Daily Manna
Friday, April 1, 2016
Topic: The empty tomb 4
Reading: Matthew 27:57-66, 28:1-15
Scripture: He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee. (Luke 24:6)
Note: Self-proclaimed staunch defenders of the truth, the chief priests and the Pharisees displayed an amazing ambivalence in behaviour, when they suddenly found themselves facing the nozzle of the gun, with the unexpected and unanticipated report from 4 shaken Roman soldiers on the empty tomb of Jesus.
These self-appointed apostles of righteousness had derogatorily referred to Jesus as “the deceiver.” Yet when they were confronted with a crisis situation concerning the disturbing and frightening news on “the deceiver” fulfilling his promise by rising from the dead on the third day as he had promised. The only comfort they knew and which they were familiar with was compromise and they promptly turned to it. Burying their conscience in the dustbin of infamy, these ruthless and wicked conspirators, without any conscience, condescended so low as to sit at table with these hardened and callous Roman soldiers to discuss sensitive religious issues.
The result was bribery by these crooks in religious cassock. They had previously bought the blood of Jesus through betrayal and were again ready to buy the news of his resurrection. They had no problem about the truth or veracity of the empty tomb. They displayed no iota of skepticism when they heard the news. If they had, they would have visited the empty tomb to verify for themselves. This they never did. Their concern was the truth, which they were not yet ready to swallow. To suppress the truth from going public, they offered large sum of money to the soldiers to change their report.
These religious leaders were not oblivious to the culpability of the soldiers, whose own lives were at stake. Yet they did not use this fact as a bargaining chip to change the story. Which man who knows or suspects the soldiers were telling them lies, would turn round to offer them large sum of money to say something different?
Food for thought: Jesus died over 2000 years ago through the accusations of wicked conspirators and corrupt religious leaders. Today, we’re still battling crooks and conspirators in the body of Christ.
Declaration: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)
© Author: Rev Fred Aboe
