Matthew 28:9 Meaning: Worshiping the Risen Lord at His Feet

Jesus says chairete, which means more than our casual “hello.” It is an imperative: “Rejoice!” The same word appears when the angel greets Mary in Luke 1:28. It is a command to celebrate because something world-changing has happened. The risen Lord speaks joy into their fear.

The women then ekratēsan his feet. This verb means to grasp firmly, to seize hold of. It is not a light touch. They wanted to be certain he was real, that their eyes were not fooling them. The Greek carries a sense of strength: they held on and would not let go.

Finally they prosekunēsan him. This word originally meant to kiss the ground in front of someone, bowing low in reverence. It is the word used for worship due only to God. In that dusty road, with their hands around his feet, the women gave him the honor that belongs to the risen Lord. Their holding and their worship belong together: they touched the reality, and they bowed in awe.

Some commentators, like Barnes, see the women’s action as a posture of prostration rather than literally grabbing his feet. They threw themselves down before him in humble reverence. Gill emphasizes that they held his feet to be fully convinced of his bodily resurrection, it was a way to confirm what they were seeing.

Calvin addresses the apparent conflict with John 20:17, where Jesus tells Mary not to cling to him. He suggests Jesus allowed this touch at first to strengthen their faith, while later he corrected a too-eager impulse to hold onto him in the same way as before. The Cambridge Bible lists this as a distinct appearance to a group of women, separate from Mary Magdalene alone. Across traditions, the women’s response is seen as a model of faith meeting the risen Christ: they recognized him, they clung to him, and they worshiped.

Some readers take Jesus’ greeting “All hail” as a simple “Hello” or “Hi.” In fact, the Greek word chairete is a command meaning “Rejoice!” It is not a casual greeting. Jesus is calling them to joy, not just acknowledging their presence. Through this word, the risen Lord invites them, and us, into the gladness of his victory over death.

The women were doing something ordinary: walking down a road, following instructions. In the middle of that, Jesus met them. Your week is filled with small errands of obedience, driving to work, making dinner, caring for someone who needs you. You may not expect to meet the risen Lord there. But this verse suggests he comes to us on the path of faithful action. When he does, even in the quietest moment, you can respond like the women. Stop. Let yourself hold onto him in prayer. Bow in your heart and worship. Joy is not reserved for Sunday. It can break into a Tuesday walk.