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THE SAYINGS OF THE CRUCIFIXION (26)

 

The Soldiers Conspire with the Jews

Matthew 28:11-15

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    When Jesus was buried, the Jews requested of Pilate for the tomb to be secured (Matt. 27:62-64).

 

B.      Pilate granted their request (Matt. 27:65-66).

 

Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch:  go your way, make it as sure as ye can.  So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting the watch.

 

1.      A watch consisted of 4 to 8 soldiers stationed at the tomb.

2.      They would rotate every 6 hours with another shift.

3.      These men were serious about their responsibility. 

4.      Often they guarded places under threat of their lives if something went wrong.

 

C.     On the third day, an earthquake shook the ground.  Too, an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb.  The reaction of the Roman guards is interesting (Matt. 28:4).

 

And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and become as dead men.

 

1.      How long they were passed out, we do not know.

2.      Did the women see them lying there when they approached the sepulcher?  We do not know.

3.      It was while they were passed out that Jesus came forth from the tomb leaving it empty.

4.      When these men awoke, we can imagine the horror and deep concern they must have felt as they left their post.

 

D.    What happened to these men? 

1.      Only one gospel narrative informs us of their actions, the gospel of Matthew (Matt. 28:11-15).

2.      We have entitled this section:  “The Soldiers Conspire with the Jews.”

3.      This is our next study in the series entitled:  “The Sayings of the Crucifixion.”

 

I.                   THE SOLDIERS’ STATEMENT (Matt. 28:11)

 

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

 

A.    The Where:  into the city, the city of Jerusalem

 

B.      The Who:  unto the chief priests, these would have been the high priest and those just under him

 

C.     The What:  shewed all the things that were done

1.      An earthquake

2.      An angel that sat atop the sepulchre

3.      Fell down like dead men

4.      When they awoke, the stone was rolled from the door and the body of Jesus was no longer in the sepulcher

 

D.    The Why:  Why did the soldiers go to the Jewish leaders first?

1.      The chief priests had a lot invested in this event.

2.      The chief priests were political figures.  They had the ability to negotiate with the Roman authorities to whom the Roman guard reported.

3.      The chief priests were very wealthy individuals.

 

E.      These soldiers were in great despair. 

1.      The very thing they had been appointed to keep from happening had come to pass.  

2.      Their lives were on the line at this time.

 

F.      Can we imagine the horror that must have filled the hearts of the Jewish leaders when they heard Jesus’ body was no longer in the tomb?  The thing they had feared had come to pass.  They knew Jesus had said:  “After three days I will rise again” (Matt. 27:63).

 

II.                THE BOUNTIFUL BRIBE (Matt. 28:12)

 

And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers.

 

A.    They did not have telephones and computers.  They would have to send messengers in order to get everyone together for a meeting.  I wonder how long it took for this session to assemble.

 

B.      The decision was made to give “large money unto the soldiers.”

1.      Large money

a.      Strong (2425):  ample in amount      :- large, great, sufficient

b.      Thayer:  sufficient, enough

c.       It would have been interesting to know the dollar amount each one of the soldiers received.

2.      The elders understood “money talks.”

a.      This is why the Bible tells us that “the love of money is the root of all evil” (I Tim. 5:10).

b.      This was a bribe, plain and simple.

c.       Exodus 23:8

 

And thou shalt take no gift:  for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

 

III.             THE LUDICROUS LIE (Matt. 28:13)

 

Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

 

A.    In order to receive the money, the soldiers had to agree to tell a lie.  They had to say the disciples came and stole the body of Jesus while they slept.

 

B.      Notice we refer to this as “ludicrous.”

1.      Ludicrous is defined as “causing laughter because of absurdity.”

2.      This excuse was absurd for at least four reasons:

a.      The Romans soldiers would not have fallen asleep at their post.  They had their lives to lose if they did.

b.      If they had been asleep, they would have been awaked by the “great stone” as it was being rolled away from the door.

c.       If they were asleep when the body was stolen, how did they know it was the disciples who were the thieves?

d.      If the disciples had stolen the body, both the Jews and the Romans would have been on an immediate search for it.  The disciples would have been arrested, questioned and threatened until the body was recovered.  These things did not happen.

3.      In a short amount of time, this statement will become even more ludicrous because there will be a multitude of eyewitnesses to the resurrected Christ.

 

IV.             THE PROMISED PROTECTION (Matt. 28:14)

 

And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

 

A.    The “if” of this verse could just as easily been “when.”  When this comes to the governor’s ears.

 

B.      Remember, we noted that the high priest and other Jewish officials had a lot of political sway. 

1.      These men would be able to convince Pilate to go along with the lie.

2.      If he did this, the lives of these soldiers would be safe.

 

C.     NOTE:  About the only other alternative to a stolen body was the resurrection.  Would Pilate want to give credence to that?  Absolutely not!

 

D.    The Romans soldiers did well from a physical standpoint that day.

1.      Their lives were spared.

2.      Too, they walked out of the meeting with a handsome sum of money.

 

V.                THE DUTIFUL DISCHARGE (Matt. 28:15a)

 

So they took the money, and did as they were taught…

 

A.    The soldiers were completely satisfied with the plan.

1.      The Jews had “witnesses” to confirm their lie.

2.      The soldiers had their lives and some extra money.

 

B.      It would be interesting to know how many times these men were called upon to promulgate this lie.

 

C.     It would be interesting to know those to whom they told the lie.

 

D.    It would be interesting to know if any of them ever really felt the sting of conscience as they told their lie from time to time.

 

E.      These men lied about the most important event that has ever happened in the history of man (Rom. 1:4).

 

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

 

 

VI.             THE CONTINUOUS CON (Matt. 28:15b)

 

…and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews to this day.

 

A.    Conservative scholars date Matthew’s gospel about 60 A.D. 

 

B.      This would mean that some 27 years had passed and the lie about the disciples stealing the body of Jesus was still being told.

 

C.     It is still reported in this fashion by Jews today.

 

D.    LESSONS:

1.      Some lies never go away regardless of the truth that destroys the lie.

2.      Some lies will be believed by some regardless of the truth that negates the lie.

 

E.      Every time the lie was told, the words of Jesus rang true (John 8:44).

 

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do:  he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:  for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    It is amazing to see the lengths to which men will go to cover and disregard the truth.

 

B.      It is amazing to see men willing to believe lies rather than believing the truth.

 

C.     Just think if the soldiers, the chief priests, and Pilate had admitted that Jesus was raised from the dead. 

 

D.    My friends, this confession is a vital aspect of our salvation (Rom. 10:9).

 

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.