For small groups · 10 questions
Matthew 28 Bible study questions
The women find the tomb empty and meet the risen Jesus, the guards are paid to lie, and Jesus sends his followers to all nations.
Read the chapter aloud first. Then take the questions in order: what it says, what it means, what to do. About 45 minutes. Skip any question that doesn’t fit your group.
Start here
- What is the best news you have ever been the first to tell someone?
Look: what does it say?
- What does the angel tell the women, and what does he tell them to do?Matthew 28:5-7
- How do the women feel as they run, and what happens on the way?Matthew 28:8-10
- What does Jesus tell the 11 to do, and what does he promise?Matthew 28:18-20
Understand: what does it mean?
- The women are afraid and full of joy at once. How can both be true?Matthew 28:8
- What does the guards’ story tell you about how people respond to the resurrection?Matthew 28:11-15
- Some of the 11 worshiped and some doubted. Jesus still sends them all. What do you make of that?Matthew 28:17-20
Live it: what will we do?
- Where are you somewhere between worship and doubt today?Matthew 28:17
- Who is one person you could tell what Jesus means to you?Matthew 28:19
- Jesus promises to be with them always. Where do you need to hear that this week?Matthew 28:20
Close in prayer
Thank God that the tomb is empty, and ask for courage to tell someone.
Matthew 28
Lumin Translation. It prints after the questions, so the group has the words in front of them.
1 When the Sabbath was over and the first day of the week was just growing light, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2 Suddenly a great earthquake took place, because an angel of the Lord came down out of heaven, went up to the stone, rolled it away, and sat on it.
3 He looked like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow.
4 Out of fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
5 The angel answered the women, “As for you, do not be afraid, because I know you are seeking Jesus, the one who was crucified.
6 He is not here, because he has been raised, as he said. Come and look at the place where he was lying.
7 Then hurry and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and look, he is going before you into Galilee; you will see him there.’ There, I have told you.”
8 They hurried away from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring the news to his disciples.
9 All at once Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came near, held on to his feet, and worshiped him.
10 Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go, tell my brothers to set out for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
11 As they went, some of the guard came into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.
12 After gathering with the elders and consulting together, the chief priests gave the soldiers a generous sum of money
13 and told them, “Say this: ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were sleeping.’
14 If the governor hears about this, we will win him over and see that you have nothing to worry about.”
15 So they took the money and did what they had been told, and this story has spread among the Jews to the present day.
16 The eleven disciples made their way to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had directed them to.
17 Seeing him, they worshiped him, but some had doubts.
18 Jesus came up to them and said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Go, then, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to keep everything I have commanded you. And look, I am with you every day, until the end of the age.”
Lumin’s own translation, drafted with AI from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, checked verse by verse against them, and approved by Lumin. Brackets mark verses not found in the earliest manuscripts.