Matthew 28:11-15 Liars, Cowards and Money

One of the images on the tapestries in the Vatican Museum in Italy.  These tapestries are from the 1500s and were created from images made by the students of Rapheal.

Matthew 28:11-15 Liars, Money and Cowards

“Tell people, ‘His disciples came …stole him away while we were sleeping,” the elders to the guards in Matthew 28:13.

“If one had any real evidence that, indeed, Jesus did return from the dead, then that is the beginning of a dropping of a series of dominoes that takes us to all kinds of wonderful things.  It assures an afterlife and all kinds of things that we would all hope are true…do I think that Jesus was the Son of God?  I don’t think that he is any more the Son of God than we are.”  (Hugh Hefner, in an interview with Lee Strobel, The Case for the Real Jesus, p. 105)

“When I was in India last fall I had many opportunities to tell what Christ has done in my life. The thousands of faces in those predominantly Hindu crowds would nod and smile as I shared my experience. Hindus believe all roads lead to God—if Jesus was my guru, that was fine. They all had their gurus, too.   But when I spoke of the reason for my faith, the resurrection of Christ, the nods would stop... The fact of the Resurrection demands a choice, one that reduces all other religions to mere philosophies.”  (Chuck Colson, Christianity Today, March 21, 1986, p. 72)

While the women were going to tell the disciples, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place (v. 11).   For the women, the resurrection of Christ was great news, resulting in eternal life; for the guards, the resurrection was terrible news, resulting in their death sentence.

And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel (v. 12), they fabricated a lie and sealed it with a bribe.   Whenever this Council convened, the results were evil deeds and ungodliness, not repentance and revival.  (See 22:15, 34; 26:3-5, 57; 27:1, 62).  The Psalmist was correct: “The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the LORD and against his anointed.”  However, “The One enthroned in heaven laughs,” (Psalm 2:2,4, NIV).

Even though they were teachers and keepers of the Law of Moses, they ignored it and bore false witness and gave out bribes, (see Exodus 23:1, 7-8).  They gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers, and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’  And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”  So they took the money and did as they were directed, (vv. 12-15).

“The allure of money is so seductive that Jesus said to serve Him is incompatible with serving money (see Matthew 6:24).   The guards chose the frail god of money and became instruments in Satan’s attempts to spread lies about Jesus. 

Yet the disciples could not be bought.   They had a core, a hope, that money could no longer penetrate.  And when money didn’t silence the early church, the authorities resorted to imprisonment (see Acts 4:3, 5:18), beatings (Acts 5:40; 8:3) and even death (Acts 7:60, 12:2). Still they proclaimed Christ.  If the resurrection were a fabrication, then why would the disciples give their lives for what they knew was a lie?    The lives of the disciples had been radically changed.  They went from hiding (see John 20:19) to preaching Christ even to the very ones who killed him (Acts 2:23,36; 7:52). 

If the disciples had indeed stole him away and wanted to start a new religion, then they picked the worst place to do it: in the very city in the very presence of those who killed Christ.  The disciples did not sail off to a new land and speak of something unverifiable that happened far away.    If someone in Jerusalem would produce the body of Jesus or direct people to the sealed tomb, then the disciples would be silenced and this new religion discredited.  None of that happened.   Furthermore, thousands came to faith right there in Jerusalem, the very place Christ was crucified and where eyewitnesses could challenge any falsehood about a risen Messiah perpetuated as truth by the disciples.

These evidences all make sense if Christ indeed rose from the dead.  None of these facts make sense if the resurrection was a fable produced by religious zealots centuries after Christ.

The resurrection of Jesus always will have its detractors.  The issue is not insufficient evidence; the issue is the hardness of men’s hearts.  If Christ is risen, then he is Lord and we must make a choice, as Colson says above.   Natural man does not want to face that choice.  So excuses are spread even today negating the resurrection of Christ.   Therefore it is no surprise that Matthew wrote that this story of the disciples stealing the body had been spread among the Jews to this day (v. 15).  As we investigate the historical facts surrounding the resurrection, we must also examine our own hearts.    

Matthew 28:8-10: “Death, where is your victory?”

“Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee,” Jesus to the women, Matthew 28:10. 

“Death did not overtake Jesus on that Friday. In the Garden He stalked death like a hunter. On the Cross He slew death like a soldier. ‘Fear not those who can kill the body,’ He told us.   And then He went ahead of us.  To show us how it's done. “(Pastor Ronnie Stevens, Danube Intl Church, Budapest, Hungary; Easter 2013) 

“…If you and I are friends, there is an expectancy that exists within our relationship.  When we see each other or are apart, there is expectancy of being together, of laughing and talking...  But what happens if I change that ‘expectancy’ to an ‘expectation’ – spoken or unspoken?  Suddenly law has entered our relationship.  You are now expected to perform in a way that meets my expectations.  Our living friendship rapidly deteriorates into a dead thing with rules and requirements.”  (William P. Young, The Shack, p. 205). 

