They heard the good news about Jesus’ resurrection. They heard His preaching on salvation. They saw Him in person, yet they remained stubborn, refusing to accept Jesus as the son of God. Instead, they chose to promote a lie.
When some of the guards return from Jesus’ tomb after His resurrection to report to the chief priest what happened, they chose to hide it: “And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, ‘You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep (Matthew 28:12-13, NASB).’”
Compare that to the response of the women who went to the tomb and an angel informed them that Jesus had risen. “And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples (28:8).” On the way they encounter Jesus who tells them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me (10).”
Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid.” Fear is a big factor that can cause people to cower from spreading the good news about Jesus. The chief priests and elders feared losing power and position, and chose to tell the guards to spread the lie that the disciples stole Jesus’ body (13-14). Yet others took Jesus’ words to heart: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (19).”
Over the millennia, humanity has come up with all sorts of ways to stop the gospel of Jesus by spreading fear through intimidation. Yet just as Jesus told the women not to be afraid, he wants us to be fearless and spread the gospel of salvation through Christ.
“Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.” Matthew 10:26-27, NASB
140 Character Christian 