Who wrote it—and when?
Authorship. Christian tradition connects this Gospel with Matthew, one of Jesus' twelve apostles. The Gospel itself does not name its author. Many modern scholars therefore describe the work as anonymous, while some scholars continue to defend a connection with Matthew or an early Matthean tradition.
Approximate writing date. Many modern scholars date Matthew to about AD 80-90, though earlier dates are also defended.
Date of the events depicted. The scene is set shortly after Jesus' crucifixion, usually placed around AD 30.
The event and the writing did not happen at the same time. This page keeps those dates separate.
What Was Happening?
The scene follows the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. Matthew says that Mary Magdalene and another Mary went to the tomb after the Sabbath. Jerusalem had just passed through Passover, when the city was crowded with pilgrims and Roman authorities were alert to unrest.
Crucifixion was a Roman form of execution used especially for rebels, slaves, and people viewed as threats to public order. Matthew says that Joseph of Arimathea placed Jesus' body in a tomb cut from rock and that a stone was placed at the entrance.
Matthew 28 opens with the women coming to the tomb. The Gospel reports an earthquake and an angel who tells them that Jesus is not there because he has been raised. Verse 6 is the center of that announcement and includes an invitation to look at the burial place.
The resurrection claim quickly became central to Christian preaching. An earlier Christian source preserved in 1 Corinthians 15 says that Jesus died, was buried, was raised, and appeared to followers. Historians can study how early that belief appears, but whether a supernatural resurrection occurred is a larger historical and philosophical question.
Read the Evidence
Original Koine Greek
οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἠγέρθη γὰρ καθὼς εἶπεν· δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο.
ouk estin hōde, ēgerthē gar kathōs eipen; deute idete ton topon hopou ekeito.
Key words in plain English
How the Text Reached Us
Text difference worth noting
The main point of Matthew 28:6 is stable in the major early manuscripts: the speaker says Jesus is not there and has been raised. Some later manuscript traditions add words equivalent to 'the Lord' at the end of the verse, which explains the KJV wording 'where the Lord lay.' Major modern critical Greek texts use the shorter ending. This difference does not remove or create the resurrection claim itself.
The Story Around the Verse
Matthew 27 ends with Jesus buried in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb. Matthew also reports that guards were placed at the tomb after chief priests and Pharisees expressed concern that the disciples might claim Jesus had risen. In Matthew 28:1-10, the women arrive, receive the announcement that Jesus has been raised, and are told to inform the disciples. The passage then reports that Jesus meets the women. Verses 11-15 give a competing explanation in which the guards are said to report that the disciples stole the body. The chapter closes with Jesus appearing to the eleven disciples in Galilee and commissioning them.
Is there a case to examine?
The passage makes a meaningful claim, has recognizable opposing views, and has enough evidence for both sides to be presented fairly.
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