Even though the women did as they were told by the angel (v. 7), when they departed quickly from the tomb, they were filled with the conflicting emotions of fear and great joy as they ran to tell his disciples (v. 8).    Mark says that the “trembling and astonishment had seized them and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid,” (Mark 16:8).

Maybe this is why Jesus chose then to make his first appearance at this time to the women.  Behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!”   And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him, (v. 9).  His appearing to the women and his admonishment, “Do not be afraid,” (v. 10) could very well have been to keep the women on task to “tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead,” (v. 7).   Also, Jesus’ words to the women (“Do not be afraid”) are consistent with how glorified beings speak to God-fearing humans, as noted in the previous devotion. 

Additionally, Jesus does not rebuke the women for worshiping him the way a mere prophet would rebuke worship directed toward himself.  (See Paul’s response to being worshiped in Acts 14:11-15).   Rather, Jesus receives their worship.  This is strong evidence for Jesus seeing Himself as deity, worthy of worship.  When the line is drawn between “worshiper” and “worshipee,” Jesus clearly puts himself on the side of those deserving worship (see also 28:17 and John 20:28).  The women worshiping Jesus here foreshadows all of creation worshiping Christ in Revelation chapter 5. 

Jesus continues: “go and tell my brothers…” (v. 10).   Did you catch that?  Jesus refers to the disciples as brothers.   In spite of their denials and lack of faith, Jesus calls the disciples brothers.   Furthermore, we have Jesus, conqueror of death, glorified in body, very God of very God, speaking of the weak and frightened disciples as brothers.  

What a beautiful picture of grace!    God’s grace is not about your performance or your appearance or your own goodness.   Grace is about drawing near, knowing that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin.   Jesus has replaced failed expectations with glad expectancy.  He tells the disciples “to go to Galilee.”   Because “there,” Jesus says, “they will see me,” (v. 10).  He wants to see them there!  He wants to be with them, rejoice with them, fellowship with them.   

The disciples’ certain expectation of condemnation, death and disappointment from Jesus have been replaced with the expectancy of acceptance, forgiveness, relationships and new life.   Is it any wonder that from this point forward the disciples were willing to die for their Master?  What do you project in your relationships: expectancy or expectations? 

Additionally, “He is the first-born among many brothers,” (Romans 8:29).   “If the Spirit of him who raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you,” (Romans 8:11).   The indwelling Spirit in us is “the guarantee of our inheritance,” (Ephesians 1:14), of our own resurrection since he is the “firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20,23) of all who will rise again! 

Death is not the grim reaper ushering us to our grave.  Rather, death is now the butler that ushers us to our greatest love, Jesus.   Death becomes the ceremony where we will put on new wedding clothes.  “The perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on the immortality.” And we shall raise the anthem, “O death where is your victory? O death where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).   We will look at each other and declare, “This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation!” (Isaiah 25:9).   He has risen!  He has risen indeed!  Hallelujah!  

Matthew 28:5-7: “Go Quickly and Tell.”

On the door of the tomb in the Garden Tomb, a likely location for the burial and resurrection of Jesus, just outside Jerusalem.  (My photo taken April 2012)

“He is not here, for he has risen,” the angel to the women at the tomb of Jesus, Matthew 28:6

“Round the tomb of Him they'd slain.  They set a guard...In vain! In vain!”  (Charles Spurgeon)

These three great facts--the resurrection appearances, the empty tomb, and the origin of the Christian faith--all point unavoidably to one conclusion: The resurrection of Jesus. Today the rational man can hardly be blamed if he believes that on that first Easter morning a divine miracle occurred. (Dr. William Lane Craig, "Contemporary Scholarship and the Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ," www.reasonablefaith.org) 

The greatest tragedies in human history, the most deaths, the most mayhem, the most destruction has come when man has directly alienated himself from God and sought to govern and rule without him.   Man cannot hope in himself, others, angels or planet earth.  Man is bound as a prisoner to the chains of his own mortality.  He cannot escape his own futility; he cannot escape the grave.  But Christ has broken the chains!  He has reversed the curse; he has risen from the dead.  In him and him alone we can hope! 

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid,” (v. 5).  Those words were not directed to the guards who “trembled and became like dead men,” (v. 4).  They were directed to the women.   Undoubtedly the women were afraid too, but, unlike the guards, they had good reason to not be frightened.     First, they were told by the heavenly messenger, “Do not be afraid.”   Another thread found in Scripture regarding mortal man’s encounters with a heavenly glorified being is that man is told, “Do not be afraid.”  (For example, see Luke 1:30, 2:10, Revelation 1:17.)

The second reason the women did not need to be frightened is that their faith was in the correct object. Their faith was small, like a mustard seed, but it was in the person of Jesus Christ.  The angel said, “for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified,” (v. 5).   Even in this hour of despair, even in what they thought were the worst of circumstances, the women still sought Jesus.  On the other hand, the guards were aware that the tomb was empty.  But instead of running to Jesus, they ran from Jesus (v. 11).

