How does Matthew 28:5 support the belief in Jesus' resurrection? Overview of Matthew 28:5 “But 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 is the first spoken proclamation in Matthew’s resurrection narrative. Its three core elements—angelic authority, acknowledgment of the crucifixion, and reassurance—combine to establish a historically anchored, divinely authenticated, and psychologically compelling foundation for believing that Jesus truly rose. Immediate Literary Context (Matthew 28:1-10) The women arrive “at dawn on the first day of the week” to a vacated tomb (vv. 1-4). An angel descends, rolls back the stone, and announces the resurrection (vv. 6-7). The women later meet the risen Lord Himself (v. 9). Verse 5 therefore forms the hinge between the empirical fact of the empty tomb (vv. 2-4) and the angel’s explanation (v. 6). Without v. 5, the angelic interpretation would lack transition; with v. 5, the reader is prepared to receive the resurrection as the only coherent explanation. The Angelic Witness as Divine Testimony In biblical jurisprudence, “every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15). The empty tomb supplies material evidence; the angel supplies supernatural confirmation; the women supply human eyewitness testimony. The angel’s presence parallels Old Testament precedent (e.g., Judges 6:12-14) where an angelic messenger authenticates divine acts. Thus, Matthew 28:5 satisfies both legal and theological criteria for credible testimony. Acknowledgment of the Crucifixion: Historical Anchor By explicitly referencing “Jesus, who was crucified,” the angel grounds the resurrection in the publicly verifiable death of Jesus—corroborated by Josephus (Ant. 18.3.3), Tacitus (Ann. 15.44), and the Jerusalem Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a). The mention guards against Docetism by affirming bodily death and anticipates bodily resurrection. Reassurance and Psychological Realism The imperative “Do not be afraid” matches modern trauma research: sudden confrontation with the supernatural typically elicits fear; reassurance facilitates cognitive processing. Behavioral studies show that calm directives from perceived authority increase eyewitness recall accuracy—supporting the credibility of the women’s subsequent testimony (Luke 24:9-11). Historical Plausibility of Female Eyewitnesses First-century Judaism regarded women’s testimony as legally inferior (Josephus, Ant. 4.8.15). If the account were fabricated, inventors would unlikely choose women as primary witnesses. Their inclusion therefore indicates historical authenticity (“criterion of embarrassment”) and amplifies Matthew 28:5’s evidential value. Harmony with Other Gospel Accounts Mark 16:6, Luke 24:5-6, and John 20:12-13 parallel the angelic announcement, showing multiple attestation. Minor narrative differences reflect independent eyewitness traditions, not collusion, while all agree on the core fact: Jesus, once crucified, is now risen. Correlation with Early Creeds and Apostolic Preaching 1 Cor 15:3-7—dated by most scholars to within five years of the crucifixion—summarizes the same triad: death, burial (implying empty tomb), and resurrection. Matthew 28:5 seamlessly aligns with this primitive creed, indicating that the resurrection proclamation originated in the earliest strata of Christian belief. The Empty Tomb and Physical Resurrection: Archaeological and Historical Considerations • The Garden Tomb region matches first-century burial architecture, lending verisimilitude to Matthew’s setting. • The Nazareth Inscription (1st cent.) prohibits tomb-violation under threat of death, possibly reflecting imperial reaction to Christian claims of an empty tomb. • No burial site was ever venerated as Jesus’ occupied grave, unlike sites of other religious leaders; a permanently empty tomb best explains this absence. Minimal-Facts Argument and Matthew 28:5 Using data accepted by the vast majority of scholars—Jesus’ death by crucifixion, disciples’ belief in His appearances, conversion of skeptics (James, Paul), and the empty tomb—Matthew 28:5 functions as a narrative nexus tying crucifixion and post-mortem appearances to a supernatural cause best explained by bodily resurrection. Implications for Christology and Soteriology By linking the crucified Jesus with the risen Lord, Matthew 28:5 affirms Romans 4:25: “He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.” The verse therefore undergirds the doctrine that salvation hinges on a historical, bodily resurrected Christ (1 Peter 1:3). Effect on Early Christian Worship and Sabbath Shift The angel’s statement, embedded in a dawn, first-day context (Matthew 28:1), contributes to the earliest evidence for Christians meeting on Sunday (Acts 20:7; Didache 14). The shift from Sabbath to Lord’s Day is historically unaccountable apart from the resurrection referenced in Matthew 28:5. Modern-Day Apologetic Application In evangelism, Matthew 28:5 offers a concise, three-point gospel outline: 1. Jesus truly died (“who was crucified”). 2. He is no longer in the tomb (implied in vv. 6-7). 3. Fear is removed for those who seek Him (“Do not be afraid”). Contemporary testimonies of transformative encounters with Christ—documented healings (e.g., peer-reviewed remission cases in Craig Keener, Miracles, 2011) and millions of conversions worldwide—provide experiential corroboration consistent with the angel’s promise. Conclusion Matthew 28:5 supports belief in Jesus’ resurrection by combining impeccable textual preservation, divine and human testimony, historical realism, and theological coherence. The verse stands as a critical evidential pillar: the crucified Jesus is the risen Lord, fear is dispelled, and salvation is offered to all who seek Him. |
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