Sermon Snippets

Below are a few thoughts that struck me as I studied the text I preached on at Redeemer last Sunday.

^{Matthew 28:11-15}

11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹²When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' ¹⁴If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." ¹⁵So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

* vs 11 - The women and the guards both were traveling to tell the same story (the tomb is now empty). Both had experienced fear (28:4,8) but only the women had joy (also 28:8). A true relationship with Jesus allows one to have joy in the midst of difficult and confusing circumstances.

* vs 11 - The guards went into the city... a reminder to me that the tomb was outside of the city. That thought then reminded me contextually of the religious complications of a dead Jew during Passover. What could be more inconvenient for observant Jews than death during the highest of Holy weeks?

* vs 12 - The word "met" actually means to counsel with. The chief priests gathered the elders and sought counsel. Many of the religious leaders would have been Sadducees. The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection of any kind or in angels and demons. To believe the soldiers story they would have had to get beyond their own worldview.

* vs 13 - What a ridiculous story! How would sleeping guards know who stole the body? If they woke up in time to see them leaving with Jesus' supposed corpse could they not catch them? Or did the Jewish fishermen carrying  a naked corpse outrun the mighty Romans?

* vs 14 - i.e. we will pay him off too. Judas, the guards (who they probably had to pay extra to secure the tomb), and now possibly Pilate all were the recipients of the dirty temple money.

* vs 15 - The women and the guards both obeyed their masters. The women obeyed Jesus and went to tell the disciples of His presence. The guards "took" the money and did what it paid them to do. What master's us? That which we obey.

* vs 15 - The word instructed is the same word as used in The Great Commission (one paragraph later in Matthew). Matthew is a thoughtful writer as he contrasts the false and wicked teachings of the religious leaders against the teachings of Jesus.