The angels then said the greatest words ever heard by man on this celestial piece of rock: “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said,” (v. 6).  And surely the women were not thinking resurrection when they arrived at the tomb, for they had come to anoint the body with spices (see Mark 16:1).   The angel had to remind them that Jesus had predicted his rising from the dead (see Matthew 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 26:32).  Still the women probably responded with blank stares since they had neither expectation nor category for their beloved Lord to rise on the third day.   So the angel ushered them into the tomb and said, “Come, see the place where he lay,” (v. 6). 

"Come see the place where he lay," Matthew 28:6.   Inside the tomb at the Garden Tomb. 

The angel continued: “Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.  See, I have told you, (v. 7).”  The time for worship will come.  But the women’s first immediate response is to “go quickly and tell.”   The greatest news ever has been given to humanity; how DARE we keep it to ourselves.   The only natural reaction is to “go quickly and tell.”  In this case it was to “tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead.”   Our Lord, in his mercy, did not hide this truth from those who denied him and who fled when he was arrested.    In fact, the weak disciples were the first to be told!  The mercy of our God! 

The angels had to repeat what the disciples never grasped, even though they were listening.   In Matthew 26:32, Jesus said, “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”  Much has transpired since Jesus said that to Peter and his disciples on Thursday night.   Therefore, the angels needed to repeat it and affirm it.   Sweet, sweet times of worship, rejoicing, fellowship and commissioning lay before them.   But it will be done away from Jerusalem and its animosity toward Jesus.  Our Lord, even in his glorified state, chose to be near his earthly home in familiar surroundings.

Let us not trust in ourselves; no amount of faith in our own goodness will save us.   But if we trust in Him and his power over death, then we will not be disappointed. This earth has no claim on you; death no longer has the final word over you! Soon and very soon we will be with our Lord forever! Until then, “go quickly and tell” a world enslaved by death that he has risen from the dead!   He has risen indeed! 

Matthew 28:1-4: Death Conquered

For an angel of the Lord…came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.  (Matthew 28:2)

Annibale Carracci The Holy Women at Christ's Tomb, circa 1597

“Mr. Graham, outside of the resurrection of Jesus, I do not know of any other hope for this world.”  (The response of Konrad Adenauer, chancellor of West German from 1949-1963.  In a meeting with Billy Graham, he looked Graham in the eye and said, “Do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?” Graham, somewhat surprised by the directness of the question answered, “Of course, I do.” Can Man Live Without God? Ravi Zacharias, p. 164-165) 

The resurrection of Jesus is not an epilogue, rather it is the climax.   Christ’s rising is not a footnote or an appendix, it is the main event.  The resurrection validates all that Christ said, claimed and did; it affirms His miracles and His teachings.   If the gospels stopped at the cross, then we have a religion built upon the weak shoulders of just another good guy who came to a tragic end.   But the empty tomb has the final word; now we know we are forgiven and reconciled with Almighty God!  There is no lasting hope, deeper joy, or greater news, than Christ has risen from the dead! 

Paul, speaking of our hope because of the resurrection of the “First Fruits” (see 1 Corinthians 15:23), said: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11)  Therefore with great joy and courage we can say with Paul, “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s,” (Romans 14:8). 

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb, (v. 1).   They were unaware that they were about to witness the greatest moment ever in the history of mankind!  The two Marys that Matthew mentions, along with several other women, shared the weak faith of the disciples, seemingly ignorant of His promise to rise from the dead.    In fact, they had come to anoint his body with spices and they wondered who would roll away the stone so they could enter the tomb (see Mark 16:1-3).

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it, (v. 2).  The women had their answer but it was not among the list of options that they had considered.   But isn’t that like our Jesus?  Often times He answers our prayers in ways we don’t expect. The more we learn to trust Him, the bigger we see Him.  

The appearance of the angel was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow, (v. 3).   There are common themes in the Bible that describe what a glorified being looks like, whether an angel or even the Lord. When Jesus was transfigured “his clothes became radiant, intensely white,” (Mark 9:3).  Paul was blinded by a light from heaven that out shown the desert noontime sun when Christ appeared to him, (Acts 22:6,11).   Even Moses’ face shone after his encounter with God (Exodus 34:29-30).

And for fear of him, the angel, the guards trembled and became like dead men (v. 4).  Again, this is a common response when mortal man is confronted by a heavenly being.   The shepherds “were filled with fear,” (Luke 2:9); John fell at the feet of the glorified Jesus “as though dead,” (Revelation 1:17).   Man, both saved and unsaved, have a view of God that is way too small.   I have talked to “atheists” who say they cannot wait to challenge God on the Day of Judgment.   Fools!

But we, as his redeemed children,, have tasted the kindness of our God.   For He is the universe’s greatest expression of love, power, and justice.   The cross and the empty tomb speak of the wonder of our God.  Gaze into the night sky and worship the Creator of the stars!  He has conquered death!  Therefore may we live lives, not rooted in self-preservation, but in His resurrection!   “He is not here, for He has risen!” (v. 6)