Matthew 28:11-15

 ¹¹ Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. ¹² When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ¹³ saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ ¹⁴ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” ¹⁵ So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Vs. 11 “Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.”

With the departure of the angel, and the Mary’s to Galilee, some of the guard there left the now empty tomb and came into Jerusalem and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

Vs. 12-14 ¹² When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ¹³ saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ ¹⁴ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.”

Having heard the Christ is Risen from the dead the chief priests along with the Jews elders consult together on what they should now do. There answer then is not to repent and believe but only to bribe the guards and assure them that they will keep them from punishment from the governor by also appeasing him if he here’s about it. Having done so they then tell them to go to the people and tell them that Jesus’ disciples stole Him away from the tomb, which is very implausible given that two poor women would’ve overpowered them, the Temple and Roman guard and then been able to move the large stone that temporarily housed Jesus’ body, and then been able to carry Him away with no one seeing. This then will begin their attempts to both deny and conceal Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from the dead.

Vs. 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

The guards then take the bribe money and go and do as they were instructed. And so, their saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. The attempted denial of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Resurrection of the dead though is far greater than just a saying reported amongst the Jews, for at its heart is the eternal salvation and redemption of everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore on this undeniable truth one’s soul will either rest and rejoice forever in heaven, or be tormented and mourn forever in hell, according to what believes or does not believe (Rom. 10:9-10, 13). Never then lesson the importance of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from the dead.

Scripture Quotations: 

The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson