Matthew 28:9 · Bible study
Matthew 28:9 Commentary: The Women Worship the Risen Jesus
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why do the women hold Jesus' feet and worship? Matthew 28:9 explains the first encounter with the risen Lord and its meaning for faith.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The risen Jesus meets the women, greets them with joy, and receives their worship, confirming his bodily resurrection and deity.
- Key words: Chairete (rejoice/hail), krateo (grasp/take hold), proskuneo (worship).
- Main debate: The apparent conflict with John 20:17’s “do not cling to me” and the textual variant about the opening clause.
- Theological theme: Resurrection leads to worship; the risen Christ is physically present and worthy of divine honor.
- Best use: Easter preaching, women’s ministries, and studies on the resurrection appearances.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.
WEB World English Bible 2000
As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
KJV King James Version 1769
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and as they were going to tell to his disciples, then lo, Jesus met them, saying, `Hail!' and they having come near, laid hold of his feet, and did bow to him.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And as they went to bring his disciples word, behold also, Jesus met them, saying, Hail! And they coming up took him by the feet, and did him homage.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And behold, Jesus met them, saying: All hail. But they came up and took hold of his feet and adored him.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
He aquí, Jesús les sale al encuentro, diciendo: Salve. Y ellas se llegaron y abrazaron sus pies, y le adoraron.
E eis que Jesus veio ao encontro delas, e disse: Saudações. Elas se aproximaram, pegaram os pés dele, e o adoraram.
Et voici, Jésus vint à leur rencontre, et dit: Je vous salue. Elles s’ approchèrent pour saisir ses pieds, et elles se prosternèrent devant lui.
siehe, da begegnete ihnen Jesus und sprach: Seid gegrüßet! Und sie traten zu ihm und griffen an seine Füße und fielen vor ihm nieder.
En als zij heengingen, om Zijn discipelen te boodschappen, ziet, Jezus is haar ontmoet, zeggende: Weest gegroet! En zij, tot Hem komende, grepen Zijn voeten, en aanbaden Hem.
Quand’ecco Gesù si fece loro incontro, dicendo: Vi saluto! Ed esse, accostatesi, gli strinsero i piedi e l’adorarono.
A gdy szły, aby to opowiedziały uczniom jego, oto Jezus spotkał się z niemi, mówiąc: Bądźcie pozdrowione. A one przystąpiwszy, uchwyciły się nóg jego i pokłoniły mu się.
Когда же шли они возвестить ученикам Его, и се Иисус встретил их и сказал: радуйтесь! И они, приступив, ухватились за ноги Его и поклонились Ему.
忽然，耶穌 遇見 她們，說：「願你們平安！」她們就 上前 抱住 他的 腳 拜 他。
And on the way, Jesus came to them, saying, Be glad. And they came and put their hands on his feet, and gave him worship.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 28:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that this verse records the first group appearance of the risen Jesus, to the women who had come to the tomb. Matthew Henry and Barnes emphasize that the women were already carrying the angel’s message to the disciples when Jesus himself met them. His greeting, chairete (“Rejoice!”), was the ordinary Greek salutation, but now carried resurrection joy (Vincent, Wesley). The women responded by grasping his feet and worshiping him, a posture both of reverence and of devotion (Gill). Calvin notes the apparent conflict with John 20:17, where Jesus tells Mary not to cling to him. He reconciles the accounts by observing that here the women are allowed to touch his feet, while Mary’s eagerness needed correction; the worship itself confirms they recognized him fully. Barnes adds that held him by the feet likely means they prostrated themselves before him, a common posture of supplication (2 Kings 4:37). The core consensus: this is a physical, joyful, worship-filled encounter that confirms the reality of the resurrection and the deity of Christ.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Separate appearance view: Matthew’s account differs from John 20:14-17 in timing and details; the women here are a group, while Mary appears alone in John.
- Same event, different emphasis: Both passages involve women at the tomb; the differences are harmonized by understanding that Mary Magdalene was part of the group and her later encounter is described separately.
- Theological resolution (touch vs. worship): Calvin argues that Mary’s clinging needed correction, while the women’s worship was appropriate. The contact here confirms the physical resurrection without the problematic eagerness.
What is clear: The women had a physical encounter with the risen Jesus, responded with worship, and were commissioned to announce the resurrection to the disciples.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The women’s action of holding Jesus’ feet | All commentators see this as a physical expression of reverence, homage, or worship. | Some see it as literal grasping (Gill) to confirm the reality of the resurrection; others view it as prostrating themselves before him (Barnes) in a posture of supplication. |
| Relation to John 20:17 | Both passages describe an encounter between the risen Jesus and women at the tomb. | Calvin reconciles them by suggesting Mary was forbidden to cling out of excessive eagerness, while here the women are allowed to touch. Others see separate appearances: this verse to a group of women, John 20:14-17 to Mary alone. |
| Meaning of worship (proskuneo) | The women offered a form of profound respect, likely including prostration. | Some traditions emphasize that this worship acknowledges Jesus as divine (Gill, Barnes: “homage due to the Messiah”); others see it as reverence for a great teacher without necessarily implying full deity, though the resurrection context pushes toward divine honor. |
| Textual reliability of the opening clause | The clause “As they went to tell his disciples” appears in most manuscripts and translations. | Clarke and Griesbach note that some ancient manuscripts (Codex Vaticanus, Bezae) omit it, leading some to consider it a later addition. Most modern critical editions include it, but the doubt is noted. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is early on the first day of the week, just after dawn. The women, Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and likely Salome and Joanna (Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10), had come to the tomb with spices. An angel rolled away the stone and told them Jesus had risen; they were to go quickly and tell the disciples (Matthew 28:5-7). They departed with fear and great joy, running to deliver the news (v. 8).
At this point Jesus himself meets them on the road. The word idou (“behold”) signals a sudden, dramatic appearance. His greeting, chairete, is the standard Greek salutation, but used here with full force: “Rejoice!”, a command grounded in the reality of his victory over death.
The women’s response, grasping his feet and worshiping, reflects several cultural layers. In the ancient Near East, grasping the feet of a revered figure was a gesture of supplication and honor, often seen in scenes of homage (Clarke notes similar practices among the Hindoos). Barnes explains that the phrase “held him by the feet” likely means they threw themselves prostrate before him, a posture of worship. The Greek proskuneo (worship) is used throughout Matthew for divine honor (e.g., 14:33, 28:17). This action declares that these women understood Jesus not merely as a returned teacher but as the Lord worthy of worship.
Historically, the women’s role as first witnesses is striking. In first-century Jewish culture, women’s testimony was considered less reliable, yet the Gospels consistently place them at the empty tomb. This underscores the truthfulness of the account and the radical nature of the resurrection announcement.
Textual Notes
The phrase “As they went to tell his disciples” is absent from Codex Vaticanus, Codex Bezae, and about twenty other manuscripts, as well as from the Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic and Persic versions (Clarke). Griesbach left it in the text with a note of doubtfulness; Mill, Bengel, and Schmid approve its omission. The verb kai (“and”) that follows is awkward if the clause is original. However, the clause appears in the Ethiopic version and in Munster’s Hebrew Gospel. Most modern editions include it, though with some uncertainty. The textual variation does not significantly affect the meaning of the verse, since the women’s journey is clear from the context.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Matthew 28:9 has been treasured as a resurrection appearance that validates the Easter faith. Early Christian writers used it to argue for the physical reality of the risen body against docetic views that denied Jesus’ humanity. In medieval liturgy, the verse inspired hymns and sequences for Easter morning, emphasizing the joy of the christos anesti (Christ is risen). Protestant reformers like Calvin and Luther saw in the women’s worship the proper response to the risen Lord, faith that does not rely on sight alone but bows in adoration. Modern scholarship continues to explore how this passage fits within the sequence of resurrection appearances and its role in affirming the role of women as primary witnesses, a feature the early church did not suppress despite cultural prejudice.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Jesus meets us on the way of obedience. The women were doing what the angel said, going to tell the disciples, and Jesus met them. He often comes to those who are in the middle of obeying, not just to those waiting idly.
- The risen Lord brings a new kind of greeting. Chairete is not just “hello.” It is a call to joy rooted in the resurrection. Jesus’ first word to these frightened women is not a rebuke but an invitation to celebrate.
- Worship is the only fitting response to the risen Christ. The women grasp his feet, acknowledging his real, physical presence, and worship him. Resurrection leads to adoration, not just information.
Five-point outline
- Context: The women leave the tomb with fear and joy, obedient to the angel’s command (vv. 5-8).
