1547. An Unheard of Request

An Unheard of Request

"Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first" (Mat_27:64).

After the burial of Christ, the chief priests and the Pharisees became alarmed at Christ's statement that He would rise after three days. They hurried away to Pilate, and sought permission to make sure the tomb.

Who ever heard of such a strange request being made? We have wandered many times through graveyards, but we have never found an armed guard watching a tomb, neither have we ever felt any dismay at the thought that some one who had been buried might suddenly come forth.

1. The Jews requested Pilate saying: "Command that the sepulchre be made sure." Pilate responded: "Make it as sure as ye can."

The Roman governor spoke with satire. He evidently knew that if Jesus Christ was destined to come forth, that his sealing the tomb, and his guarding it by soldiers, would be of no avail.

When God hath spoken, who can disannul it? When He stretches forth His hand, who can draw it back?

2. The Pharisees told Pilate: "That deceiver said * * I will arise again."

The angel, when he announced the resurrection, stated:

"He is not here: for He is risen, as He said."

How strikingly divergent was the attitude of the carping Pharisees to that of the confident angel. The first spake of Christ as a deceiver, the latter spake of Christ as one worthy of trust.

The Pharisees slurred His statement, the Angels sustained it.

3. Anything and everything that Christ has said will surely come to pass. Men may seek to withstand God, to overthrow His purposes, and to malign His promises–but the Word of God will prevail.

Heaven and earth may pass away, but God's Word will abide Stones, be they ever so big; sealings, be they ever so secure; soldiers, be they ever so strong, cannot hinder the fulfillment of any "thus saith the Lord."

The Pharisees went, "and made the sepulchre sure"–that is, they thought they made it sure. God however, broke their sealing, rolled back their stone and scattered their guard. It is nothing with God to overthrow the strongest of men's fortresses, or to bring to naught the stoutest of their threatenings.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR