“Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28 v 7)
Jesus had told them they would see him in Galilee, “after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” (Matthew 26 v 32)
Throughout Galilee Jesus had driven out demons, healed and transformed people’s lives. The disciples were with him throughout. They had seen his ministry to, “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:16).
On reading and memorising these Scriptures the disciples would have realised that Jesus was the great light, he was the dawn for a dark land and he had come for the Galilee of the Gentiles.
Jesus had put down roots in Galilee, living in Capernaum. They had God on their streets, in their shops, in their synagogue and homes. God was there talking, laughing, in power performing miracles of healing and transformation.
The disciples would return to Jerusalem for the ascension on the Mount of Olives (Matthew doesn’t record this) but there is the assumption here that they know exactly where to go in Galilee. They were heading for a mountain (v16) though we are not told which one and so others speculate which one. But Jesus wants them in Galilee and it is all for the preparation of their commission to the world.
Jesus wants them to look again. To see what has happened, what he did amongst them, the testimonies of changed lives. They had to walk through again the moments of Jesus’ ministry. The teaching in the fields, in homes packed with people, in the tension of the synagogues.
We too need to look again. Perhaps even today. Look over your Galilee. What did Jesus teach you? What has Jesus shown you? Why does Jesus want you to look again? Why does Jesus want to meet you in the middle of all that again? What is He trying to teach you now about where your focus should be?
Missions Paul 