A New Sabbath
1. And in the twilight of [the] Sabbaths, as it dawned toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to behold the tomb.
The meaning of “Sabbath”
This chapter begins with the words, “In the end of the Sabbath,” or more literally, “In the twilight of the Sabbaths.” This more literal translation represents a transition from the old idea of the Sabbath based on strict literalism, to a new idea of the Sabbath based on a more interior understanding of the Lord’s Word. As an older understanding of the Sabbath began to fade, a new understanding was beginning to dawn. In brief, it was the twilight of a new day in humanity’s long history. As it is written, “And in the twilight of the Sabbaths, the first day of the week began to dawn” (Matthew 28:1).
Traditionally, the Sabbath began at sunset on Friday and was completed at sunset on Saturday. Because the honoring of the Sabbath was one of the Ten Commandments, the religious authorities considered this twenty-four-hour period most holy. Therefore, the biblical injunction that no work of any kind was to be done on the Sabbath was strictly enforced. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Work is to be done for six days, but the seventh day is a day of Sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death” (Exodus 31:15).
In the Hebrew language, the word “Sabbath” is shabbat [שַׁבָּת] which means “to rest.” The religious leaders interpreted this to mean rest from any kind of physical labor. On one occasion, when a man was caught picking up sticks on the Sabbath, he was brought before Moses, Aaron, and all the people for a decision about what should happen to him. As it is written, “The Lord said to Moses, ‘The man must be put to death, and the whole assembly should stone him with stones outside the camp.’ So, as the Lord commanded Moses, they took him outside the camp and stoned him to death” (Numbers 15:35-36).
This is a glimpse at the state of the religious world that Jesus was born into, a world where the commandments were understood literally and enforced rigorously. We have already seen how offended the religious leaders were when Jesus’ disciples plucked corn on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-4). Similarly, when Jesus healed a man’s withered hand on the Sabbath, the religious leaders were so enraged that “they went out and took counsel against Him, how they might destroy Him” (Matthew 12:14). In their eyes, Jesus was “working” on the Sabbath. In their opinion, Jesus was flaunting a sacred tradition, the violation of which was punishable by death.
This view of the Sabbath is based on the idea that God is rigid, rule-oriented, and determined to destroy anyone who might violate the Sabbath, even if it is something as innocent as picking up sticks, or plucking corn, or healing the sick. People were not even allowed to carry anything that was heavy on the Sabbath. As it is written through the prophet Jeremiah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘For the sake of your lives, do not carry a burden on the Sabbath…. But if you do not obey Me, I will destroy the palaces of Jerusalem with a fire that cannot be quenched” (Jeremiah 17:21, 27).
Statements like these, which imply that God is angry and vengeful, can be found throughout the Hebrew scriptures. While this is not an accurate picture of a loving God who is mercy itself, it is an accurate picture of how people saw God at that time. Although the Hebrew scriptures contain infinite depths of wisdom when spiritually understood, the literal words, apart from their spiritual meaning, reveal more about the nature of the people who wrote them than they do about the true nature of God. 1
These were the kinds of false ideas that God had to correct. And so, God Himself had to come in person to reveal His true nature and to deepen their understanding of the commandments. In doing so, He taught that hatred is a form of murder, that lust is a form of adultery, and that the Sabbath is not just about refraining from physical work or refusing to carry heavy burdens. More interiorly, the Sabbath is about resting in God.
Therefore, when Jesus spoke about burdens, He was not referring to physical objects or bodily labor. On a more interior level, He was speaking about the inner burdens of worry, anxiety, and fear that people were carrying. He was speaking about the resentments, anger, and hatreds people were unable to put down. These are the “burdens” that weigh heavily upon the soul. That is why Jesus said, “Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy burdened … and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
It should be noted that the Sabbath follows what is called “six days of labor.” These “six days” are times of spiritual trial. During these times, we have the opportunity to live according to the truth that we know, even when it is difficult. In striving to do so, we experience an increasingly profound sense of peace as our inner nature becomes more perfectly aligned with God’s will. Every victory along the way introduces us to a heavenly state of mind. In the language of sacred scripture, this heavenly state is called “the seventh day” and “the Sabbath.” It is what we experience whenever we rest in God. 2
In the previous episode, when Jesus was being crucified, He modeled this process for us. Although He suffered the most agonizing trials, He did not become bitter. He endured the most excruciating pain, but did not get angry. He underwent the darkest despair, but never lost sight of His mission — the salvation of all people.
In the process, Jesus conquered the hells and made His humanity Divine. This was the end of His temptations, and the beginning of a new, more exalted idea of the Sabbath. It is the Sabbath of inner peace that follows every effort to align our will with God’s will. Whenever we allow God to work through us, and with us, we rest from our labors.
The opening verse of this final chapter, then, marks the end of our old ideas about the Sabbath, about God, and even about ourselves. As the night ends and the darkness of mere literalism subsides, the light of a new understanding begins to shine upon us. The old Sabbath began at sunset on Friday evening and ended at sunset on Saturday evening. But after the Lord’s resurrection on the third day, the new Sabbath began at dawn on Sunday morning. It would celebrate a new consciousness, the resurrection to new life, and the dawn of a new religious era.
