According to Scripture, Jesus died and was laid in the borrowed, unused tomb of Joseph of Arimathea on Friday. Someone asked, “Why a borrowed tomb?” The answer, He only needed it for two nights.
Early Saturday morning the Chief Priests and Pharisees met with Pilate remembering that Jesus had said that “after three days”
He would rise again. The religious authorities asked Pilate to secure the grave at least until the third day. They feared that Jesus disciples would steal His body and falsely claim that Jesus had risen from the dead.
Pilate told them to take their own guard and seal the tomb. They secured the grave, set a seal on the stone that covered the entrance and stationed a guard at the site.
The Chief Priests and the Pharisees were looking only at what man could do. They gave no thought to what God would do. Actually, God was not a part of their thinking. Their authority, their desires, their power was all that was important to them. They overlooked or disregarded the plan, power and authority of God. They didn’t take into consideration that while they might keep someone from taking the body of Jesus from the tomb, they could do absolutely nothing against the power of God to raise Him from the dead.
The religious leaders didn’t count on a powerful earthquake or an angel of God who would roll back the stone. They didn’t count on the fact that Jesus was Lord over life and death and that no human power nor darkness of the tomb could keep the Son of God from rising from the grave.
The skeptical approach to life demonstrated by the Chief Priest and Pharisees was devoid of faith in an Almighty God. Concerned for their own authority, power and welfare they ruled out the authority, power and Will of God.
There are still skeptics today who continue to deny that Jesus even existed. They deny his miracles of healing. They deny his crucifixion and glorious resurrection. They, in essence, deny the validity of the Gospel.
Here is what I would say to them, “Man’s skepticism, unbelief and denial does not diminish the power of God to carry out His Will, His promises, or His Work. God is not and will not be deterred by man’s unbelief. Blessed are those who believe.
In His Love,
Charles
