Matthew 28:1

Matthew 28:1

This verse marks the quiet transition from the Sabbath day to the dawn of resurrection morning. The phrase “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week” situates the moment in Jewish time—sunset Friday to Sunday dawn—emphasizing that God’s renewal interrupts ordinary rhythms. Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” arrive at the tomb when it’s still dark, expecting ritual mourning rather than revelation. Their devotion sets the stage for a revelation that would overturn sorrow into worship and fear into faith. The shift from Sabbath rest to Easter morning symbolizes a new creation, a new order inaugurated by the risen Christ. The detail of their presence underscores the first witnesses of the resurrection, highlighting the theme that God often chooses unlikely messengers to bear good news.

The dawn motif signals new creation and hope. Women as primary witnesses prefigures the Gospel’s inversion of cultural norms: women are entrusted with the inaugural proclamation of the Resurrection, challenging social hierarchies and affirming the movement’s genuineness. The verse also underscores that Jesus’ victory over death is not a dramatic, solitary moment but a public, hopeful event that begins in the stillness of dawn and unfolds through witnesses.

When dawn breaks on difficult seasons—grief, fatigue, or spiritual dryness—watch for God’s new work. Commit to showing up in the ordinary hours: prayer, scripture reading, and seeking community. Like Marys, we may arrive with questions, not certainty; God meets us in those questions with grace. Practical step: start a morning rhythm of a brief devotion, journal a single sentence of gratitude, and invite God to reveal where He’s already at work in your day. The Resurrection began in the early light; your daily routine can become a doorway to encounter.

Cross-References: Luke 24:1–12; John 20:1–2; Mark 16:1–3; Isaiah 60:1