A practical application
In biblical times, the letter of the law called for a strict observance of the Sabbath day and enforced this with the threat of death for any violation. While people are no longer put to death for disobeying the Sabbath commandment, most people understand that a rest from their labors, at least once a week, is necessary. And many people still consider attending a religious service an important part of their Sabbath day observance. Whether you decide to attend a religious service or not as a part of your Sabbath, it’s important to keep in mind that the Sabbath day is a time to rest, especially to rest in God. This means that God wants you to rest from the industrious desire to achieve, excel, and succeed. It means that God wants you to experience times when your soul can be renewed and your spirit refreshed. It means that God wants you to rest in Him. As a practical application, then, remember that God is with you, ready and willing to work through you. If you can remember to do this, calling upon the Lord for the strength and patience you need to make it through any situation, you will enjoy the blessings of the Sabbath state, not just one day a week, but perpetually. The fire of the Lord’s love will be continually burning on the altar of your heart. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “The fire on the altar shall be continually burning…. It shall never be quenched” (Leviticus 6:12-13). 3
Rolling Away the Stone
2. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven [and] coming, rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3. And his countenance was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow;
The initial words in this chapter speak of both an ending and a beginning. It is the end of our old way of feeling and thinking about God, the world, and ourselves. In this new beginning, we are no longer driven by selfish concerns or ruled by the demands of our lower nature. As new ways of thinking about life arise in our consciousness, we begin to realize that the Lord is in charge of the least details of our life. Knowing this, we can allow ourselves to be governed by God, ready to do His will. We can drop the inner burdens while spiritually resting in the Lord. A new Sabbath is about to begin. 4
In this new Sabbath state, we find ourselves with Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in front of the Lord’s tomb. Two days ago, Jesus was crucified and laid in a tomb. Friday evening and Saturday have passed, and it seems as though nothing has happened. Apparently, Jesus is in the tomb, sealed away behind a heavy stone.
This represents those times when the Word of God does not seem to be speaking to us. It seems to be sealed up behind a heavy stone. Although we know that God is within His Word, we do not hear His voice, sense His presence, or feel His touch. The truth, however, is just the opposite. Although God is always speaking to us through His Word, we do not always hear what He says.
In order to understand this more clearly, it must be remembered that Jesus was buried in a cave, and a stone was rolled across the mouth of the cave to seal it. Before we can properly hear the Word of God and sense Jesus’ presence within it, the stone must be rolled away. This “stone” represents whatever it is that stands between us and God. Whether it be selfishness, pre-occupation with worldly matters, or, simply, a lack of faith in God’s leading, this stone must be rolled away.
Sometimes, it takes a great upheaval in our lives before we come to our spiritual senses and understand that there is a whole new way to live. It can be like an earthquake in our consciousness — a dramatic, earth-shaking moment that calls us into a new awareness. We read, therefore, that “there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it” (Matthew 28:2).
The earthquake on the morning of the third day calls to mind the earthquake that occurred during Jesus’ crucifixion — the earthquake that caused “the holy ones who slumbered to rise from their graves” (Matthew 27:52). It also calls to mind another time when an earthquake shook the foundations of the earth. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning … and the whole mountain shook violently” (Exodus 19:16-18). That earthquake occurred as a divine prelude to the Lord’s giving of the Ten Commandments. The voice of divine truth sometimes comes to us with earth-shaking power.
We, too, have our times of earth-shaking upheavals in our life. These spiritual shake-ups invite us to go within and summon up every ounce of courage and faith that we possess. Like Jesus, we can also go through temptation with the conviction that we have a mission to fulfill.
Although these times of temptation are not on the same level as the crucifixion of Jesus, they are nevertheless a part of our endeavor to fulfill our God-given mission. Sustained by our faith in God, we can refuse to surrender to anger, self-pity, despair or any other negative emotion or false concept that threatens to engulf us. Instead, we can rest in the Lord, and in the truth of His Word, even while engaged in combat, relying on Him for strength and wisdom. 5
Rolling away the stone
In the literal story, the religious leaders had sealed the stone (see Matthew 27:66). The sealing of the stone by the religious leaders represents the way false ideas can seal us off from any hope of connecting with the living God. On the other hand, the angel who descends from heaven to roll the stone away pictures how truth from the Lord’s Word descends into our minds from heaven. As it arrives, it can push false beliefs to the side so that truer ideas might prevail. False beliefs are being “rolled away.”
The countenance of the angel who rolls away the stone is described as being “like lightning” and his clothing is described as being “as white as snow” (Matthew 28:3). The description of the angel suggests the brightness and purity of the divine truth that comes into our life with insights that flash across the inner sky of our minds like lightning, and shine within our consciousness with perceptions as pure as freshly fallen snow.
In sacred scripture, these brilliant insights and clear perceptions that come to us from heaven are described as “angels descending.” They roll away the stone of falsity and reveal to us the light of truth. As mentioned earlier, when the Ten Commandments were given amidst an earthquake, there were flashes of lightning in the sky. It signifies divine truth coming into our life like lightning. 6
A practical application
The angel who descended from heaven rolled away the stone that prevented people from approaching the Lord. Rolling the stone away represents the removal of falsity by the presence of truth. As a practical application, then, allow truth to roll away the stone of false belief and misunderstanding that keep you locked in resentment and anger, while preventing you from being charitable to others. Allow truth to roll away the stone of self-deprecating thoughts and discouraging doubts that keep you locked in self-pity and despair, while preventing you from experiencing the joy of life. Allow truth to roll away the stone of ignorance — the stone that prevents you from seeing and understanding who God truly is and who you might become. In essence, your task is to allow truth from God’s Word — the angel that descends — to roll away every false belief that stands like an obstructing stone between you and God. Roll away the stone so that you might experience the peace of God’s presence within you. 7
The Women Rejoice
4. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead.
5. And the angel answering said to the women, “Fear ye not; for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified.
6. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7. And going quickly, say to His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and behold, He goes before you into Galilee; there you shall see Him; behold, I have told you.”
