Matthew 28:9-10
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In their overwhelming joy and awe, the women didn't just see Jesus; they clung to his feet as proof he was real, revealing how even ecstatic faith can wrestle with disbelief until physical confirmation solidifies the miraculous. This physical act of worship wasn't just reverence, but a desperate grasp for certainty in the face of the impossible.
And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the women left the empty tomb filled with a mixture of fear and joy, Jesus himself met them on the road. This divine encounter immediately confirmed the angel's message of his resurrection, leading them to hold onto his feet in worship and awe before he instructed them to go tell his disciples.
Imagine seeing someone you thought was gone forever. The women's reaction wasn't just simple joy; it was a powerful mix of awe, confusion, and relief.
Matthew describes the women departing the tomb with "fear and great joy." This wasn't a neat, simple emotion.
Fear's Grip
It's natural to feel fear when encountering the supernatural. They had just seen the empty tomb and heard from an angel, but seeing Jesus himself was overwhelming. Their fear was a sign of their shock and amazement, a physical reaction to something beyond their everyday experience.
Joy's Embrace
Yet, this fear was intertwined with "great joy." The sorrow of his death was being replaced by the unbelievable reality of his resurrection. This joy wasn't just happiness; it was the profound relief and hope that comes from seeing the impossible become possible.
A Divine Meeting
Jesus meets them while they are experiencing this turmoil. His immediate "Greetings!" (or "Peace be with you!") is designed to soothe their fear and confirm the joy. He doesn't wait for them to calm down; He enters their emotional storm to bring His peace.
The women didn't just wave hello back. Their response was immediate, physical, and deeply reverent. What does their action tell us about who Jesus is?
When Jesus appears, the women's reaction is to "came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him." This is more than just a polite greeting; it's a profound act of recognition and adoration.
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Physical Confirmation
By holding onto His feet, they sought tangible proof. After seeing the empty tomb and hearing the angel, Jesus' physical presence was the ultimate confirmation that this was not a ghost or a vision. It was the resurrected, living Jesus.
Divine Adoration
Their action is described as worship. In the ancient world, worship was reserved for God alone. By worshipping Jesus, they acknowledged His divine nature, recognizing Him not just as a resurrected prophet, but as Lord and God, especially now confirmed by His victory over death.
Humility and Trust
Taking hold of His feet and falling before Him signifies deep humility and submission. It shows they recognized His authority and trusted Him completely, casting themselves entirely on His mercy and power.
Understand the original words
chairete · Greek Verb
The Greek word used here (chairete) literally means 'rejoice,' serving as a common greeting but carrying profound theological weight when spoken by the resurrected Christ, signaling the arrival of the age of salvation.
prosekynēsan · Greek Verb
The act of showing profound reverence, adoration, and submission to God or Christ as an expression of recognition of His divinity and lordship.
adelphois · Greek Noun
A term of endearment and spiritual identification used by the resurrected Jesus for His disciples, signifying the new covenant family relationship established through His death and resurrection.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus of Nazareth is crucified under Pontius Pilate and buried in a tomb.
c. AD 30, First Day of the Week— this verse
Jesus' Resurrection
On the third day after his crucifixion, Jesus rises from the dead, a pivotal event for his followers.
c. AD 30, First Day of the Week
Women Discover Empty Tomb
Women disciples, including Mary Magdalene, go to Jesus' tomb early Sunday morning and find it empty, encountering angels who proclaim his resurrection.
c. AD 30, First Day of the Week
Jesus Appears to the Women
As the women leave the tomb, Jesus himself appears to them, commissioning them to tell his disciples.
c. AD 30-33
Early Church Formation
Following Jesus' resurrection and ascension, the disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, begin preaching and establishing the Christian church.
This passage describes Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene just before this encounter, highlighting His compassion in appearing first to her and then allowing her to touch Him before He sent her to the disciples, reinforcing the theme of His gracious appearances after the resurrection.
Luke 24:36-43This passage shows Jesus appearing to His disciples later, emphasizing His physical reality by having them touch Him and offering them food, which complements the women's act of holding His feet as they grappled with the astonishing reality of His resurrection.
Psalm 22:22-24This psalm, which Jesus quotes on the cross, speaks of declaring God's name to the congregation, foreshadowing the resurrected Christ commissioning the women to spread the news of His victory to His 'brothers,' the disciples.
Philippians 3:10-11Paul's desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection directly echoes the women's overwhelming experience of encountering the resurrected Christ, demonstrating the transformative power that this event holds.
calvinMatthew 28:8-10: "And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word."
- And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to inform his disciples. 9. And while they went to inform his disciples, then, lo, Jesus met them, saying, Hail. [305] And they approached, and held his feet, and worshipped him. 10. Then Jesus saith to them, Fear not; go, tell my brethren to go into Galilee; and there shall they see me.
8.…
gillMatthew 28:9: "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."
And as they went to tell his disciples,.... This clause is wanting in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions, and in Beza's most ancient copy; but it stands in the Ethiopic version, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, behold, Jesus met them: that they might be confirmed in what the angel had told them, and their fear might be r…
In their overwhelming joy and awe, the women didn't just see Jesus; they clung to his feet as proof he was real, revealing how even ecstatic faith can wrestle with disbelief until physical confirmation solidifies the miraculous. This physical act of worship wasn't just reverence, but a desperate grasp for certainty in the face of the impossible.
As the women left the empty tomb filled with a mixture of fear and joy, Jesus himself met them on the road. This divine encounter immediately confirmed the angel's message of his resurrection, leading them to hold onto his feet in worship and awe before he instructed them to go tell his disciples.
As the women left the empty tomb filled with a mixture of fear and joy, Jesus himself met them on the road. This divine encounter immediately confirmed the angel's message of his resurrection, leading them to hold onto his feet in worship and awe before he instructed them to go tell his disciples.
"And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”" — In their overwhelming joy and awe, the women didn't just see Jesus; they clung to his feet as proof he was real, revealing how even ecstatic faith can wrestle with disbelief until physical confirmati…
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Last reviewed October 2026
