Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that these women came to the tomb "toward the dawn," suggesting they arrived before full daylight. This detail emphasizes their eagerness and devotion, as they were willing to face the darkness and potential danger to visit the tomb before the sun even rose.
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the very beginning of the account of Jesus' resurrection. After the Sabbath has fully passed and the first rays of dawn appear on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary head to the tomb where Jesus was buried. Their action sets in motion the discovery that the tomb is empty, igniting the events that confirm Jesus' victory over death.
Why is the specific timing of this visit so crucial? It marks the transition from the old to the new.
Matthew pinpoints the visit to the tomb with precision: "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week." This isn't just about clock-watching; it's about theological significance.
The End of the Old
The Sabbath, a day of rest and remembrance, was drawing to a close. This day represented the completion of God's creation work and the rest that followed. For Jesus, the Sabbath was also the day He rested in the tomb, a stark contrast to the life He had just given.
The Dawn of the New
As the first light of the "first day of the week" (Sunday) began to break, it symbolized a new beginning. This day would become the cornerstone of Christian worship, commemorating Christ's resurrection – the dawn of new life and the completion of His redemptive work. The women's arrival at this precise moment underscores that they were stepping into a new reality, a world forever changed by what had happened in the tomb.
These women came with a specific goal. Was it faith, or something else?
The text says the women came "to see the sepulchre." This simple phrase holds a deeper meaning when we consider the context provided by the other Gospels.
A Task of Love, Not Yet Resurrection
While Matthew focuses on their desire to the tomb, Mark and Luke clarify their intention: they had prepared spices and ointments to anoint Jesus' body (Mark 16:1, Luke 24:1). Their hearts were filled with love and grief, but their minds had not yet grasped the reality of the resurrection.
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A Glimmer of Hope Amidst Grief
They came to finish the embalming process, a task they couldn't complete before the Sabbath began. This reveals a natural human desire to honor and care for the departed. However, their actions also highlight a lingering uncertainty. They were seeking the physical remains of Jesus, not yet fully anticipating the miraculous appearance of a risen Lord. Their faith was present, but it was mixed with the sorrow of loss and the natural doubts that follow such a tragedy.
Who were these women, and why did God choose them to be the first witnesses?
Matthew names two specific women: Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary." This detail isn't insignificant; it points to the remarkable nature of God's choices.
Mary Magdalene: From Darkness to Light
Mary Magdalene is a powerful example. Jesus had delivered her from seven demons (Luke 8:2). Her presence at the tomb, coming to see Him even in death, is a testament to her profound gratitude and transformed life. She was deeply devoted, a faithful follower who stayed close even after His death.
The "Other Mary": A Steadfast Friend
This "other Mary" is often identified as Mary, the mother of James and Joses (Mark 15:40). She, too, was a follower who had witnessed Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Together, these women represented a core group of faithful women who remained loyal when many of the male disciples had fled in fear.
Chosen for Their Love, Not Their Strength
While they may have lacked full understanding or boldness at this moment (contrasting with the powerful angel who would soon appear), their persistent love and devotion made them the perfect first witnesses. God often chooses those who are perhaps not the most prominent or the most knowledgeable, but those whose hearts are overflowing with love and faithfulness, even in the face of doubt and despair.
Understand the original words
shabbat · Hebrew Noun
The seventh day of the week, set apart as a holy day of rest in the Mosaic Law, commemorating God’s rest after creation and the deliverance from Egypt.
mnēmeion · Greek Noun
A place of burial; in a biblical context, it often serves as a symbol of death and, in the case of Jesus, the site of the transition from death to resurrection.
This moment marks the transition from sorrow and confusion to unparalleled joy, as the very first witnesses to the resurrection were devout women who had followed Jesus faithfully, highlighting a new era where love and devotion are recognized and honored.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is crucified on Friday and quickly buried in a tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea before the Sabbath begins.
c. AD 30 (Friday Evening to Saturday Evening)
The Sabbath Observance
Jewish law dictates strict observance of the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. During this time, Jesus' followers, including Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, would have rested, as prescribed by the commandment.
c. AD 30 (Late Saturday Night/Early Sunday Morning)— this verse
Visit to the Empty Tomb
As the Sabbath ends and the first day of the week (Sunday) dawns, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, along with other women, go to the tomb with spices to anoint Jesus' body, unaware of his resurrection.
c. AD 30 (Early Sunday Morning)
Angelic Announcement and Earthquake
Upon arrival at the tomb, the women witness a great earthquake and the stone rolled away. An angel appears, announcing Jesus' resurrection and telling them to inform the disciples.
c. AD 30 (Sunday Morning)
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
After the angels depart, Jesus Himself appears to Mary Magdalene near the tomb, initially unrecognized.
c. AD 30 (Sunday)
Pilate's Soldiers Bribe
The Roman guards posted at the tomb, terrified by the events, are bribed by the chief priests to spread a false story that the disciples stole Jesus' body.
This passage mirrors the timing of the women's visit to the tomb, emphasizing that it was 'early, while it was still dark,' highlighting their deep devotion and the early hours of that pivotal first day of the week.
Mark 16:1This parallel account adds that the women had purchased spices to anoint Jesus' body, revealing a layer of their intention and their hope, even as their faith in His resurrection was still developing.
Luke 24:1Luke's Gospel also recounts the women arriving 'very early in the morning,' and the scholarly context notes this could be interpreted as 'deep twilight,' underscoring the faint light and perhaps the faintness of their hope as they approached the tomb.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4While Matthew focuses on the women's actions, Paul's summary of the gospel message here provides the core reason for their visit – the foundational truth that Christ died, was buried, and crucially, rose again on the third day, which is the very event they were about to discover.
Matthew 28:5-6This passage immediately follows the women's arrival and directly contrasts their seeking the 'crucified' Jesus with the angel's announcement that 'He is not here; for He has risen,' providing the divine revelation that fulfills their search and explains the empty tomb.
barnesMatthew 28:1: "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."
In the end of the sabbath - The word "end" here means the same as "after" the Sabbath - that is, after the Sabbath was fully completed or finished, and may be expressed in this manner: "In the night following the Sabbath, for the Sabbath closed at sunset, as it began to dawn," etc. As it began to dawn toward the first day of the week - The…
calvinMatthew 28:1-7: "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."
- Now in the evening of the Sabbaths, [298] which began to dawn towards the first of the Sabbaths, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulcher. 2. And lo, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and approached, and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3. And his c…
The verse highlights that these women came to the tomb "toward the dawn," suggesting they arrived before full daylight. This detail emphasizes their eagerness and devotion, as they were willing to face the darkness and potential danger to visit the tomb before the sun even rose.
This verse marks the very beginning of the account of Jesus' resurrection. After the Sabbath has fully passed and the first rays of dawn appear on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary head to the tomb where Jesus was buried. Their action sets in motion the discovery that the tomb is empty, igniting the events that confirm Jesus' victory over death.
This verse marks the very beginning of the account of Jesus' resurrection. After the Sabbath has fully passed and the first rays of dawn appear on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and another woman named Mary head to the tomb where Jesus was buried. Their action sets in motion the discovery that the tomb is empty, igniting the events that confirm Jesus' victory over death.
"Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb." — The verse highlights that these women came to the tomb "toward the dawn," suggesting they arrived before full daylight. This detail emphasizes their eagerness and devotion, as they were willing to…
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Last reviewed October 2026