8. And going out quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, they ran to report [this] to His disciples.
9. And as they went to report to His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Hail.” And they coming, took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him.
10. Then says Jesus to them, “Fear not; go, report to My brothers, that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me.”
Before the light of a new understanding can dawn, anxious thoughts must be quieted, inner turbulence must be quelled, and troubling fears must be calmed. This is what can take place when the stone of ignorance is rolled away. In the early dawn of each new state, the stone must be rolled away. To those who have been waiting patiently for the Lord, this represents the coming of a new understanding. It is the first light of a new awareness. It is the beginning of a new Sabbath.
The two Marys, whose hearts were waiting and longing for Jesus, are ready for the stone to be rolled away. Unlike the guards, who “shook with fear and became like dead men” (Matthew 28:4) when the angel rolled away the stone, the women are comforted by the angel’s words. “Do not be afraid,” the angel says to the women. “I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matthew 28:5-6).
When the women approach the tomb and look inside, they see that the angel’s words are true. Jesus is not there. “Go quickly,” says the angel, “and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; and there you will see Him” (Matthew 28:7). Immediately, the two women run to meet the disciples and tell them the wonderful news.
As Mary Magdalene and the other Mary rush off to tell the disciples, Jesus meets them along the way. “Greetings,” Jesus says to them (see Matthew 28:9). Behind them is the empty tomb; before them, the living God. This is a picture of the change that takes place in our lives when the angel rolls away the stone of ignorance and proclaims the eternal truth, “He is not here; for He is risen.”
When the stone of doubt and disbelief is rolled away, we see that the living God is present everywhere, pervading the universe with His divine life, flowing continuously into nature to produce vibrant colors and sweet fragrances, flowing continuously into human hearts and minds to produce loving affections and noble thoughts. No matter where we are in our life, God is always there, urging to be received. 8
When Jesus’ greets the two Marys, they respond with reverent awe. As it is written, “They took hold of His feet and worshipped Him” (Matthew 28:10). The words, “They took hold of His feet and worshipped Him” suggest that this is much more than an ordinary reunion of good friends. Rather, it is a spontaneous, heart-felt acknowledgment of Jesus’ divinity.
This brings to mind similar moments during Jesus’ life on earth. These were moments when people were inspired to worship Him. For example, when the wise men came to Bethlehem, “they worshipped Him” (Matthew 2:11); when Jesus calmed the sea and walked on water, His disciples “worshipped Him” (Matthew 14:33); and when the woman came to Jesus, begging Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter, “she worshipped Him” (Matthew 15:25). Similarly, in this episode, the two Marys take hold of His feet and worship Him. 9
For the most part, every incident that led to the worship of the Lord was based on a miracle, whether it was His miracle birth in Bethlehem, His walking on water in Galilee, or even His rising from death in Jerusalem. But worship based on miracles, while it can initiate belief, is not true worship. While it is an external persuasion that can momentarily compel belief, it does not become a part of a person’s essential character. 10
Genuine worship of the Lord is not based on external miracles, no matter how convincing they might be. Worship that is genuine comes about through keeping the commandments — that is, doing God’s will, and not our own, even if it means that our egotistical tendencies and self-serving attitudes must go through agonies in Gethsemane and crucifixions at Calvary. Whenever we do this, the subsequent changes that take place in our spirit are the truest confirmation of God’s ability to bring about inner miracles. This alone is what leads us into true worship. 11
While the two Marys are still at His feet worshipping Him, Jesus repeats the comforting words of the angel. “Do not be afraid” He says. “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:10). Earlier in this gospel, Jesus promised His disciples that no matter what happened to Him, He would eventually meet them in Galilee. They were, therefore, not to be discouraged. “Even though the shepherd would be struck,” He told them at that time, He would rise again. “After I have been raised,” He said, “I will go before you into Galilee” (Matthew 26:32).
And now, in the closing words of this episode, Jesus repeats His promise. This time, however, He adds an important detail. He says, “There they will see Me.” To “see the Lord” is to understand His teachings and do His will. “Blessed are the pure in heart” He said during the Sermon on the Mount, “for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).
A practical application
Unlike the bustling metropolis of Jerusalem, the home of biblical scholars and religious leaders, Galilee was a simple fishing village, the home of unsophisticated, uneducated tradespeople. Because of this, Galilee represents simplicity of heart. It is the desire to fulfill one’s daily responsibilities and do what is right. It’s not about a sophisticated understanding of scripture. Rather it’s about the desire to be good and do good. This is what it means to be in a state called “Galilee.” As a practical application, then, avoid any kind of antagonistic theological controversy. While it’s useful to enter into friendly discussions about theological principles and how to apply them to life, rancorous argumentation — no matter how much people believe in the correctness of their doctrine — does not lead to goodness. Instead, keep applying the truth you know to life. Keep shunning evils as sins against God. As you do so, the Lord will gradually open your eyes so that you see spiritual truth more and more clearly. Eventually, this single-minded devotion and purity of heart will enable you to see God. This is why Jesus says to the two Marys, “Tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:10). 12
The Report of the Temple Guards
11. And as they were going, behold, some of the guard, coming into the city, reported to the chief priests all things that were done.
12. And being gathered together with the elders, and taking counsel, they gave considerable silver to the soldiers,
13. Saying, “Say ye that His disciples, coming by night, stole Him while we slumbered.
14. And if this shall be heard by the governor, we will persuade him, and will make you safe.”
15. And they, receiving the silver, did as they were taught; and this word was made public among the Jews even to this day.
Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, the religious leaders are extremely troubled. The temple guards have just come to them and reported about the things they had witnessed — the earthquake, the appearance of the angel, the rolling away of the stone, and the empty tomb. These are the same guards who “shook with fear” in the presence of the angel “and became like dead men.”
When the religious leaders hear this alarming news, they immediately gather together with the elders and come up with a plan to dispel belief in the possibility of an actual resurrection. They decide to offer the guards a large sum of money to say nothing about what actually happened. Instead, if anyone should ask what happened, the guards are to tell them, “His disciples came at night and stole Him while we were sleeping” (Matthew 28:13).
In addition, the religious leaders tell the guards that if Pilate should find out about their negligence (sleeping while on duty), they will take care of everything and keep the guards out of trouble (see Matthew 28:14). The guards accept the bribe. As it is written, “They took the silver and did as they were directed” (Matthew 28:15).
The reality of the resurrection
It’s interesting to compare how the news of the resurrection is received by those who hate Jesus versus those who love Him. For the women who love Jesus, the news of His resurrection is thrilling. Overjoyed, they race off to tell the disciples the good news. And when they meet Jesus along the way, they grasp His feet and worship Him.
But for those who hate Jesus, the news brings no joy. Instead, the religious leaders are deeply concerned. All along, they have believed that if Jesus were destroyed, it would put an end to His growing influence. He would no longer be a threat to their power. However, if word got out that Jesus had somehow survived the crucifixion, it would be disastrous to their efforts to prove that Jesus was a blasphemer. Therefore, they resort to bribery and lies, paying off the guards and instructing them to spread a false report.
The stubborn disbelief of the religious leaders and their persistent refusal to admit that their assessment of Jesus might be wrong — even in the face of the impartial testimony of the guards — represents a hardened-heart that will not change. For those who do not want to believe, no amount of evidence will ever be enough. Therefore, the religious leaders, representing our lower selves, remain hell-bent on destroying Jesus. Even if they cannot do this physically, they will endeavor to discredit Him and destroy His reputation among the people who believe in Him. 13
These are the inner voices that strive to convince us that the resurrection is not real. They insinuate the idea that the resurrection is far-fetched. When it is said that God came to earth as Jesus Christ, was crucified, and rose again, these voices raise doubts. They suggest that it is more plausible to believe that Jesus was a human being, like anyone else, and that after He was crucified, His followers stole the body from the tomb while the guards were sleeping — just as the religious leaders instructed the guards. According to the gospel account, the story that the guards reported was widely circulated among the people of that day (see Matthew 28:15).
Doubts about the reality of the resurrection are as old as the resurrection itself. It has been called a gigantic hoax, a pagan myth, and even a smoke and mirrors magic act. Some scholars have asserted that belief in the resurrection is a form of intellectual suicide — an outright denial of reason and logic. Clever explanations that explain away the resurrection are available for all who seek them. We are left in freedom to either accept or reject the resurrection. In the same way, we have the freedom to accept or reject the Word of God, and even God Himself.
We can also reject the idea that the earth is round; instead, we can believe that it is flat. We can reject the idea that the earth revolves around the sun; instead, we can believe that the sun revolves around the earth. To our physical eyes and natural senses, a belief in a flat earth and a rising sun certainly seems to be true. In the same way, it certainly seems to be true that we have life from ourselves and not from God. But revelation teaches, and reason confirms that there is a God and that all life is from Him alone. Although a spiritual reality like this is not observable to the naked eye, it can be rationally seen that it is true. 14
Similarly, we need not take the report about the reality of Jesus’ resurrection “on faith.” Not at all. This is because there is a rationally satisfying reason for the resurrection. It’s as simple as this: God cannot die. This is a reality that each of us can understand if we are willing to undergo inner crucifixions and inner resurrections. If we have been faithful in “taking up our cross and following Jesus” (Matthew 16:24), we know what it means to go through the combats of temptation. We know the agony to be sure, but we also know the peace that comes to us on the other side of temptation combats. And we know that this is how we grow spiritually, through shunning evils, through calling upon God for help and strength, and through recognizing that it is the Lord alone who fights for us during times of trial. This is the reality of the resurrection in our own lives.
A practical application
Every time you go through a combat of temptation, relying on the Lord’s truth and power, there will be a resurrection in your life. At such times, you will come to know and understand, interiorly and experientially, that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is real — for it takes place in you over and over again. It is not just an historical fact, but an ongoing reality. You can experience His rising daily in you, and even in every moment. As a practical application, then, notice how quickly an unhappy, unpleasant state can change if you rely on the Lord to lead you through it. The state may not change instantly, but it does change, even when nothing changes in your outer circumstances. Know that this miraculous change of state is how the Lord works within you, secretly bringing about the miracle of resurrection in your daily life. Just as the Lord can never die, true faith can never die. It rises in you, again and again. 15
A New Promised Land
16. And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, into the mountain where Jesus had directed them.
17. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; and [yet] they doubted.
18. And Jesus coming spoke to them, saying, “All authority is given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19. Going [forth], therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
20. “Teaching them to keep all things whatever I have commanded you.”
The angel gave the two women a simple message: “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee” (Matthew 28:7). As the women hurried off to tell the disciples, Jesus Himself met them, and gave them a further message to convey: “Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee,” said Jesus, “and there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:10).
As we come to the final episode in this gospel, we discover that Jesus’ promise is true. We read, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him” (Matthew 28:16). Just a few verses earlier, the women took hold of Jesus’ feet and “worshipped Him” (Matthew 28:9). And now, just seven verses later, the disciples do likewise. In both cases, the immediate response is one of reverence and awe. They worshipped Him.
