Matthew 27:64 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Matthew 27:64

Comments

The chief priests and Pharisees are aware of where he is buried, and they want a guard put on the tomb. Pilate must give permission; he must make the soldiers available. They were on the side of death, and treated death as their ally. They spell out the danger as they see it: that the disciples will perpetrate a deception in order to try to falsely fulfil the words of Christ. This is the level at which the Jewish leaders are used to operating, and they imagine that all others operate at the same level. What do they think? Do they really imagine that when Christ said that after three days he would rise again, he meant no more than that his disciples would come and steal his body? If he did not mean that, what did he mean? Was it just a vain prediction that would never come to pass, and which the Pharisees could easily thwart? They will soon discover otherwise. They realise that one who has risen from the dead is a greater danger to them than the living teacher whom they have just disposed of. A risen Christ – at least in the minds of the people – is an undeniably supernatural Christ with powers they cannot compete with. His word must be broken; the guard must be set in place long enough to prove the prediction false. But what would the disciples have gained from doing this? They would have been fully aware of their own deception. It would have done nothing to strengthen their courage to face their persecutors. They had fled at the arrest of Christ, and why following such a deception would they have been any bolder? It would have sufficed only to stir up the crowds to believe a lie, something that had not really happened. The disciples have shown no interest in propagating this falsehood at any time.

Application

But how do the Jewish leaders propose to prevent Christ rising from the dead? With a guard, a few soldiers ready to stand in the way of the infinite power of God? How foolish! What were the real obstacles that prevented the resurrection? Christ had been made flesh, and become one with his elect people. He had identified with his people. He had become surety for them in time and in eternity. He had taken their sins upon him and become accountable before God for their wickedness. That was a burden that sank him down to hell. Now he must face the eternal wrath of God against sin. That was the true barrier to his rising from the dead. And yet, he had succeeded; he had suffered the full punishment for their sin. He had borne every stroke of God’s justice against sin. It was holiness of God that stood in the way of his rising from the dead. It was the guilt of his people’s sin that prevented him from every coming out of that dreadful place into which he had voluntarily placed himself. But with divine power he overcame death and hell, and he rose triumphant from the grave. But wait! Something is still blocking the way. It is a small troop of soldiers ready to turn him back and put him firmly back in the grave again. It is laughable! How little they knew of his power, and how foolish they would have felt at the presumption of their act, if they had understood properly.

How clearly we see that the enemies of God cannot harm his cause. If they dare to enter into battle with the Lord, they so underestimate his power that it seems like a child firing toy weapons at a fully equipped commando unit. Those who oppose the Lord find themselves assisting him in bringing to pass his eternal plan. Satan himself only serves as a means to bringing about the glory of God. Here was a provision put in place by the Lord to ensure that no one could reasonably explain away the resurrection by this falsehood –his disciples came and stole the body. That becomes impossible given the guard. The Lord surrounds us with his knowledge, and although he gives his enemies a free hand to do as they please, they can only confirm his purposes.

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Matthew 27:64 Commentary and Bible Study