Too many times I have written an article about our children or something that has happened to our family only to realize that we are in the midst of a holiday. I have neglected Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, (I just neglected Valentines Day), Independence Day, and even my wife’s birthday. So, with Easter upon us I decided not to forget.
I began by reading from each Gospel about the trial, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. All seemed familiar except one passage from Matthew. As you would expect all four gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write about Jesus’ final days.
One thing stands out. It was the “religious” people, the ones who claimed to believe in God, who were responsible for the death of Jesus. Again and again scripture talks about the “Chief Priests, the officers of the temple guard, the elders, the Sanhedrin, the teachers of the law, and the High Priest,” who were accusing Jesus.
Matthew records that the religious leaders did their very best to find “false evidence” so that they could put Him to death. Matthew says they finally found two false witnesses who declared, “This fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.” When asked to reply Jesus remained silent, until he was asked, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say.” This, the high priest finally concluded, was blasphemy and deserving of death.
Blasphemy is not a word that I use often…or at all. It means the high priest had decided that Jesus reviled the name of God. I don’t use reviled very often either, it means despised. Bottom line is, He was falsely accused by the religious people of being too religious. The same thing happens today, it is OK to be “churchy”, just don’t preach to me.
The last nine verses of Matthew chapter 27 are where I found my overlooked verse. It records that Joseph, a disciple of Jesus, went before the Roman governor and asked for the body of Jesus so he could give Him a proper burial. He was granted permission and took the lifeless body of Jesus, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb. He then rolled a big stone in front of the entrance and went away.
The next day the religious leaders came before the Roman governor one final time and begged to have the tomb secured so that no one could steal the body of Jesus. Now this is the part I have overlooked, the Governor told them, “Take a guard (which met several soldiers), and make the tomb as secure as you know how.” In other words, do everything humanly possible to make sure that Jesus does not get out and that no one got in.
All of Christianity rests on the resurrection. If, Jesus did not rise from the dead, then He was nothing more than a teacher. If archeologists can find a tomb with the bones of Jesus, then Christianity is dead. If other religions can disprove the resurrection of Christ, then Christian churches will close. Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile… Those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (I Corinthians 15:17-19)
Thank God…the tomb is empty.
Comments