It should also be noted that there are eleven disciples, not twelve. On the literal level, this is because Judas is no longer with them. But as we pointed out in the parable about the workers in the vineyard, those who came at the eleventh hour represent the innocent, receptive states in us that are capable of responding to God and receiving what flows in from Him (see Matthew 20:9). Similarly, the gathering together of eleven disciples symbolizes an innocent, receptive state — a state of readiness to receive. 16
Galilee in us
All of this happens on a mountain in Galilee. But why Galilee? After all, it is at least seventy miles from Jerusalem to Galilee, a journey of two or three days. Why not meet somewhere in Jerusalem, or in Jericho? Why Galilee? The reasons are many. One of the more obvious reasons is that it would be safer to meet in Galilee, far away from the religious leaders who are still seeking to destroy Jesus. Another reason could be that Galilee is the original place where Jesus first gathered His disciples together. It would be a time of reunion, an opportunity to reconnect and to remember the joy and excitement of the early days when everything was fresh, new, and exciting.
Jesus does the same for us. After our struggles in Jerusalem (temptations), He rekindles our initial passion for following Him. He summons us back to Galilee — back to a simple, uncomplicated faith and trust in Him. 17
Just as the number eleven represents the receptivity and innocence of childhood, Galilee represents a time of innocent, childlike trust in the Lord. As we have already mentioned, the people of Galilee were not sophisticated intellectuals, nor were they theologically trained. For the most part, they were uncomplicated people who lived far from the intellectual and cultural center at Jerusalem. They were country folk, farmers and fishermen who had little learning, but receptive hearts.
It was in Galilee that Jesus began His ministry, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, opening blind eyes, and unstopping deaf ears. He made the lame to walk and the mute to speak. While He did some preaching, and spent some time instructing His disciples, He devoted most of His energies to meeting the physical needs of these innocent, receptive people — in preparation for the time when He would also meet their spiritual needs.
Galilee, then, represents that place of simple, uncomplicated faith in each of us — a faith that is easily received by all those who lead good lives. When our hearts are in the right place, we receive truth easily. The reason is simple. We are eager to learn what is true because we long to do what is good. It is fitting, therefore, that Jesus would call together His eleven disciples in Galilee — a place that represents an innocent faith, an eager willingness to learn what is true, and an innocent desire to do what is good. It is where Jesus first said to His disciples, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:18). 18
The Great Commission
Having brought His disciples to Galilee — spiritually and geographically — Jesus is about to give the disciples what has become known as “The Great Commission.” We can imagine their excitement and enthusiasm. Jesus, who has defeated death, has now returned to them. But even then, “some doubted” (Matthew 28:17).
This is understandable. After all, the disciples are still learning. And this is what the term “disciple” means in the original Greek — one who is learning. It has not been easy for them. While there have been many times of wonder and awe, there have been times of confusion, bewilderment, disappointment, and fear. There have also been times when they have had to come face to face with their own weakness and selfishness. The disciples have come far, to be sure, but they have farther to go and more to learn.
Similarly, the Lord does not expect us to be perfect or to have perfect faith. He continues to protect our freedom so that we can doubt if we so choose. The Lord knows that doubts will arise along the journey of faith and that we will have times of weakness. But He also knows our strengths. When doubts assail us — and they will — Jesus comes near, speaking words of blessed assurance, just as He now speaks to His disciples in Galilee, saying “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).
With these words and this promise, Jesus strengthens His disciples for their Great Commission. He says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19).
In the original Greek, the word for “baptize” is baptizo [βαπτίζω] which means to “submerge,” or “immerse.” In this regard, candidates for baptism are to be baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It should also be noted that Jesus does not say that the disciples should baptize into the names (plural) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Rather, He says that they should baptize into the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is because there is only one God.
Therefore, this baptism will be into the name of the Father, meaning that it will represent being initiated into and immersed in the divine love that is in the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will also be into the name of the Son, meaning that it will represent being initiated into and immersed in the divine wisdom that comes from Jesus’ lips. And it will be into the name of the Holy Spirit, meaning that it will represent being initiated into and immersed in the divine power that proceeds from Jesus’ risen and glorified Humanity.
These three kinds of initiation and immersion are a Holy Trinity. This is not a trinity of three separate persons. Rather, it is a Holy Trinity of Love, Wisdom, and Power — the three divine attributes of One God. 19
Making disciples of all nations
The disciples are now to carry on the work that Jesus has begun. They are to “baptize all nations” — not just the people of Galilee, or the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but all people everywhere who have ears to hear and hearts to receive. The only thing necessary is a heartfelt desire to embrace Christianity and to be instructed in its truths. Those who are being introduced to and immersed in this spiritual water will come to know, understand, and love the truths of genuine Christianity. 20
In brief, receiving the water of baptism represents a willingness to be instructed in divine truth so that an internal cleansing can take place. Just as water washes away dirt, truth washes away falsity. Additionally, just as water nourishes the body, truth nourishes the soul. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean” (Ezekiel 36:25). 21
This is not the first time that Jesus has sent out His disciples. Earlier in this gospel, He said to His disciples, “Do not go in the way of the gentiles or enter any city of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-6). In the language of sacred scripture, Jesus was telling them not to go to those who have confirmed themselves in states of evil (“the way of the gentiles”) or to those who have become firmly entrenched in false beliefs (“the cities of the Samaritans”). In other words, there is no use in teaching those who have no desire to learn or change. 22
They are to go, rather, to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This refers to the tender and innocent states within us that have gone astray. This can happen whenever we have lost our way amidst the concerns and troubles of daily life. These are the times when we have gotten off course and strayed from our innocent trust in God. As it is written in the Hebrew scriptures, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way” (Isaiah 53:6).
