11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. 12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 14 And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. 15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (Matthew 28:11-15)
The Report of the Guard
For further proof of Christ’s resurrection, we have the confession of the guards who witnessed it. Two things strengthen this testimony: they were eyewitnesses who saw the glory of the resurrection, and they were enemies, stationed there to prevent it.
When the women went to tell the disciples the good news (Matthew 28:11), the soldiers went to report the same event to the chief priests. Some of the watch, likely the commanding officers, entered the city and reported everything that had happened—the earthquake, the angel’s appearance, the rolling away of the stone, and Jesus’ body coming alive out of the grave. Thus, the sign of the prophet Jonah was brought before the chief priests with the clearest and most undeniable evidence. They were given every opportunity for conviction. This must have been deeply humiliating for them, like the enemies of the Jews who were discouraged in their own eyes (Nehemiah 6:16). It would have been reasonable for them to now believe in Christ and repent of putting him to death, but they remained stubborn in their unbelief.
They convened and discussed what to do. Though they were determined not to believe in Jesus’ resurrection, their concern was to prevent others from believing it and to avoid public disgrace. Since they had put Jesus to death, their only way to justify it was to oppose the evidence of his resurrection. Those who commit wicked acts often find themselves compelled to commit more sin just to maintain their cover, a form of judgment in itself (Psalm 69:27).
The result of their meeting was that the soldiers had to be bribed and silenced.
First, they gave them money—likely even more than what they paid Judas. These priests, though generally reluctant to part with their money, spared no expense in carrying out a malicious plan against the gospel. They likely paid the soldiers whatever they demanded, and the soldiers knew how to take advantage of the situation. Large sums were given to promote what they knew was a lie, while many today hesitate to invest even modest amounts in advancing the truth, though they’re promised a reward in the resurrection of the righteous. We should never underfund a good cause, especially when evil is so lavishly supported.
Second, they told the soldiers what to say (Matthew 28:13): “Say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were sleeping.’” This was a weak excuse. If they were asleep, how could they know who took the body? If any of them were awake, surely they would’ve alerted the rest, since guarding the tomb was their only duty. It’s highly unlikely that a small group of discouraged disciples would have dared such an act. Why weren’t the disciples’ homes searched? Why weren’t further steps taken to find the body? The story was flimsy and easy to refute. Even if it had been more believable, it was still a deliberate lie, encouraged by the priests and elders, and a serious offense. Leading others into a willful sin like this corrupts conscience and opens the door to more wrongdoing. And since this was done to deny the resurrection—the cornerstone of Christian faith—it amounted to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit by attributing the Holy Spirit’s work to human deceit.
Since Roman law severely punished sleeping while on guard (Acts 12:19), the priests promised to intervene with the governor: “We will persuade him and keep you safe.” They intended to use their influence to keep the governor from punishing them, as they had previously managed to sway him. If the soldiers truly had slept on duty and let the disciples steal the body, the priests would have been the first to demand their punishment. Their concern for the soldiers’ safety revealed the lie. They promised more than they could truly deliver—they could protect them from Pilate’s justice, but not from God’s.
So the scheme was set. What was the outcome?
First, the soldiers, who had no regard for Christ or his message, took the money and did as they were instructed. People without faith can easily be pleased to see Christianity undermined and may even help if it suits their interests. Money was all they cared about. Note: money is a powerful temptation, and some will sell the truth for it.
The resurrection is the strongest proof that Jesus is the Son of God. These soldiers had clear evidence: they saw the angel, the stone rolled away, and the body of Jesus leave the tomb—unless they were too terrified to fully perceive it. Yet, they were not convinced. Instead, they were paid to deny what they saw and prevent others from believing. Note: even the clearest evidence won’t convince without the work of the Holy Spirit.
Second, those who were willing to be deceived not only believed the lie but also spread it. “This story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day” (Matthew 28:15). The lie was effective and served its purpose. Jews who continued in unbelief clung to this explanation whenever they were confronted with Christ’s resurrection. Justin Martyr records that the Sanhedrin sent this fabricated story to Jews across the Roman world, encouraging them to resist Christianity and making the disciples appear as villains. Once a lie is started, no one can predict how far it will spread or how much damage it will cause. Some interpret the phrase “commonly reported” to mean that the collusion between the priests and soldiers and the bribe they took was widely whispered among the Jews—because, one way or another, the truth comes out.