Matthew 28:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

NIV: Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

NASB: But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated to them.

CSB: The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.

NLT: Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

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

NKJV: Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

More than the other gospel writers, Matthew focuses on Jesus' promise to His disciples to meet them in Galilee after His resurrection from the dead: "After I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee" (Matthew 26:32). After He is resurrected, the message Jesus gives to the women for the disciples is, "Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me" (Matthew 28:10).

Part of the appeal for the disciples may have been that Galilee was home. Not only would Jesus be raised from the dead, He would also meet them back at home in the region of Galilee, in the northern part of Israel, where they had all spent so much time and had done so much good together.

Matthew does not include Jesus' interaction with the disciples in Jerusalem on the day of the resurrection (Luke 24:36–43). Nor does he mention other meetings with the resurrected Jesus as reported in the other Gospels. Matthew tends to condense the action and skip details to keep the story moving. In this case, he jumps forward to an encounter with the eleven remaining disciples, and maybe many others, at a prearranged meeting place on a mountain in Galilee.

Matthew 28:16–20 describes Jesus' commissioning the eleven remaining disciples on a mountain in Galilee. He had given them a message to meet Him there. Now He appears and commands them to make disciples from the people of all nations on the earth. He calls on them to baptize these disciples in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They must also teach these new believers to obey everything Jesus has commanded them to do. Matthew ends his book with Jesus' promise to always be with those who believe in Him.

An angel of the Lord descends from heaven and rolls the stone from Jesus' tomb. The guards faint. The angel sits on top of the stone and waits. Two women, followers of Jesus, arrive and are told that Jesus is risen from the dead. Jesus then meets them and tells them to give the news to His brothers. The chief priests bribe the guards to say Jesus' followers stole His body. Jesus meets the disciples on a mountain in Galilee and commissions them to make disciples of people from all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey Jesus' commands. Jesus promises to be with them always.

Matthew 28 follows the dark events of the crucifixion in the previous chapter and brings Matthew's story of Jesus to a close. An angel descends from heaven and rolls back the stone. The guards faint. The angel tells two women Jesus is risen and then Jesus meets them. The Jewish religious leaders bribe the guards to lie and distribute a story that His followers took the body. Jesus meets His disciples in Galilee and commissions them to make disciples of people from all nations on earth, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all of Jesus' commands.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.