But if we are good at heart and willing to be taught, we can return to the Lord, see where we have gone astray, be instructed in truth, and get back onto the right path. Then, we can also help others return to the Lord, be instructed in truth, and get back on track. This is how we can all become disciples. Therefore, as Jesus approaches the conclusion of this gospel, He says, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” 23
The closing scene
As this episode draws to a close, we are left with a beautiful picture of Jesus on the mountaintop with His disciples. We are reminded of Moses, who also stood on a mountaintop many years before, overlooking the Promised Land. Moses, however, was still mortal. It was there, on Mount Nebo that Moses died. The Lord then commissioned Joshua to become the new leader of the people. “Moses, My servant, is dead,” the Lord said to Joshua. “Therefore, arise, go over this Jordan…. Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:2-3, 9).
Just as the Lord commissioned Joshua, Jesus similarly commissions His disciples to go forward into a new Promised Land — a land overflowing with goodness and truth. As they enter this new Promised Land, they are to baptize all nations with the new and glorious truths that Jesus has taught them, preparing the way for a new religious era.
They are not to be afraid, but rather they are to be strong and courageous. Just as the Lord told Joshua that He would be with him wherever he would go, Jesus says to His disciples, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
A practical application
Jesus begins the Great Commission with the words, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This begins with our willingness to be instructed in the truth and led by the Lord. But we shouldn’t stop there. We also have a sacred obligation to reach out to others. It is for this reason that the first major parable in this gospel is the Parable of the Sower. In that parable, Jesus says that the “seed” that is sown is the Word of God, and those who receive seed on the good ground are those who “hear the Word, understand it, and bear fruit” (Matthew 13:23). As a practical application, then, cooperate with the Lord in the work of sowing seeds of truth. In other words, keep sharing those truths that have helped you to rise above your lower nature, enabled you to see the good in others, and empowered you to selflessly serve your neighbor. Let your story of how the Lord has inspired and blessed you through His Word be an inspiration and a blessing as it falls on “good ground” in others. As the Lord said when He called Abram to embark on a new journey, “I will bless you…. And you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). 24
The End of the Age
20, (continued) And behold, I am with you all the days, even to the consummation of the age. Amen.”
Jesus has spoken of the “end of the age,” several times in this gospel (see Matthew 13:39; Matthew 13:49; Matthew 24:3) and He concludes this gospel by referring to it once again (see Matthew 28:20). What does it mean? When will it be? Jesus does not give a specific time, nor does He indicate a certain place. This is because the “end of the age” does not take place in time and space. 25
On one level, the “end of the age” refers to the end, the close, or the consummation of a corrupt religious dispensation. Taken literally, this refers to the end of the religious era that had so dominated the people before Jesus’ coming. At the same time, it also refers to the beginning of a new religious era based on Jesus’ literal teachings.
On a more interior level, however, the end of a former age and the beginning of a new age pertain not so much to religious institutions but rather to our inner lives. At this level, the “end of the age” is about each of us as we come to the end of our self-absorption and begin to focus more on the needs of others. It is about each of us as we come to the end of our arrogant attitudes and begin to cultivate humility and the willingness to be instructed. 26
As we come to the end of the age of self-absorption and arrogance, we enter a new age, a new era, a new dimension of existence. When this happens within us, we experience a major shift in consciousness. The old age in us gradually comes to an end, and a new age begins to dawn. When this occurs, we know that the “generation of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 1:1) has begun to take place in our souls, and we are becoming ready to proclaim His divinity. No longer do we see Him as “the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1), but rather as the Son of God.
Therefore, we now turn to the next gospel in the continuous series, which begins with the words, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).
Footnotes:
1. Arcana Coelestia 3605:3-4: “People who are under the influence of evil … believe that Jehovah, like themselves, is capable of hatred, anger, wrath, and fury. Therefore, it is so expressed in the Word according to the appearance, for such as is a person’s quality, such the Lord appears to that person. See also Brief Exposition 62: “God is not angry with people, but people, from the anger within themselves, are angry with God…. When evil-doers are punished by their own evil, it appears to them that the punishment is from God.”
2. Arcana Coelestia 8893: “Before a person is regenerated, or created anew, there is no serenity or rest because a person’s natural life then fights against one’s spiritual life and wishes to rule over it. Consequently, the Lord labors during this time, for He fights for a person against the hells which assault. But as soon as the good of love has been implanted [in a person], the combat ceases, and rest ensues, for the person is then introduced into heaven, and is led by the Lord according to the laws of order there, thus into a state of peace. These things are signified by ‘Jehovah rested on the seventh day.’” See also Arcana Coelestia 8494: “[A sabbath] rest signifies a state of peace when there is no temptation. This is evident from the signification of ‘a rest’ such as there was on the days of the Sabbath, as being a representative of a state of peace, in which is effected the conjunction of good and truth [in a person].”
3. Arcana Coelestia 8506: “When people go through temptations, which are combats with the evils and falsities in them, the Lord fights for them and alongside of them. But after this state there is a state of the conjunction of good and truth, thus a state of rest for the Lord also. This state is what was represented by the rest on the seventh day, or day of the Sabbath. That the Lord then has rest, is because when good has been conjoined with truth, a person is in the Lord, and is led by the Lord without labor and combat.”
4. Arcana Coelestia 8455:1-3: “Peace is like dawn on the earth, which gladdens minds with universal delight; and the truth of peace is like the light of the dawn. This truth, which is called the truth of peace, is the very divine truth in heaven from the Lord, which universally affects all who are there, and makes heaven to be heaven; for peace has in it confidence in the Lord, that He directs all things, and provides all things, and that He leads to a good end. When people are in this faith, they are in peace, for they then fear nothing, and no anxiety about things to come disturbs them. People come into this state in proportion as they come into love to the Lord. All evil, especially trust in self, takes away this state of peace. It is believed that evil people are at peace when they are in gladness and tranquility because all things succeed with them. But this is not peace. That is because it is merely the delight and tranquility that result from the satisfaction of their external desires [cupidities]…. Tranquility of mind, content, and gladness from [worldly] success are relatively nothing, for these affect only a person’s externals. On the other hand, [heavenly] peace affects the inmost things of all … and makes a person’s mind a heaven.” See also Arcana Coelestia 3696:3: “Peace and the tranquility of peace are from good and truth.”
5. True Christian Religion 71[2]: “It is a law of order that people from their micro-heaven or little spiritual world should control their microcosm or little natural world, just as God from His macro-heaven or spiritual world controls the macrocosm or natural world in all its parts.”
6. Apocalypse Explained 687:18: “The stone that was rolled away by the angel signifies divine truth, thus the Word, which had been closed up … [and now] was being opened by the Lord.” See also Arcana Coelestia 8914:2: “The Ten Commandments were declared from Mount Sinai amid thundering and lightning…. The flashes of lightning were signs of the brilliant flashes that truths from good possess [or] divine truths emanating from the Lord’s divine goodness.”
7. Apocalypse Explained 400:14: “The angel rolling away the stone from the mouth [of the tomb] and sitting upon it, signifies that the Lord removed all the falsity that cut off approach to Him, and that He opened divine truth…. The chief-priests and Pharisees sealed the stone with a watch, but an angel from heaven removed it, and sat upon it.” See also Apocalypse Explained 655:4: “The word ‘stone’ signifies truth, and, in the opposite sense, falsity.” See also Arcana Coelestia 5963: “The perception of the Lord’s presence determines the degree of peace a person enjoys. This is because those who have a perception of the Lord’s presence also have a perception that every single thing that happens to them is conducive to their welfare and that no evil influences can reach them. This is what gives them the peace they enjoy. Without such faith or trust in the Lord no one can ever attain the tranquility of peace.”
8. True Christian Religion 49: “God is present everywhere…. This being so, God by His omnipresence perceives everything, by His omniscience provides everything, and by His omnipotence performs everything.” See also True Christian Religion 341: “God is continuously present with everyone, giving life [along with] the ability to understand and the capacity to love.” See also Inv 23: “The Lord is perpetually present with every person, the evil as well as the good. Without His presence, no one can live; and the Lord constantly acts, urges, and strives to be received.”
9. Apocalypse Explained 75: “The words ‘fell at His feet’ signify worship from humility of heart in the presence of the Divine.”
10. Divine Providence 130: “No one is reformed by miracles and signs, because they compel…. It cannot be denied that miracles induce a belief and a strong persuasion that what is said and taught by the one who performs the miracles is true. This, at first, so occupies the external of a person’s thought as to hold it spell-bound. When this happens, however, people are deprived of their two faculties called freedom and rationality, and therefore their ability to act from freedom and in accord with reason.”
11. Apocalypse Explained 815:4: “At that time, faith was based on miracles…. The Lord allowed Himself to be worshiped like this … because faith based on miracles must precede. It becomes saving faith, however, when a person learns truths from the Word, and lives according to them.” See also 10143:5: “In short, acting in accord with the Lord’s commandments constitutes true worship of Him…. There is nothing that a person who loves another and who believes in another would rather do than to will and do what that other wills and thinks. The person’s only desire, then, is to know the will and thought of the other person, and to do what is pleasing to that person.”
12. Arcana Coelestia 8767: “A person who leads a life in accordance with the commandments is joined to the Lord. For the commandments teach about life and also impart life, thereby opening the way to heaven and opening one's eyes to see the Lord.” See also Apocalypse Explained 447:5: “Galilee … signifies the establishment of the church with those who are in the good of life and receive truths.”
13. Apocalypse Explained 1014:2: “All who are in evils as to life, and in the falsities therefrom, are murderers; for they are enemies and haters of good and truth, since evil hates good and falsity hates truth. See also Apocalypse Explained 1012:4: “In the highest sense, the commandment, ‘You shall not murder," means that one shall not take away from anyone the faith and love of God, and thus a person’s spiritual life. This is murder itself.”
14. Arcana Coelestia 1378: “There are some who have believed nothing to be true that they did not see with their eyes…. For example, consider the sailing of a ship around the globe. They who suffer themselves to be carried away by the fallacies of the senses, might believe that the ship and the sailors would fall off when they came to the opposite side, and that the people at the antipodes could never stand upon their feet. Such also is the case with many things in the other life that are contrary to the fallacies of the senses, and yet are true — as that people have no life of themselves, but from the Lord; and very many other things.”
15. Arcana Coelestia 2405: “The Lord’s resurrection on the third morning contains … the truth that He rises daily, indeed every single moment, in the minds of those who are regenerating.”
16. Apocalypse Explained 194: “The number ‘eleven’ signifies a state not yet full, but yet a state of reception, such as that of well-disposed children and infants…. The ‘twelfth hour,’ to which all labored. Signifies truths and goods in their fulness. All numbers in the Word are significative.” [See also the commentary at Matthew 20:9.]
17. Arcana Coelestia 2094:2: “At the present day there are many who believe nothing unless they know from reason that it is so…. These persons cannot possibly receive any faith unless they first comprehend in some measure how it can be so, and this is why these things have been explained. However, they who believe the Word in simplicity have no need to know all these things, for they are already in the end to which the others just described cannot come except by a knowledge of such things.”
