Matthew 28:13

Matthew 28:13, in plain English

They told the soldiers to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole the body while we were sleeping.'

Why it's here

Think about this for a moment: if they were asleep, how would they know who took the body? The cover story doesn't even make sense on its own terms.

Who's speaking

The chief priests tell the soldiers exactly what lie to spread.

Where it sits in the story

It was a terrible cover story, but desperate people don't craft careful lies. The fact that they needed a cover story at all tells you everything—the tomb was empty, and they had no honest explanation.

The scholarly reading

The scripted lie—that disciples stole the body while the guards slept—is self-contradictory, since sleeping witnesses cannot testify to what occurred during their sleep.

Language and setting

Falling asleep on watch was a capital offense in the Roman military, making this cover story implausible without the promised protection of verse 14.

Voice

The chief priests instruct the guards on the fabricated narrative they are to disseminate.

Significance

The cover story contained a fatal logical flaw: if the guards were asleep, how could they know it was the disciples who took the body? The deception revealed more about the conspirators than it concealed about the resurrection.

11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.

12And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money

13and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’

14If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”

15So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Read all of Matthew 28 — An earthquake. An angel. An empty tomb. And then the most important words ever spoken: He is not here. He has risen.