How does Matthew 28:11 connect with other instances of falsehood in Scripture? Matthew 28:11—Guards Confronted with the Empty Tomb “While they were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.” The very men assigned to keep Jesus in the grave become eyewitnesses to His resurrection. They carry the truth straight to Israel’s religious leaders—men already determined to suppress that truth (Matthew 26:3-4, 59). --- The Immediate Cover-Up (Matthew 28:12-15) • The priests and elders bribe the guards. • They script a lie: “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.” • They promise political protection if Pilate hears. • “And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (v. 15) Money, politics, and fear combine to smother the greatest event in history. It is not the first time Scripture records such calculated deception. --- Echoes of Falsehood from Genesis Onward • Genesis 3:4-5 – The serpent’s first lie: “You will not surely die… you will be like God.” • Genesis 37:31-33 – Joseph’s brothers dip the robe in blood and deceive Jacob. • Exodus 1:15-22 – Pharaoh orders midwives to kill Hebrew boys, then lies about Israel’s threat. • Numbers 16:1-3 – Korah spreads slander that Moses exalts himself. • Joshua 9:3-15 – Gibeonites forge provisions and tales to trick Israel into a treaty. • 1 Kings 21:8-14 – Jezebel hires “two scoundrels” to bear false witness against Naboth, securing his vineyard. • 2 Kings 5:20-27 – Gehazi fabricates a story to seize gifts meant for Elisha. • Nehemiah 6:5-9 – Sanballat sends an “open letter” accusing Nehemiah of rebellion. • Psalm 27:12 – “False witnesses rise against me and breathe out violence.” • Daniel 6:4-9 – Officials manipulate Persian law to trap Daniel. • Matthew 26:59-60 – Leaders seek “false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death.” • Acts 6:11-14 – Men are bribed to lie about Stephen. • Acts 5:1-11 – Ananias and Sapphira conspire to deceive about their gift. --- Shared Threads Linking These Lies to Matthew 28:11 1. Direct resistance to a clear work of God. 2. Authority figures crafting or endorsing the lie. 3. Financial or political incentives driving deception. 4. False testimony aimed at eliminating God’s messenger or message. 5. Short-term success that ultimately unravels under divine truth. --- Bought Silence: Specific Parallels • Balaam—rewarded to curse Israel (Numbers 22). • Delilah—paid to betray Samson (Judges 16:5). • Judas—thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-15). • Guards—“a large sum of money” to deny the resurrection (Matthew 28:12). In each case, money becomes a tool to smother God’s purposes, yet every plot collapses under His sovereignty. --- False Witness against the Righteous • Psalm 35:11 – “Malicious witnesses rise up; they question me on things I know nothing about.” • Mark 14:55-56 – “Many bore false witness against Him, but their testimony did not agree.” • Acts 24:5 – Tertullus brands Paul a “plague” stirring up riots. Matthew 28:11 fits this longstanding pattern: when righteousness stands visible, unrighteous powers recruit false witnesses. --- Falsehood’s Spiritual Root • John 8:44 – “You belong to your father, the devil… he is a liar and the father of lies.” • Ephesians 6:12 – “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but… the spiritual forces of evil.” Every deception in Scripture—including the priests’ plot—traces back to the same source: the father of lies opposing the work of God. --- Takeaways for Believers • Expect truth to be opposed, often by deliberate lies. • Recognize that bribes, intimidation, and official channels can cloak deception, but only temporarily. • Trust Scripture’s record: God invariably exposes falsehood and vindicates His word. • Stand firm; the risen Christ whom the guards tried to silence is alive forever, guaranteeing that “no weapon formed against you shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). |
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