The Guard at the Tomb - Matthew 26:62-66
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The 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.’ 64 So 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.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Reflection:
Today as we close out chapter 27, we see the great juxtaposition between the religious leaders fear of Jesus rising from the dead, and their efforts to insure by human means he wouldn't. And Pilate who plays along saying, "make it as secure as you know how!" It's almost as if he is saying, "Do what you can but If this guy is the real deal good luck stopping him". Pilate had heard the report from his centurion about the three hour eclipse and the earthquake spitting the rocks apart. It is almost as if he is sitting back and saying, "let's see what happens now!"
The religious leaders though are filled with fear. What if he really does rise like he said? What will that mean for us? They call him a deceiver, when Jesus said I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life! When confronted with the truth, they want to kill it, and are in absolute fear that they are the ones who are really deceived. Notice when one accepts the truth in Jesus, they are set free from fear. Perfect love casts out all fear. Their is no condemnation for those in Christ.
So what can we learn for today? Notice all those who stake their claim that Jesus isn't really God and did not rise from the dead, will do whatever they can to eliminate any possibility it is true. Why? Because if it is true they have been badly deceived. If they are deceived there are eternal implications. Those who are most vehement in denying Jesus, are busy trying to convince themselves that it is not true for they do not want to face the consequences if it is. If Jesus really did rise from the dead, he really is Lord. And He is Lord, we need to bow down Him as the maker and ruler of this earth and in heaven. For He also said one day He will return to judge the living and the dead.
We can't convince people of anything, but we can show by our lives that Jesus is Lord. We can show by our peace that we are secure in where we will go when we die. And all this is based on what God has promised and what Jesus did on the cross and then rising from the dead and our trusting in it by faith. So that our trust is not in our own intellect or goodness, but in the One who was, who is, and is to come! Amen.
62 The 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.’ 64 So 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.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Reflection:
Today as we close out chapter 27, we see the great juxtaposition between the religious leaders fear of Jesus rising from the dead, and their efforts to insure by human means he wouldn't. And Pilate who plays along saying, "make it as secure as you know how!" It's almost as if he is saying, "Do what you can but If this guy is the real deal good luck stopping him". Pilate had heard the report from his centurion about the three hour eclipse and the earthquake spitting the rocks apart. It is almost as if he is sitting back and saying, "let's see what happens now!"
The religious leaders though are filled with fear. What if he really does rise like he said? What will that mean for us? They call him a deceiver, when Jesus said I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life! When confronted with the truth, they want to kill it, and are in absolute fear that they are the ones who are really deceived. Notice when one accepts the truth in Jesus, they are set free from fear. Perfect love casts out all fear. Their is no condemnation for those in Christ.
So what can we learn for today? Notice all those who stake their claim that Jesus isn't really God and did not rise from the dead, will do whatever they can to eliminate any possibility it is true. Why? Because if it is true they have been badly deceived. If they are deceived there are eternal implications. Those who are most vehement in denying Jesus, are busy trying to convince themselves that it is not true for they do not want to face the consequences if it is. If Jesus really did rise from the dead, he really is Lord. And He is Lord, we need to bow down Him as the maker and ruler of this earth and in heaven. For He also said one day He will return to judge the living and the dead.
We can't convince people of anything, but we can show by our lives that Jesus is Lord. We can show by our peace that we are secure in where we will go when we die. And all this is based on what God has promised and what Jesus did on the cross and then rising from the dead and our trusting in it by faith. So that our trust is not in our own intellect or goodness, but in the One who was, who is, and is to come! Amen.
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