Matthew the apostle wrote how an angel said to the women who came to visit Jesus' grave, “Fear not: for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there shall you see him: lo, I have told you. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshiped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. 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. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers. Saying, Say you, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you”, and in chapter twenty-eight and verse fifteen of his book, Matthew wrote how the guards, “took the money, and did as they were taught” where we read:
So they took the money, and did as they were taught:
and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
The verse reads, “So they took the money, and did as they were taught:” Matthew began words, “so they took the money” which means “so the guard members laid hold of and received the hush money offered by the chief priests and Sanhedrin”, “and did as they were taught” or “and obeyed what the religious leaders told them to do”. Matthew shared how the “Roman guard” received the payment to “lie” about what happened with Jesus' body. .
The verse goes on to say, “and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.” Matthew continued with the words, “and this saying” or “this utterance, declaration and proclamation”, “is commonly reported” which means “was spread and blazed abroad, famed and renown” “among the Jews” or “near to the Jewish people who belong to the Jewish nation ” “until this day” which means “till the day when Matthew was writing these words”. Matthew shared how the news of the “Roman guard” receiving money from the “religious leaders” to distort the story of the resurrection was known among the Jewish people to the day in which he wrote this book.
When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how widespread the knowledge of these “Roman guards” being paid to “lie” was during Matthew's time. The Jewish people knew the guards were paid to say that Jesus' disciples “stole” His body, and because this was potentially “fatal” for the “guards”, the “religious leaders” were going to vouch for them. God had knowledge of all these things, and He allowed them because His Son Jesus was to be “resurrected” regardless of what they declared. God loves people, and His desire is for them to be in a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus. Though some may take “bribes” to be quiet about Jesus' resurrection, those who are wise will not only believe it, but also declare it to the world.
Next time Matthew shares how, “the eleven disciples went away into Galilee”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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