- Encounter: Jesus suddenly meets them, repeating the angel’s call to joy with his own presence.
- Gesture: They take hold of his feet, a concrete, physical confirmation that he is not a ghost or vision but the same Jesus raised bodily.
- Worship: Their worship recognizes his divinity, a response that grows throughout Matthew’s Gospel (14:33, 28:17).
- Commission: Jesus then sends them to tell his “brothers”, a new family language that anticipates the Great Commission (vv. 10, 16-20).
Illustration hooks
- A family receives word that a loved one missing in a war zone has been found alive. The first meeting mixes relief, tears, and the need to touch to believe it’s real.
- A student who thought she failed an exam learns she passed with honors, the news changes the entire tone of the day, and her first impulse is to thank the teacher.
- Two friends who were estranged meet unexpectedly. One reaches out to embrace; the other is hesitant. The moment of reconciliation requires a gesture that words alone cannot achieve.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If Jesus told Mary Magdalene “do not cling to me” (John 20:17), why are these women allowed to hold his feet?
- Was the resurrection body physical enough to be touched? How does this affect our hope for our own bodies?
- Why does Matthew emphasize the women’s worship while some disciples later doubted (28:17)?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us the first human response to the risen Jesus, not a lecture or a lesson, but a gesture of worship and a call to joy. As you work through these questions, pay attention to what the women’s physical action teaches us about faith and encounter with the living Christ.
Discussion questions
- Read Matthew 28:1-10. What emotions do the women experience as they move from the tomb to meeting Jesus? (See especially verses 5, 8, and 9.)
- Jesus greets them with “Rejoice!” Why is this more than a simple “hello”? How does the resurrection change the meaning of ordinary greetings?
- The women “took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.” Why does Matthew record this physical detail? What does it tell us about the nature of Jesus’ resurrected body?
- How do you understand the relationship between this passage and John 20:17, where Jesus tells Mary not to cling to him? What different purposes might these two encounters serve?
- The women worship Jesus before any other disciple does. What does this say about who is ready to recognize the risen Lord?
- In verse 10, Jesus calls the disciples his “brothers.” Why is that word significant in light of the resurrection? How does it reshape the disciples’ identity?
- What kind of worship does the risen Jesus want from us today? Is it more about words, actions, or both?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Song of Solomon 3:3 | The watchmen who go about the city found me; “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” |
| Song of Solomon 3:4 | I had scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, into the room of her who conceived me. |
| Isaiah 64:5 | You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time. Shall we be saved? |
| Matthew 14:33 | Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!” |
| Matthew 28:17 | When they saw him, they bowed down to him; but some doubted. |
| Mark 16:9 | Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. |
| Mark 16:10 | She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. |
| Luke 1:28 | Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the greeting "All hail" is a translator's addition; the Greek word is actually a command to rejoice at the resurrection. He also clarifies that "held him by the feet" means the women prostrated themselves in worship, not that they physically grasped his feet.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reconciles the two accounts by explaining that Jesus first allowed the women to touch his feet to confirm his resurrection, then later forbade Mary from clinging to him because she needed to move beyond earthly affection and grasp the spiritual meaning of his return to the Father.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that after the resurrection Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and the other women, not alone but in a group that likely included Salome and Joanna. The commentator then catalogs eleven distinct resurrection appearances recorded in the Gospels, and emphasizes that when Jesus calls the disciples "my brethren," He deliberately reminds them that He remains fully human and their kinsman despite His manifested divine power.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And as they wet to tel his disciples, behold, Iesus also met the, saying, God saue you. And they came, and tooke him by the feete, and worshipped him.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that Jesus met the women while they were already carrying out the angel's instruction, a pattern he applies to any believer walking in duty. He also notes that they physically held Jesus' feet to confirm his real, bodily resurrection before worshipping him as Lord.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail! —the usual salute, but from the lips of Jesus bearing a higher signification. And they came and held him by the feet —How truly womanly!
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that God's wisdom deliberately chose not to let anyone witness Jesus actually rising from the dead. The women saw the empty tomb and the risen Lord, but the moment of resurrection itself remained hidden, a mystery fitting for Christ's new, glorified state.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
All hail [ χαιρετε] . The ordinary Greek form of salutation.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the word translated "Hail" has two layers of meaning. Its primary sense is "Rejoice," while its more common, everyday meaning is a wish for happiness: "Happiness attend you."