Matthew 28:17 - When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted.
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What does "Matthew 28:17" mean?
Matthew 28:17, "When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted," is a brief but significant verse that appears near the end of the Gospel of Matthew, describing the encounter of the eleven disciples with the resurrected Jesus. Let's break down what it likely means:
"When they saw him..." This refers to the eleven disciples who were present in Galilee, as instructed by the angel at the empty tomb (Matthew 28:16). The encounter is visual; they saw Jesus with their own eyes. This sighting confirms his resurrection.
"...they bowed down to him..." This act of prostration signifies worship, reverence, and acknowledgement of Jesus' authority. Bowing down was a customary expression of respect for royalty or divinity. The disciples, having witnessed Jesus' resurrection, recognized his divine nature or at least acknowledged him as the Messiah with immense power and authority.
"...but some doubted." This is the crucial and often debated part.
Who doubted? The verse doesn't specify who among the eleven doubted. It's possible that one or more of the disciples present had reservations or struggled to believe what they were seeing.
What did they doubt? It's most likely that they doubted the reality of the resurrection. Perhaps they questioned whether it was really Jesus, or whether they were experiencing a hallucination or delusion brought on by grief and anticipation.
Why does this verse matter? The inclusion of doubt in this passage is quite significant. It highlights:
Honesty and Realism: The Gospel writer does not idealize the disciples. He presents them as real people with genuine struggles, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. The inclusion of doubt adds to the credibility of the account.
The Power of Faith: The presence of doubt emphasizes the importance of faith. Even when faced with seemingly impossible events, some still questioned. This suggests that belief in the resurrection requires more than just physical evidence; it requires a leap of faith.
Personal Journey of Faith: The verse acknowledges that belief is not always instant or uniform. People come to faith through different paths and at different paces. The doubters among the disciples are a reminder that it's okay to have questions and uncertainties.
Undermining the "Mass Hysteria" Theory: The fact that some doubted argues against the notion that the resurrection accounts were fabricated or products of mass hysteria. If the goal was to convince others, the story would likely have presented a unified, unquestioning acceptance of Jesus' resurrection. The honesty to admit doubt suggests that this is an authentic account.
In summary: Matthew 28:17 is a powerful verse that depicts the disciples' initial reaction to the resurrected Jesus. It highlights the worship and reverence they felt, while also acknowledging the presence of doubt among some of them. This honesty underscores the human element in the story and emphasizes the importance of faith in the face of the extraordinary. It reminds us that doubt is not necessarily the opposite of faith, but can be a part of the journey towards it.
Matthew 28:17 - When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted.
What does "Matthew 28:17" mean?
Matthew 28:17, "When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted," is a brief but significant verse that appears near the end of the Gospel of Matthew, describing the encounter of the eleven disciples with the resurrected Jesus. Let's break down what it likely means:
"When they saw him..." This refers to the eleven disciples who were present in Galilee, as instructed by the angel at the empty tomb (Matthew 28:16). The encounter is visual; they saw Jesus with their own eyes. This sighting confirms his resurrection.
"...they bowed down to him..." This act of prostration signifies worship, reverence, and acknowledgement of Jesus' authority. Bowing down was a customary expression of respect for royalty or divinity. The disciples, having witnessed Jesus' resurrection, recognized his divine nature or at least acknowledged him as the Messiah with immense power and authority.
"...but some doubted." This is the crucial and often debated part.
Who doubted? The verse doesn't specify who among the eleven doubted. It's possible that one or more of the disciples present had reservations or struggled to believe what they were seeing.
What did they doubt? It's most likely that they doubted the reality of the resurrection. Perhaps they questioned whether it was really Jesus, or whether they were experiencing a hallucination or delusion brought on by grief and anticipation.
Why does this verse matter? The inclusion of doubt in this passage is quite significant. It highlights:
Honesty and Realism: The Gospel writer does not idealize the disciples. He presents them as real people with genuine struggles, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. The inclusion of doubt adds to the credibility of the account.
The Power of Faith: The presence of doubt emphasizes the importance of faith. Even when faced with seemingly impossible events, some still questioned. This suggests that belief in the resurrection requires more than just physical evidence; it requires a leap of faith.
Personal Journey of Faith: The verse acknowledges that belief is not always instant or uniform. People come to faith through different paths and at different paces. The doubters among the disciples are a reminder that it's okay to have questions and uncertainties.
Undermining the "Mass Hysteria" Theory: The fact that some doubted argues against the notion that the resurrection accounts were fabricated or products of mass hysteria. If the goal was to convince others, the story would likely have presented a unified, unquestioning acceptance of Jesus' resurrection. The honesty to admit doubt suggests that this is an authentic account.
In summary: Matthew 28:17 is a powerful verse that depicts the disciples' initial reaction to the resurrected Jesus. It highlights the worship and reverence they felt, while also acknowledging the presence of doubt among some of them. This honesty underscores the human element in the story and emphasizes the importance of faith in the face of the extraordinary. It reminds us that doubt is not necessarily the opposite of faith, but can be a part of the journey towards it.