He said to them, “Do not be terrified. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Look, the place where they laid Him.”
The angelic message begins with comfort: “Do not be terrified.” God’s revelation frightens sinful and weak people, but His grace comforts those who come in faith. The words “Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified” confirm that the One who has risen is the same Lord who was crucified. The cross is not erased by the resurrection; rather, the resurrection confirms the victory of the cross. The words “He has risen, He is not here” are the glorious heart of the Gospel. Christ is not merely a spiritual memory, but the living Lord. The empty place bears witness to a real resurrection: the body that was laid in the tomb is no longer there. This is the unshakable foundation of faith: the Savior died for our sins, then rose for our justification and for new life (Romans 4:25).