How does Matthew 28:13 demonstrate the power of truth over deception? The Moment of Crisis: Matthew 28:13 “ ‘You are to say, “His disciples came by night and stole Him while we were asleep.” ’ ” Why This Lie Was Necessary to the Unbelieving Authorities • The empty tomb was an undeniable fact. • A Roman guard had failed—an offense punishable by death—so a cover-story had to be fast, simple, and blame-shifting. • Religious leaders feared that a risen Messiah would validate Jesus’ claims (John 11:48). • The devised deception shows how desperately human power systems resist inconvenient truth. Truth’s Advantages Over Deception • Truth is rooted in historical reality; deceit must manufacture an alternate version and guard it constantly. • Truth invites scrutiny; lies depend on secrecy and intimidation (v. 14). • Truth produces freedom (John 8:32); deception breeds fear—note the guards’ terror in Matthew 28:4. • Truth endures (Proverbs 12:19); lies inevitably unravel when confronted with facts and eyewitnesses. Evidence That Quickly Undermined the Lie 1. The impossibility of sleeping eyewitnesses—how could they identify the thieves if they were asleep? 2. The stone: large, sealed, and guarded—no stealth theft could plausibly occur. 3. Multiple post-resurrection appearances to individuals and groups (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). 4. The transformed disciples: from fear to fearless proclamation (Acts 4:13). 5. The spread of the gospel in Jerusalem itself; a stolen body could have been produced to stop it. Scripture’s Wider Witness to Truth Triumphing • John 14:6—Jesus, “the way and the truth,” cannot be entombed by falsehood. • Acts 5:38-39—Gamaliel’s counsel: if a movement is from God, it cannot be overthrown. • 2 Corinthians 13:8—“For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.” Practical Takeaways for Today • Lies may gain immediate traction, but truth possesses divine endurance. • When confronted with deception, rely on verifiable facts and consistent witnesses—Scripture gives both. • The resurrection is history’s supreme validation that God’s truth prevails, assuring believers of ultimate victory over every falsehood. |
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