The Problem of the Missing Body
Some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.' And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure." So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. Matt. 28:11-15, NKJV.
If the Resurrection was proving to be rather incomprehensible to Jesus' followers, the missing body had become a major problem for both the Roman soldiers and the Jewish leaders. The first thing the soldiers do is to send a delegation into Jerusalem to report to the Jewish leaders what had happened. The paradox is that the very men who had predicted deceit by Jesus' followers (Matt. 27:63, 64) now turn to it themselves in order to cover up the Resurrection. Even more astounding is that they instruct the guards to tell the very story of the "missing" body that they had ordered the Romans to prevent. The Jewish leaders are desperate.
The soldiers are also in a jam. Their basic problem is that they do not have the corpse they had been sent to guard. But to say that they fell asleep is not much of a solution. After all, sleeping on guard was punishable by severe penalties. But the alternative of reporting the missing body would lead to the same result. Of course, they could tell the truth. But what Roman officer would believe such an improbable story?
All things considered, it seems best to the soldiers to accept the solution of the Jewish authorities and thus avoid certain punishment. The bribe of a "large sum of money" and the promise of the leaders to "appease" Pilate (who would soon be leaving the city) if the report reaches his ears quickly sweetened their move in that direction.
Matthew tells us that the soldiers agree to the deception. And, he notes, "This saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day." In actual fact, the story continued to have circulation long after the death of the apostle. Justin Martyr (c. A.D. 100-165) tells us that in the middle of the second century the Jews were still repeating it.
Of course, the Jewish leaders didn't really have too many options. After all, they either had to stick by the lie, produce the body, or believe in the resurrection of Jesus. The last alternative was unacceptable. Thus, since they didn't have the body, they were stuck with the lie.
Trying to avoid the truth has led men and women down through time to strange mental and moral contortions. Unfortunately for that approach, it is always the truth that sets us free.
Some of the guards came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.' And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure." So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. Matt. 28:11-15, NKJV.
If the Resurrection was proving to be rather incomprehensible to Jesus' followers, the missing body had become a major problem for both the Roman soldiers and the Jewish leaders. The first thing the soldiers do is to send a delegation into Jerusalem to report to the Jewish leaders what had happened. The paradox is that the very men who had predicted deceit by Jesus' followers (Matt. 27:63, 64) now turn to it themselves in order to cover up the Resurrection. Even more astounding is that they instruct the guards to tell the very story of the "missing" body that they had ordered the Romans to prevent. The Jewish leaders are desperate.
The soldiers are also in a jam. Their basic problem is that they do not have the corpse they had been sent to guard. But to say that they fell asleep is not much of a solution. After all, sleeping on guard was punishable by severe penalties. But the alternative of reporting the missing body would lead to the same result. Of course, they could tell the truth. But what Roman officer would believe such an improbable story?
All things considered, it seems best to the soldiers to accept the solution of the Jewish authorities and thus avoid certain punishment. The bribe of a "large sum of money" and the promise of the leaders to "appease" Pilate (who would soon be leaving the city) if the report reaches his ears quickly sweetened their move in that direction.
Matthew tells us that the soldiers agree to the deception. And, he notes, "This saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day." In actual fact, the story continued to have circulation long after the death of the apostle. Justin Martyr (c. A.D. 100-165) tells us that in the middle of the second century the Jews were still repeating it.
Of course, the Jewish leaders didn't really have too many options. After all, they either had to stick by the lie, produce the body, or believe in the resurrection of Jesus. The last alternative was unacceptable. Thus, since they didn't have the body, they were stuck with the lie.
Trying to avoid the truth has led men and women down through time to strange mental and moral contortions. Unfortunately for that approach, it is always the truth that sets us free.
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