Now is merely a transition marker introducing a new scene, and renders a Greek particle often translated “but.”

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them: the reference is to verse 10, according to which Jesus had told the women to inform his “brothers” to go to Galilee, where they would see him. The noun “disciple” is first used in 5.1, as is the word mountain. It is doubtful that any specific mountain is in mind; it is important to remember that in Jewish thought hills and mountains are places of divine revelation.

The mountain to which Jesus had directed them may be expressed as “the mountain that Jesus had told them they should go to.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .