What does Matthew 28:5 mean?

Matthew's telling of this moment can be confusing if one forgets that he so often groups statements by theme, not in a strict order of time. Read in a modern style, this gives the impression the women who had come to anoint Jesus' body with spices witnessed the arrival of the angel. Mark, Luke, and John, however, show that this action took place before the women arrived. The angel "had" appeared and rolled away the stone (Matthew 27:60, 66), and "then" later spoke to the women as they arrived.

When the women come to the tomb, they find the stone door open and the angel seated there. They are understandably frightened. After all, the appearance of the angel was enough to cause Roman soldiers to faint. Virtually everyone who sees an angel, in Scripture, reacts in fear (Luke 1:11–13; 2:9–10; Acts 10:3–4). The angel, though, urges them not to be afraid. He calms the women by revealing that he knows why they have come. They are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

With these words, the angel reveals that he knows Jesus' body occupied this tomb and is no longer present. What the angel says next are some of the most powerful words spoken in history.