because the sabbath is illuminated, not taken away, by Christ, Who said, I am not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfil it. (Matt. 5:17.) It is illuminated that it may lighten into the Lord's day, and shine forth in the Church, when it had hitherto burnt dim, and been obscured by the Jews in the Synagogue.
It follows, Came Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary, &c. Late runs woman for pardon, who had run early to sin; in paradise she had taken up unbelief, from the sepulchre she hastes to take up faith; she now hastens to snatch life from death, who had before snatched death from life. And it is not, They come, but came, (in the singular,) for in mystery and not by accident, the two came under one name. She came, but altered; a woman, changed in life, not in name; in virtue, not in sex. The women go before the Apostles, bearing to the Lord's sepulchre a type of the Churches; the two Marys, to wit. For Mary is the name of Christ's mother; and one name is twice repeated for two women, because herein is figured the Church coming out of the two nations, the Gentiles and the Jews, and being yet one. Mary came to the sepulchre, as to the womb of the resurrection, that Christ might be the second time born out of the sepulchre of faith, who after the flesh had been born of her womb; and that as a virgin had borne Him into this life present, so a sealed sepulchre might bring Him forth into life eternal. It is proof of Deity to have left a womb virgin after birth, and no less to have come forth in the body from a closed sepulchre.
(Serm. 77 et 74.) If the earth thus quaked when the Lord rose again to the pardon of the Saints, how will it quake when He shall rise again to the punishment of the wicked? As the Prophet speaks, The earth trembled when the Lord rose again to judgment. (Ps. 76:8.) And how will it endure the Lord's presence, when it was unable to endure the presence of His Angel? And the Angel of the Lord descended from heaven. For when Christ arose, death was destroyed, commerce with heaven is restored to things on the earth; and woman, who had of old held communication to death with the Devil, now holds communication to life with the Angel.
(Serm. 74.) He said not 'rolled,' but rolled back; because the rolling to of the stone was a proof of death; the rolling it back asserted the resurrection. The order of things is changed; The Tomb devours death, and not the dead; the house of death becomes the mansion of life; a new law is imposed upon it, it receives a dead, and renders up a living, man. It follows, And sat thereon. He sat down, who was incapable of weariness; but sat as a teacher of the faith, a master of the Resurrection; upon the stone, that the firmness of his seat might assure the sted fastness of the believers; the Angel rested the foundations of the Faith upon that rock, on which Christ was to found His Church. Or, by the stone of the sepulchre may be denoted death, under which we all lay; and by the Angel sitting thereon, is shown that Christ hath by His might subdued death.
(Serm. 75.) The splendour of his countenance is distinct from the shining of his raiment; his countenance is compared to lightning, his raiment to snow; for the lightning is in heaven, snow on the earth; as the Prophet saith, Praise the Lord from the earth; fire and hail, snow and vapours. (Ps. 148:7.) Thus in the Angel's countenance is preserved the splendour of his heavenly nature; in his raiment is shown the grace of human communion. For the appearance of the Angel that talked with them is so ordered, that eyes of flesh might endure the still splendour of his robes, and by reason of his shining countenance they might tremble before the messenger of their Maker.
(Serm. 77.) But what means this raiment where there is no need of a covering? The Angel figures our dress, our shape, our likeness in the Resurrection, when man is sufficiently clothed by the splendour of his own body.
(Serm. 75.) For they kept watch over Him with a purpose of cruelty, not with the solicitude of affection. And no man can stand who is forsaken by his own conscience, or troubled with a sense of guilt. Hence the Angel confounds the wicked, and comforts the good.
(Serm. 77.) For their faith had been bowed by the cruel storm of His Passion, so that they sought Him yet as crucified and dead; I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified; the weight of the trial had bent them to look for the Lord of heaven in the tomb, but, He is not here.
(Serm. 76.) Thus the Angel first announces His name, declares His Cross, and confesses His Passion; but straightway proclaims Him risen and their Lord. An Angel after such sufferings, after the grave acknowledges Him Lord; how then shall man judge that the Godhead was diminished by the flesh, or that His Might failed in His Passion. He says, Which was crucified, and points out the place where the Lord was laid, that they should not think that it was another, and not the same, who had risen from the dead. And if the Lord reappears in the same flesh, and gives evidence of His resurrection, why should man suppose that he himself shall reappear in other flesh? Or why should a slave disdain his own flesh, seeing the Lord did not change ours?
(Serm. 77.) As much as to say, Woman, now thou art healed, return to the man, and persuade him! to faith, whom thou didst once persuade to treachery. Carry to man the proof of the Resurrection, to whom thou didst once carry counsel of destruction.
Pseudo-Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 500
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Hom. de Resur. iii.) After the mockings and scourgings, after the mingled draughts of vinegar and gall, the pains of the cross, and the wounds, and finally after death itself and Hades, there rose again from the grave a renewed flesh, there returned from obstruction a hidden life, health chained up in death broke forth, with fresh beauty from its ruin.
Remigius of Rheims (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 533
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
It is to be known that Matthew designs to hint to us a mystical meaning, of how great worthiness this most holy night drew from the noble conquest of death, and the Resurrection of Our Lord. With this purpose he says, On the evening of the Sabbath. For whereas according to the wonted succession of the hours of the day, evening does not dawn towards day, but on the contrary darkens towards night, these words show that the Lord shed, by the light of His resurrection joy and brilliance over the whole of this night.
The rolling back of the stone signifies the opening of Christ's sacraments, which were covered by the letter of the Law. For the Law having been writen on stones, is here denoted by the stone.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 21
But now let us hear what the angel adds: "You seek Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus in the Latin tongue means "salutary," that is, it is interpreted as "Savior." But indeed many at that time could be called Jesus, yet not substantially, but only nominatively. Therefore the place is also added, so that it might be made clear which Jesus is meant: "of Nazareth." And he immediately added the reason: "the Crucified One." And he added: "He has risen, He is not here." "He is not here" is said with respect to the presence of His flesh, though He is nowhere absent with respect to the presence of His majesty.
Gregory the Dialogist (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 604
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(Hom. in Ev. xxi. 4.) Or otherwise; Lightning inspires terror; snow is an emblem of equity; and as the Almighty God is terrible to sinners and mild to the righteous, so this Angel is rightly a witness of His resurrection, and is exhibited with a countenance as lightning, and with raiment as snow, that by His presence He might terrify the wicked, and comfort the good; and so it follows, And for fear of him the keepers did shake.
Rabanus Maurus (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 856
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
These who had not the faith of love were shaken with a panic fear; and they who would not believe the truth of the resurrection become themselves as dead men.
His fleshly presence, that is; for His spiritual presence is absent from no place. He is risen, as he said.
And this glad tiding is given not to you alone for the secret comfort of your own hearts, but ye must extend it to all who love Him; Go quickly, and tell his disciples.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Matthew 28:6 encapsulates the triumphant climax of the Gospel narrative: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This profound declaration, delivered by an angel to the faithful women at the tomb, transforms their grief into an awe-filled realization of God's power and faithfulness. It serves as the foundational truth of Christian faith, affirming Jesus' victory over death, the fulfillment of His own prophecies, and an invitation to witness the undeniable proof of His life-giving power.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 28:6 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Direct Declaration, as the angel delivers the news with absolute certainty, leaving no room for doubt ("He is not here: for he is risen"). This declarative statement is immediately followed by a powerful Causal Conjunction ("for"), which explicitly links Jesus' absence from the tomb to the fact of His resurrection, establishing a logical and undeniable connection. The phrase "as he said" serves as a powerful instance of Fulfillment of Prophecy, highlighting Jesus' divine foresight and the reliability of His words. Furthermore, the verse uses Imperative commands ("Come, see"), which act as an urgent invitation to personal verification and witness. This active engagement encourages the audience to move beyond mere hearing to direct observation, reinforcing the verifiability of the resurrection. Finally, the stark contrast between the women's expectation of a dead body and the reality of a living, resurrected Lord creates a profound Dramatic Irony, emphasizing the miraculous nature of the event and God's surprising power.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 28:6 stands as the theological bedrock of Christianity, affirming the absolute triumph of God's power over sin, death, and the grave. The resurrection of Jesus is not merely a historical event but the divine vindication of Christ's identity as the Son of God and the efficacy of His atoning work on the cross. It signifies the defeat of Satan's power and the inauguration of God's new creation. This truth transforms human despair into hope, demonstrating that death does not have the final word and that God's promises are utterly trustworthy. The empty tomb is the ultimate proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and that His sacrifice was perfectly acceptable to God, securing justification and eternal life for all who believe.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The message of Matthew 28:6 resonates deeply with believers today, offering an anchor of hope in a world often defined by despair and death. The resurrection of Jesus means that our faith is not in vain, and our future is secure. It assures us that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us, enabling us to overcome sin, fear, and the challenges of life. This truth empowers us to live with courage, knowing that even in our darkest moments, new life and transformation are possible through Christ. It calls us to be witnesses, just as the women were commissioned, sharing the good news of the living Savior with a world desperately in need of hope. The empty tomb reminds us that God is faithful to His promises, and that our ultimate destiny is not the grave, but eternal life with Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who announced the resurrection to the women at the tomb?
Answer: The resurrection was announced by an angel of the Lord. Matthew's account specifies that "the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it" (Matthew 28:2). This divine messenger delivered the pivotal news to Mary Magdalene and the "other Mary" who had come to the tomb.
Why was it important for the angel to say, "as he said"?
Answer: The phrase "as he said" (Matthew 28:6) is crucial because it emphasizes the fulfillment of Jesus' own prophecies concerning His death and resurrection. Jesus had repeatedly told His disciples that He would be killed and would rise again on the third day, as recorded in passages like Matthew 16:21, Matthew 17:22-23, and Matthew 20:18-19. This phrase validates Jesus' divine foresight and authority, confirming that His resurrection was not an unexpected event but a preordained act of God, essential to His mission and identity as the Messiah.
What is the significance of the invitation "Come, see the place where the Lord lay"?
Answer: The invitation "Come, see the place where the Lord lay" (Matthew 28:6) is an invitation to personal verification and witness. It underscores the physical reality of the empty tomb as undeniable evidence of the resurrection. The angel doesn't just declare the truth; he encourages the women to observe it for themselves, thereby removing any doubt and providing them with firsthand proof. This act of seeing transforms them from passive recipients of news into active witnesses, preparing them to share the incredible truth with others. It also highlights the historical and verifiable nature of the resurrection, inviting all who hear the message to examine the evidence for themselves.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 28:6 is the ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment, revealing Jesus as the victorious Lord over sin and death, precisely as He promised. His resurrection is the cornerstone of the Gospel, validating His identity as the Son of God with power (Romans 1:4) and confirming the efficacy of His atoning sacrifice. The empty tomb signifies that Christ's death was not a defeat but a strategic victory, disarming the powers of darkness and triumphing over death's sting (Colossians 2:15). Because He is risen, believers are not merely forgiven but also justified (Romans 4:25) and raised to new life in Him (Ephesians 2:5-6). Christ's resurrection is the guarantee of our own future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-22), establishing Him as "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25). He is not merely a historical figure who died, but the living Lord who reigns eternally, having conquered the very last enemy, death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26).