DR 11
December 11
Matthew 27:62 to end. The priests set a watch. around the tomb.
The "next day that followed the day of preparation," was the Sabbath. It was on that holy day that the chief priests and Pharisees applied to Pilate to make secure the sepulcher. What a glaring instance of inconsistency their conduct affords! They who had always accused the Lord of breaking the Sabbath by healing the sick, now, to accomplish their own wicked ends, violated the holy day in a public and flagrant manner. How different from theirs was the conduct of those pious women, who refrained on the Sabbath from preparing ointments to embalm the Lord's body!
But it is remarkable, that while the disciples forgot the words of Jesus, "After three days I will rise again," his enemies remembered them. Sometimes the wicked possess more knowledge of the truth than the righteous; but their hearts are always wrong. The disciples mourned because they knew not that Jesus would rise from the dead—the Pharisees trembled, because they feared lest he should. What is the state of our hearts towards Jesus? Should we be glad to see him come in his glory, or do we dread the day of his appearing?
The Pharisees were not the only people who applied to Pilate respecting the body of Jesus. On the day of the crucifixion, the two honorable counselors, Joseph and Nicodemus, had made a very different request from that of the Pharisees. They had besought Pilate to permit them to take away the body, and had obtained their desire. We know that Pilate had condemned the Lord to death against the convictions of his own conscience. Wishing to have no more to do in the mysterious affair, he permitted the friends of Jesus to take possession of his remains. It is evident that he was not pleased with the malicious request of the Lord's enemies; for he refused to give any commands on the subject, and replied, "You have a watch." There was a band of Roman soldiers, employed by the Jews to guard the temple. This band was placed around the tomb to guard the temple of the Lord's body. But the Pharisees were not satisfied even with this precaution. They thought it possible that the disciples might bribe the soldiers to open the tomb; therefore they sealed the stone.
"Vain the stone, the watch, the seal,
Christ has burst the gates of hell;
Death in vain forbids his rise,
Christ has opened Paradise."
The guards set to obstruct the entrance of the tomb, were designed by God to become witnesses of his power and glory. The schemes of wicked men against the Lord's anointed shall be overruled for the establishment of his kingdom. He who sits in the heavens laughs at their puny efforts. The day will come when it will be shown that all they have done to injure his cause, has only promoted his glory. But they will be punished for their wicked designs. Satan has not been able really to injure Christ; but he will be consigned to the burning lake because he made the blasphemous attempt.