How does Matthew 28:6 connect with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? The Angel’s Announcement “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.” (Matthew 28:6) Layers of Meaning in the Phrase “Just as He said” • Jesus had promised His resurrection (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19). • Those promises rest on even older promises—prophetic words that God had already placed in the Hebrew Scriptures. Old Testament Promises the Resurrection Fulfills • Psalm 16:10 — “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.” – David speaks, but the words go beyond him; only a sinless “Holy One” could escape corruption. Acts 2:25-32 links this directly to Jesus’ empty tomb proclaimed in Matthew 28:6. • Isaiah 53:10-12 — “He will prolong His days… After He has poured out His life unto death… He will divide the spoils with the strong.” – The Servant dies, yet lives on to receive reward; resurrection is the only way those statements stand together. • Hosea 6:2 — “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.” – Israel’s corporate hope foreshadows Messiah’s personal victory: risen “on the third day,” exactly as the women hear at the tomb. • Jonah 1:17 (cf. Matthew 12:40) — “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” – The “sign of Jonah” anticipated the time-stamp Matthew 28 records. • Psalm 118:22-23 — “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” – Rejection (crucifixion) followed by vindication (resurrection) forms the trajectory Matthew 28:6 completes. • Job 19:25-27 — “I know that my Redeemer lives… even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” – Job’s cry echoes across centuries and is answered at the empty tomb. Why the Connections Matter • Scripture’s integrity: One storyline, many voices, one outcome—an objective, bodily resurrection. • Messianic identity: Only the promised Messiah could match this prophetic mosaic. Matthew 28:6 proves Jesus is that promised One. • Assurance for believers: Because every ancient promise about His first coming was fulfilled, every promise about His return will be fulfilled as well. Living the Truth of Matthew 28:6 • Confidence in God’s Word—prophecy kept means prophecy still future will also stand. • Hope beyond the grave—our resurrection is guaranteed by His (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). • Urgency in witness—the risen Lord sends His people (Matthew 28:18-20), and the fulfilled prophecies furnish the message we carry. |
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