seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Matthew 28:11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So 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.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
6052025605202560520256052025
Here's a link to the commentary I read. I left about half of the commentary for you to read on your own. Just follow the link.
Tell them, “His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept”: This cover-up attempt shows the darkness of these priests. They knew the truth of the resurrection, yet they rejected that truth.
A large sum of money: “The Greek is literally ‘sufficient money’ — it would need to be large!” (France)
While we slept: The cover-up also shows their foolishness. If it was true that the guards were asleep, they could not know that it was His disciples that stole the body of Jesus.
This saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day: Through the years, there have been many objections suggested to the resurrection of Jesus. Some say He didn’t die at all, but just swooned or fainted on the cross and spontaneously revived in the tomb. Others say He really died, but His body was stolen. Still others suggest He really died, but His desperate followers hallucinated His resurrection. A plain, simple understanding of these evidences of the resurrection of Jesus answers all of these theories, and shows they take far more faith to believe than the Biblical account does.
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him: This was not their first meeting with the risen Jesus; but it was an important one. At this meeting, they received their apostolic commission.
They worshiped Him; but some doubted: The natural reaction to encountering the risen Jesus is worship, even if some had to overcome uncertainty and hesitation — probably from feeling it was too good to be true, and lingering shame from having forsaken Jesus during His suffering.
All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth: This commission that follows is given in light of the authority of Jesus. This indicates that this is an authoritative command, not a suggestion. It is the same idea as if an officer reminded a private of his rank before he gave the order. Because He has this authority, He can send whomever He wills to do whatever He pleases.
Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age: Jesus sent His disciples with a mission to fulfill, but He did not send them alone. The promise of His constant presence was more than enough to strengthen and guide the disciples as they obeyed Jesus in making disciples of all the nations.
6052025605202560520256052025
Well, would you look at that! Verse 12 says the Chief Priests started a lie.
The Chief Priests paid the guards to lie.
In the commentary there is a list of viable reasons that refute what the Chief Priests told the guards to sell as the truth.
Now this calls for another look at the guards. It was Joseph of Arimathea who asked Pilate to put guards on the entrance to the tomb. Matthew 27:57-61 says that Joseph of Arimathea was a Disciple of Jesus. Also, the women were there when the tomb was sealed.
These were Pilate's troops. If the Chief Priests could get Pilate's troops to go along with their fabrication, they would have to admit to "sleeping on duty". I'm pretty sure they would be put to death for such a horrible military crime.
Verse 14 says the Chief Priests even told the troops they would cover for them if word got back to the Governor.
If your buddy decided to take a bribe for a "little fabrication" that might get him put to death for "sleeping on duty", and you refused, wouldn't that put your life in a "damned if I do and damned if I don't" situation?
If they kept the secret, they were lying about the Resurrection of the Messiah.
If they told the secret, the other troops would do horrible things to them in prison and then kill them.
According to verse 15, the men took the money and went along with the lie.
Now look at verse 17. Jesus went to meet them, "in the flesh", in Galilee. Even though He was there with them, in Galilee, "in the flesh", some disciples doubted.
Thomas, known as Didymus [or twin] would be hard to convince Jesus was standing there in front of him. He looked just like Jesus! That's what Didymus means... twin! Sure, Thomas was going to continue to doubt his own safety! If the troops' thought Thomas was Jesus, he would be arrested and quietly put to death to keep the soldiers secret safe. Sure... Thomas doubted... it's natural.
So... it was the Chief Priests and the Guards who started the doubting!
Thus, the Apostate [fake] was born!
The truth was harder to believe than the lie.
Let's face it... in this case... it was easier to accept the lie.
"Dead humans don't just get up and walk away!"
