seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Matthew 28:1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
11 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 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 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.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
For those of you who are not familiar with the Gospels. Matthew, the disciple who wrote [or dictated} this Gospel, was a government employee before becoming an Apostle. He was a tax collector. He would have the inside track. He knew people who heard things and saw things. Look at verse 12. The guards were paid off. Doesn't that sound plausible?
The women went to the tomb to finish the embalming process. The body would have been stinking by the time they could get back to it. They had to "celebrate" the Sabbath at home. If they didn't "celebrate" the Sabbath, they could be arrested.... maybe hung on the cross. All good Jews followed the Commandment to "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy". The good people of Israel wouldn't lift a finger if someone got sick or injured, until after the Sabbath. So, the embalming had to wait. That's why the women had to go back to the tomb that day.
An earthquake moved the stone? An angel moved the stone? The stone was moved. Jesus was in a sealed tomb under armed guard. No one could get in, and surely a dead man couldn't get out. Were those guards really paid off and retire? Or... did they just "disappear" so no one could get "the rest of the story".
The government had no reason to steal the body. The missing body is a big problem for the guards and the chief priests. It would have been wonderful for all the government workers if this hadn't happened.... but it did. The body was gone... and women knew it! So, the government gave those poor guards lucrative early retirements. They would quash any stories that they were responsible for the missing body.
And even then.... with all that miraculous glowing of angels... some doubted.
Jesus told them He would meet them in Galilee.
He is Risen!
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