Women Commissioned by an Angel to 'Go Tell' the Disciples (Matthew 28:5-10)

1. The women are commissioned as the first proclaimers of the resurrection — the central event of Christianity. The angel commissions them: ταχὺ πορευθεῖσαι εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ — "going quickly, tell his disciples." The imperatives πορευθεῖσαι ("go") and εἴπατε ("tell") constitute a formal commission. This is the same structure used for apostolic commissioning: go + proclaim. The content of the proclamation is the resurrection — the most important message in human history. God entrusted it to women first.

2. Jesus himself reinforces the commission (vv. 9-10). When Jesus meets the women, he repeats the commission: ὑπάγετε ἀπαγγείλατε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου — "go, announce to my brothers." The verb ἀπαγγέλλω ("to announce, report, proclaim") is used elsewhere for gospel proclamation (cf. 1 John 1:2-3). Jesus personally validates the women's role as proclaimers. He does not say "wait for Peter to arrive and let him handle it." He sends them.

3. The women respond with worship and obedience — the model for all disciples. Verse 9: "They came and took hold of his feet and worshiped him." The women worship the risen Christ and are then sent as His messengers. This is the pattern for all Christian ministry: encounter the risen Lord → worship → go and proclaim. The women exemplify the pattern that the male disciples will later follow (28:16-20). The Great Commission in 28:19-20 uses similar language — "go ... make disciples ... teaching them" — and is given to all disciples, not exclusively to the Eleven.

4. The male disciples are conspicuously absent and initially unbelieving. The men fled at Jesus' arrest (26:56). The women stayed at the cross (27:55-56) and came to the tomb. The men are hiding; the women are seeking. That God chose the faithful women as first witnesses over the absent, fearful men is a commentary on faithfulness, not gender roles. Ministry is given to the faithful, regardless of sex.

Summary

Matthew 28:5-10 records women as the first commissioned proclaimers of the resurrection, personally validated by both the angel and the risen Jesus. The commission follows the same go-and-tell structure used for apostolic sending. The women are models of faithful discipleship and proclamation.