Lies

Matthew 28:11-15 NIV

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. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 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.

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I read this on Easter Sunday morning. I didn't write about it then but had thought I might. Today is the bank holiday Monday,  and I'm about to embark on 60 days reading through the major prophets. But before I do,  I thought I should comment on the last 30 days of reading through the four gospels.

The Bible's account (above) of the plot to accuse the disciples of stealing Jesus I think summarises the various responses people may have to Jesus.

There's the women, the guards, the chief priests, Matthew the author and, of course, Jesus, the missing body in question.

Take a moment and think about each of these people and who they represent in God's story.

Let's start with the women. The women who get a passing glance in this account we know from the other Gospels are those healed in so many ways: women who had been possessed by demons, women who had been prostitutes, women who had married into power and influence in the home of the King Herod. These women financially supported Jesus and the disciples, according to Luke 8. These women were mourning the death of the one they called Lord and teacher. Historically, probably little thought is given to these women, but to Jesus, these ill, crazy, second-class citizens of 1st century Judea were every much an integral part of God's kingdom as the disciples.

Jesus came for people like these women. People possibly like you.

Then there are the guards. Guys just doing their jobs. Working men, spending their holiday wondering if there would be trouble. Sometimes this Jesus guy who lay dead in the tomb behind them was followed by more than 10,000 people looking for a free lunch. So although it might sound easy 'guarding' a dead man, I'm sure they wondered if a few hundred trouble makers might show up. So, when the earthquake happened and they all as a group completely dropped to the ground in a dead faint, you could guess things were not going to go well. Then to wake up and find the body gone without a trace of what happened must have got them worried. But a man had to pay the bills and save his neck. So someone had to tell the gaffer, they'd failed on the job. I wondered if they left the fainting bit out. I'd like to think maybe some of these guys are among the 3,000 saved at Pentacost. Or maybe the jailer who guarded the apostles when they were tossed in the clink. Whoever they were, it's no small thing that they are paid to lie. We'll come to the chief priests in a bit, but think for a moment. These so called guards felt the power of God raising Jesus from the grave,  yet their reputation and small financial gain meant more. I wonder how close to these opportunistic working stiffs you are?

The chief priests are pathetic. They know the truth and yet they actively deny it. The world isn't fitting their scheme so they have to spend money to create a false world they feel more comfortable with. They plotted to kill Jesus. They heard he said he'd rise from the dead. So instead of believe, they plot. They show they follow lies and money. It is beyond ironic, the people of God’s holy men, who were entrusted with the responsibility of leading people to God, were the ones trying desperately to hide God. Masters of cover up did everything possible not to reveal the truth about Jesus.
How are you about revealing the truth?

It is hard to know what 'credit' to give Matthew concerning his truly masterful and inspired account of Jesus' life. It's Scripture so it's actually God-breathed but the breath smells a bit like Matthew too. I'm sure since writing something down has a real responsibility to it, Matthew was taking stock of the repercussions his book would have. Today if someone writes a memoire or a biography, it is just a small passage like the one about the chief priests and guards that will make all the front pages of the papers. Even many years later murder, cover ups, and scandalous behaviour crop up and ruin men. Surely this account could have ruined some of the chief priests or guards.
Who was Matthew's source? How did the real story get out? Did someone tell? Did the Holy Spirit reveal the truth to Matthew? Did Matthew count the cost of writing about Jesus?

Jesus is the main reason for the story. Since the garden of Eden,  people have been hiding from God. The chief priests thought they could hide God's wondrous work of resurrection from the people. 2,000 years later we know that's not possible, but most people still try and prefer to believe a lie.
How about you?