As we continue our thoughts this week concerning Easter Resurrection Day and the days immediately following, let’s take a glimpse at the guards. Did they know about the Resurrection? Of course, they knew! The phrase, scared to death comes to mind.
Matthew 28:2-4 (NIV) 2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
I find it interesting that the written record does not mention the angel speaking to the guards, only speaking directly to the women (c.f., v. 5)...the guards, however, witnessed it all. They knew. They knew it all. In fact, we next see them running to tell the chief priests. Why would they run to tell the chief priests? We discover the answer first by backing up in Scriptures just a bit:
Matthew 27:62-66 (NIV) 62The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” 65“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
The body is buried. The tomb is sealed. The guard is posted. Earthquake. Do you see what I see?
Matthew 28:2 and 28:6 (NIV) 2...for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven... [Notice—the angel speaks directly to the women, but the guards hear every word] 6“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”
They knew. They knew the truth. They knew it all. Their story continues:
Matthew 28:11-15 (NIV) 11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
History tells us the penalty for falling asleep while on duty was severe, and often fatal. It is completely understandable the guards would be concerned about using the excuse of falling asleep. But the bonus money, and the promise from the chief priests don’t worry, we’ve got your back was enough for them. Do you see what I see? now becomes This is how it all went down. In today’s terms we would call this Revisionist History.
Matthew’s Gospel is interesting for immediately following this account, Matthew closes his writings with what we refer to as The Great Commission. Given by Resurrected Jesus to his disciples, and still important for us today:
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Do you see what I see? The guards knew the truth of the Resurrection back then; and we know the truth of the Resurrection now. The guards chose the path of Revisionist History; what will we choose?
Gracious Heavenly Father,
Forgive us for limiting Christ’s Resurrection Day to a single Easter Sunday, for it should be the foundation of our life as a Christian. Embolden us to proclaim the message of salvation including the resurrection truth to others, both in our spoken words and in the life we live.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
The devotional Do You See What I See? appeared first on
Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com
Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
No comments:
Post a Comment