Holy Saturday: In declaring the risen Christ, we can be like angels at Jesus’ empty tomb, faith leader says

The faithful around the world celebrate Holy Saturday on April 8, 2023.

Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday, is the day that some believe Jesus — his body in his tomb — descended into hell for the harrowing of hell. 

On Holy Saturday after sundown, some churches will observe the Easter Vigil, beginning the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. 

One of the readings commonly used in the Easter Vigil is Matthew’s account of the discovery of the resurrection by Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” (who is unidentified in this gospel), according to faith leaders.

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The Gospel of Matthew 28:5-6 reads, “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’”

“Throughout history, angels have had the privilege of declaring some pretty big announcements to mankind,” Dr. Ben Gutierrez, senior pastor at Grove Church in Richmond, Virginia, told Fox News Digital.

Dr. Ben Gutierrez, senior pastor at Grove Church in Richmond, Virginia, stressed the impact of the angels’ announcement connected to Easter. (Grove Church)

However, none of those other declarations rose to the same “level of significance” as the day they were “given the privilege” of announcing to all of mankind that “Jesus has risen from the dead,” he continued.

The announcement made by the angels “was bigger than any other announcement they had previously made or action they had ever performed,” said Gutierrez — even bigger than when “they were allowed to inform Mary that she would bear the Christ-child,” or informing the shepherds of his birth, or “warning Joseph to flee with his family to Egypt,” he added.

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“Bigger than when they came to minister to Jesus after successfully enduring the temptations of Satan,” Gutierrez also said.

“Bigger than arriving in the Garden of Gethsemane to minister to Jesus soon before his crucifixion,” he continued. “Bigger than being on stand-by should Jesus have called twelve legions of them to snatch him away from his season of suffering.”

He added, “Bigger than even rolling back the stone of an already empty grave.”

The angels made many important announcements, noted Dr. Ben Gutierrez, but none more important than the resurrection of Christ.  (hadynyah/iStock)

The announcement that Jesus had risen from the dead was supreme over other announcement because “when Jesus rose from the dead, it proved that everything Jesus had said was true,” said Gutierrez. 

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“Jesus was indeed God Himself who came to earth. Jesus was the light given to the world. Jesus was the savior offered to the world. And Jesus was and still is the only one able to forgive all of mankind’s sins,” he said. 

“We are to declare the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the world.” 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ “solidified and settled God’s plan of salvation for all of mankind,” added Gutierrez. 

We are to declare the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the world,” said Pastor Gutierrez of Virginia. (Grove Church/iStock)

After they announced that Jesus was not there, “the angels commanded all of mankind to declare the exact same announcement that they just did, ‘Jesus is risen,'” he said.  

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In Matthew 28:7, the angels instructed the women at the tomb to “go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you,” noted Gutierrez.

“Now it’s our turn,” he emphasized.

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“All who have accepted Christ as their savior are now called to do what the angels did on Easter Sunday morning: We are to declare the good news of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the world.” 

Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.