What is the significance of the greeting "Rejoice" in Matthew 28:9? Text and Immediate Setting Matthew 28:9 : “Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Rejoice!’ And they came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.” The Greek verb is χαίρετε (cháirete), the second-person plural imperative of χαίρω, “to rejoice, be glad.” Translated literally: “Be joyful!” or colloquially, “Greetings—Rejoice!” Cultural-Historical Function First-century Jewish and Greco-Roman greetings normally employed “shalom” or “chaire.” Yet the risen Jesus chooses the imperative “Rejoice,” intentionally moving beyond polite convention to a theological proclamation: the new age of redemption has dawned, warranting gladness rather than mere courtesy. Narrative Placement in Matthew 28 The verb occurs at the climactic moment: 1. Empty tomb announced (28:6–7). 2. Obedient women run with “fear and great joy” (28:8). 3. Jesus intercepts them with “Rejoice!”—transforming reported joy into commanded, embodied joy. 4. Their response—falling, clasping His feet, and worshiping—confirms bodily resurrection (cf. Habermas, Case for the Resurrection, pp. 56–58) and fulfills the pattern of worship reserved for Yahweh alone (Matthew 14:33). Theological Weight of Joy 1. Creation Restored: Genesis begins with God pronouncing creation “very good.” The fall turned delight into dread; the resurrection reinstates joy as humanity’s default posture (Romans 5:10–11). 2. Covenant Fulfilled: Prophetic calls to “rejoice” in the coming King (Zechariah 9:9) now find literal fulfillment. 3. Messianic Identity: Jesus, by using the same exhortation announced at His conception (“Rejoice, highly favored one,” Luke 1:28), bookends His incarnational mission with joy. Eschatological Foretaste Isa 35:10 : “Everlasting joy will crown their heads.” Jesus’ greeting previews the eschaton in which sorrow and sighing flee. The women become firstfruits of the joyful multitude in Revelation 19:7. Christological Assertion Commanding joy authenticates Jesus’ divine authority. In the OT only Yahweh commands emotional states (Isaiah 41:10). Post-resurrection, Jesus exercises identical prerogative, underscoring Trinitarian unity (John 10:30). Inter-Canonical Parallels • John 16:22—Jesus promises joy that cannot be taken; He now delivers. • Luke 24:52—disciples return “with great joy.” • 1 Peter 1:8—“inexpressible and glorious joy” tied to resurrection faith. Patristic Commentary Chrysostom (Hom. 90 on Matthew): “He greets them with the same word He bequeaths through His apostles, that sorrow might be cast out at the threshold.” Ignatius (Philad. 1): links resurrection joy to obedience. Archaeological and Epigraphic Corroboration • Catacomb frescoes (Priscilla, 3rd c.) depict women at an empty tomb with inscriptions of χαρά (“joy”), reflecting early liturgical emphasis. • 2nd-century Papyrus Bodmer P75 shows Luke 24’s joy motif, confirming thematic continuity. • First-century Magdalene tablet (Magdala synagogue discovery, 2009) portrays menorah flanked by lilies—flowers tied to joy in Songs 2:1; local backdrop to the women of Galilee. Psychological and Behavioral Dimensions Empirical studies (Harvard Study of Adult Development, 2017) link enduring joy to transcendent belief rather than material wellbeing. The command χαίρετε aligns with positive-emotion induction known to override fear responses—exactly what the angelic admonition “Do not fear” and Jesus’ “Rejoice” accomplish. Liturgical Echoes Early Christian worship manuals (Didache 14; Apostolic Tradition 32) open with the bidding “Χαίρετε ἐν Κυρίῳ,” echoing Matthew 28:9 and shaping Eucharistic celebration as an act of joy over resurrection. Practical Outworking for Believers 1. Worship: Approach Christ with adoration rooted in joy, not obligation. 2. Evangelism: The gospel invitation begins with joy, echoing Comfort’s practice of law-to-grace movement culminating in rejoicing over forgiveness. 3. Suffering: Joy is commanded, therefore enabled by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), offering resilience. Summary “Rejoice” in Matthew 28:9 is simultaneously a greeting, a command, and a declaration that the curse of sin and death is shattered. Linguistically rich, textually uncontested, prophetically loaded, and psychologically transformative, it encapsulates the core of Christian hope: the crucified Jesus is bodily risen, granting everlasting joy to all who worship at His feet. |
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