18. Arcana Coelestia 3436:2: “People who are in simple good and in simplicity believe the Word according to its literal sense. In the other life, however, where they are instructed by angels, they are gifted with the faculty of perceiving truths. Meanwhile, the few truths they have are vivified by charity and innocence; and when these qualities are in the truths, the falsities which also had infused themselves in the shade of their ignorance are not hurtful … and are easily cast out. See also Apocalypse Explained 447:5: “The word ‘Galilee’ signifies the establishment of the church with those who are in the good of life.” See also Arcana Coelestia 2986: “All those who are in the good of life receive truths easily.”
19. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord 46[6]: “That it is the Lord alone who is meant by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 28:19 is evident from the verses which there precede and follow. In the preceding verse, the Lord says, ‘All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth, and in the following verse, He says, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Thus He speaks of Himself alone. He used these words that the disciples might know that the Trinity is in Him.” See also True Christian Religion 172:3: “The ‘Father’ means the divine nature as an origin, the ‘Son’ means the divine-human nature that came from that origin, and the ‘Holy Spirit’ means the divine influence that radiates out. These are three aspects of one God…. By comparison, the ‘Father’ means something like a person’s soul, the ‘Son’ means something like a person’s body, which comes from the soul, and the ‘Holy Spirit’ means something like our actions, which come from both our body and our soul. These three essences belong to one and the same person. Together they form one indivisible essence.”
20. True Christian Religion 677: “That baptism is merely a sign of introduction into the church, is made clear by the baptizing of infants, who are wholly destitute of reason and are no more able to receive anything pertaining to faith than the young branches of a tree. Not only are infants baptized but all newcomers from other lands [alienigenae proselytae] who are to be converted to the Christian religion, both the young and the old. And they are baptized even before they receive instruction, based on nothing more than professing their desire to embrace Christianity. Baptism is what initiates them into the religion. This is the procedure the apostles followed when the Lord told them to “make disciples of all the nations and baptize them.”
21. Apocalypse Explained 71: “Without a knowledge of what water signifies, it cannot be known what is signified by baptism…. Water signifies the truths of faith, just as bread signifies the good of love…. This is because bread and water, by which are meant all food and drink in general, nourish the body, and the truths of faith and the good of love nourish the soul.”
22. Arcana Coelestia 4169:2: “The ‘gentiles to whom they should not go,’ signify those who are in evils, and the ‘cities of the Samaritans’ signify those who are in falsities. But ‘sheep’ signifies those who are in goods.” See also Apocalypse Explained 223:20: “The phrase, ‘The way of the nations [gentiles] into which they were not to go, signifies falsity from evil. The phrase, ‘the cities of the Samaritans’ into which they were not to enter, signifies the false doctrine of those who reject the Lord. The phrase ‘the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ signify those who are in the good of charity and in faith therefrom, ‘Israel’ meaning all such wherever they may be. ‘A city of the Samaritans’ signifies the false doctrine of those who reject the Lord, because the Samaritans did not receive Him.” [Note: Depending on context, the term “gentiles” sometimes signifies those who are in states of evil because they rejected the Lord, but it can also signify good people who are simply uninstructed. Similarly, “fire” can sometimes signify heavenly love, but it can also signify hellish lust, as in “hellfire.”]
23. Arcana Coelestia 1032:3: “The gentiles [people from other nations] are such that when taught by angels about truths of faith and that the Lord rules over all, they have no difficulty in listening and have no difficulty in being endued with faith, and therefore casting aside their idols. Consequently, those gentiles who have led an upright life, and have done so in mutual charity and in innocence, are regenerated in the next life. While they are living in the world the Lord is present with them in their charity and innocence, for no charity or innocence exists at all except that which comes from the Lord. The Lord also confers on them, according to the religion they have, a conscience for what is right and good, and instills innocence and charity into that conscience. And when innocence and charity exist in conscience, they allow themselves to absorb easily the truth of genuine faith that grows out of goodness.” See also Heaven and Hell 487:2-3: “Those who are in heavenly love accept instruction, and as soon as they are brought into the evils into which they were born, they see them from truths, for truths make evils manifest…. In the Word, the ‘blind’ signify those that are in falsities and are not willing to be taught.”
24. Interaction of the Soul and Body 18: “What is the use of knowledge, unless what is known to one be also known to others? Without this, what is knowing but collecting and storing up riches in a chest, and only looking at them occasionally and counting them over, without any intention of using it? Spiritual greed is nothing else.” See also Heaven and Hell 516: “In heaven, all teaching is from doctrine drawn from the Word, and not from the Word apart from doctrine. Christians there are taught from a heavenly doctrine, which is in entire agreement with the internal sense of the Word. All others, as the Muslims and non-Christians, are taught from doctrines suited to their understanding, which differ from heavenly doctrines only in this, that spiritual life is taught by means of moral life in harmony with the good tenets of their own religion, which was the basis of their life in the world.”
25. Arcana Coelestia 4535:5: “It is the end of the age in a church when there is no longer any charity and therefore no faith.”
26. Arcana Coelestia 2243:8: “The end of the age [or consummation of the age] in regard to a church is when evil has reached its peak. The case is similar with every person.” See also Apocalypse Explained 870: “The end of the age refers to the end of the old church and the beginning of the new church…. The Lord’s coming in person is the revelation of Himself in the Word that He is Jehovah the Lord of heaven and earth, and that all who will be in His New Church which is meant by the New Jerusalem will adore Him alone. For this purpose, He has now opened the internal or spiritual sense of the Word.”
