The Greatest Deception

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Do to others what you don’t want them do to you. Sounds right? Nope. But that’s what the chief priests did in the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Matthew 27
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Matthew 28
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The Guards’ Report
11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So 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.

The chief priests were afraid that the disciples would steal Jesus’ body and claim that Jesus was resurrected thereby proving them wrong about Jesus’ claim that he would rise again after he died. They said: ‘This last deception (Jesus’ body stolen) will be worse than the first (Jesus’ resurrection).’

Then when the guards reported that Jesus did rise again, the chief priests concocted the same story they thought the disciples would use to claim Jesus’ resurrection. And the greatest deception was: “You are to say: ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ … ‘If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ (another deception)

And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this day.

Many Jews today do not believe in Jesus. They are still awaiting for the Messiah to come. They do not believe Jesus came, died and rose again. It is pathetic to see how people who reject Jesus deceive others as they deceive themselves. They did not want to believe in Jesus. They insisted on it even when evidence points otherwise. In the end, they used the very same strategy they were afraid would be used on them to deceive others.

Do you believe Jesus? If yes, good for you. If no, why not? Read the Bible and see for yourself the truth about Jesus. Know that Jesus came to die for the sins of men so that men will be made right before God. Jesus rose again and now lives, at the right hand of God. Jesus will come again to take all those who believe in Him to live forever more in God’s heaven.

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