Matthew 28:6—“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
These words, spoken by the angel at Christ’s empty tomb to the mourning women who had come to His grave, proclaim the most glorious reality in history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The declaration, “He is not here: for he is risen”, transforms a place of sorrow into a testimony of triumph.
The women came expecting to find Christ’s body still in the tomb. They brought spices to anoint Him in death. Yet the angel’s invitation, “Come, see the place where the Lord lay”, emphasises the physical reality of the resurrection while also underscoring the grave's temporary nature. The tomb was not merely empty; it had been vacated.
In the middle of the angel’s proclamation is a reminder: “as he said”. It was a declaration that what has now occurred stands firmly upon what Christ has previously told. These words anchor the resurrection in the faithfulness of Christ Himself. Jesus had repeatedly foretold His suffering, death, and resurrection (cf. Matthew 16:21; 20:19), and now His promise stands fulfilled. The empty tomb is a promise kept.
This is the theological heartbeat of the passage. The resurrection of Jesus was not a fortunate accident. It was the fulfilment of His own word and of divine prophecy. By rising from the dead, Christ confirmed His identity as the Son of God and demonstrated that His sacrifice for sin was accepted by the Father. In God’s redemptive plan, the resurrection is the receipt of our redemption. His resurrection was the declaration that the debt has been paid in full.
It speaks directly to our deepest fears, like death, the grave, and judgment. Praise be to God, death does not have the final word.
Because the angel’s message remains true, we now serve a living Saviour, who is not defined by where He was, but by who He is. Even today, we are invited to “come and see” that Christ has kept His word in conquering the grave. And just as surely, He will keep His promise to raise all who believe in Him.
Let us, therefore, trust His word, rejoice in His victory, and live in the power of His resurrection.
