Angels Seen at the Empty Tomb
On Sunday morning toward dawn [Matthew 28:1-10] Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of Jesus, and Salome came with spices to do a better job of preparing the body than was done immediately after death. There was another earthquake when the angel of the Lord rolled the stone away from the door and sat upon it there. The guard shook and fell prostrate.
The angel told the women not to fear, knowing that they had come to tend to Christ's body. The angel had to tell the women that the body wasn't there and that He had risen, just as He said He would. He invited them to inspect the tomb where Jesus had been placed.
He then ordered them to go quickly and tell the disciples that He was risen from the dead. They also told the ladies that Jesus was heading to Galilee where they would see Him. They left with joy and not a little bit of fear from the angel, clothed in snow white raiment and with a face as bright as lightning.
As they were on their way, Jesus met them, hailing them to get their attention. They came and worshiped Him and He likewise tells them to not be afraid, but to go and tell the brethren that He would meet them in Galilee.
Other gospels give much more detail in the time after Sunday early morning.
The Watch is in Trouble and is Bribed
The watch, which as noted might have been from 12 to 72 individuals were in trouble [Matthew 28:11-15]. There was no excuse in the Roman army for such a failure. But the watch weren't stupid either. They went to the chief priests and elders to let them know what had happened. These men took counsel and gathered up a large amount of money and gave it to the soldiers. They told them to say that the disciples had come by night and took the bodies while they slept.
There were so many holes in that story that it would not be believed. Normally, they would have been killed for their failure to secure the body. What actually happened to them is very unclear. Perhaps they bribed Pilate on their own. Perhaps they used the bribe money to just disappear. The story the priests concocted could have spread without any action at all from the guards, and being Roman in the first place it might have been easier to ditch their uniforms and fade into the background hoping for the best.
The Final Address to the Disciples in Matthew
Matthew 28:16-20 gives the final commands after the resurrection from Jesus to His eleven remaining disciples. They had left the area and went to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them disciples. Jesus command was simple. He acknowledged that all power had been restored to him in both heaven and earth. He commanded they to go, teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost. They were to teach everything that He had commanded them or would command them through the Holy Ghost. He said He would be with them always, to the utter end of the world.
That challenge hasn't slipped for us either. Go. Teach. Baptize. Jesus provided us with the tools with the baptism of the Holy Ghost and He did that to provide the power to witness. Praise God for a good plan, well executed. Praise God for helping us when we get off track by nudging us back in the right direction.