Sunday: A Sealed Tomb
Christ’s mission seemed to have ended (and even failed) with His death on the cross. Satan succeeded in instigating Judas to betray the Saviour (Luke 22:3-4; John 13:26-27) and the chief priests and elders to demand His death (Matthew 26:59, Matthew 27:20). After Jesus was arrested, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (Matthew 26:56, NKJV), and Peter denied Him three times (Matthew 26:69-75). Now Jesus was lying in a tomb hewed out of a rock, closed with a large and sealed stone, protected by Roman guards (Matthew 27:57-66), and watched by invisible demonic powers. “If he could, he [Satan] would have held Christ locked in the tomb.” — Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, p. 412.
Image © Philippians McKay at Goodsalt.com
During His earthly ministry, Christ had foretold not only His death on the cross but also His resurrection. Using the Eastern inclusive language — in which a fraction of a day stands for a whole day — Jesus mentioned that “as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:39-40, , NKJV). On other occasions Jesus underscored that He would be killed but on the third day He would rise again (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22-23; Matthew 20:17-19). The chief priests and the Pharisees were aware of those statements and took measures that they hoped would prevent His resurrection.
Read Matthew 27:62-66. How did these actions only help provide the world later with more evidence for the resurrection of Jesus?
All security measures taken to keep Jesus locked in the tomb only made His victory over death and the hosts of evil even more noticeable because of all the precautions and measures that they took to try to make sure it would never happen.
Also, these men surely had heard of the miracles of Jesus; they had seen some of them, too. And yet, they think that a guard over the tomb could stop Him, the one who was able to do so many miracles, from being resurrected?
Also, to put a guard around the tomb in case of — what? The disciples might steal the body and then claim that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead? When the people would ask, Where is the risen Jesus? They could say: Just take our word for it.
If nothing else, their actions revealed just how afraid the chief priests were of Jesus, even after He died. Perhaps, deep down, did they fear that He just might be resurrected, after all.
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It's an amazing and scary thought to note that the Roman soldiers and some Jewish Religious Leaders knew and somehow remembered or were certainly convinced that Jesus would rise from death on the 3rd day (Matthew 27:63), but not his Disciples and family. Mary only showed up early at the Tomb in order to anoint the "body" as per their customs and was "surprised" to be told that the Lord is risen (Mark 16:8). The Disciples were locked indoors, afraid! Peter went to the tomb in disbelief (Luke 24:11,12)!
How then we ought to be careful and watchful that the cunning one -- the devil -- does not lead us astray and make us lose focus on the prize and return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
I would add that it was only days earlier that Lazuras was raised from the dead in full view of the disciples (John 12:1; 9-10). Yet, they still didn't believe and marveled when Chist arose (Luke 24:11,12).
When the chief priests and Pharisees asked Pilate to "command that the tomb be made secure until the third day," note his response.
He doesn't sound very confident of success, does he?
When Satan uses human authority to seal or finalize a wicked “deal”, even though it can give us fear and sometimes cause great pain….as in Putin’s use of his seal of authority to kill the Ukrainians….ultimately God’s resurrection story always shines through . For Biblical examples of this comforting truth, look at the seal placed on the lion’s den to keep Daniel inside (Dan. 6:17). Did it keep Daniel down? Or in Queen Esther’s story, Haman’s sealed edict to exterminate the Jewish nation (Esther 8:8). Did Haman succeed? Naboth lost his life when Queen Jezebel used the king’s seal to steal Naboth’s vineyard for her covetous husband (1 Kings 21:7-8,15)… but look at how God had the final say about Jezebel and Ahab (2 Kings 9:7-8,10,33-37).
God is not dominated by the laws or seals of man. Can you imagine when the earth began to shake and split open in a “great earthquake”, and the stone was tossed aside by the angel, that clay seal on the door of the tomb, hatched within the wicked minds of the religious and political rulers working together, with the authority of man in proud letters impressed upon it, shattered into tiny pieces? Praise God that efforts to keep Jesus down will always be thoroughly and ultimately destroyed.
In contrast, when God seals something into being we can trust that it will stay sealed!
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Eph 1:13
““And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:30
“… it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Cor 1:21,22
One more symbolism of Jesus and a seal…
In Revelation 5, John sees a sealed scroll, which was the title deed to all things, in the Eternal Judge's right hand. An angel—as an officer of the heavenly court—issues a challenge for the worthy party to step forward and claim what is his. The ownership of the creation and the whole purpose of God in creating humanity in His image is hanging in the balance—and at first nobody is found who could claim it. John wept as he worried that the world must continue with Satan as its ruler. But then John sees Jesus, having paid the ultimate purchase price for His property, alone worthy to bust through with His unstoppable eternal love for us, and open the sealed deed.
Jesus breaks seals which separate us from Him, and places seals (if wanted) that bind us to Him. 🙏
We need to be honest with ourselves, but stacking up the evidence for Christ's resurrection may do us a lot of good but convincing other people is an entirely different task. Resurrection is not like a science experiment, you cannot repeat it in another laboratory.
Don't get me wrong. I believe in the resurrection of Jesus but when it comes to telling others about it, I have to rely on a different strategy. I have said often that if Jesus has not risen and living in our lives, then we have left him in the tomb. If Jesus is visibly alive in us, then we have a story to tell about the physical resurrection that is believable.
Many people reject Christianity today, not because they find it hard to believe the miracles, but because they do not see the miracle of Christ-filled lives in people who label themselves "Christian".
Paul wrote:
Join me in a prayer for the risen Saviour in our lives, so that the resurrection of Jesus can be meaningful to others. That is a tough prayer when you think it through!
Maurice – yes, I join you in a prayer for the risen Saviour to be shown through our life. Please allow me to share with you something related to this prayer. You state that: “many people reject Christianity today, not because they find it hard to believe the miracles, but because they do not see the miracle of Christ-filled lives in people who label themselves “Christians”.
I agree, to a point, that 'accepting' is made 'easier' when individual Christians express the love of God in their life. Can you tell me how God will be recognized and become more acceptable to those who observe the 'miracle' of the Christ-filled life in others?
Would you agree that being open-hearted and open-minded needs to come first? The Father’s Gospel as taught by Jesus Christ stands on its own merits as it inspires the willing heart and mind through the Holy Sprit. Organized Christianity or their members should not be taken to be the proof or disproof of the validity and truthfulness of the Gospel of Christ.
If you consider that most of the Pharisees and priests of the Sanhedrin were unable to ‘see and hear’ the Truth of the Word of God, what else is left to say or do today in order to ‘convince’ the unbeliever? The Holy Spirit has been sent into all the world, but the Word of God can still only be discerned by the ready and willing heart and mind – Matt.13:14-17.
Why do so “many people reject Christianity today …”? It is for the same reason as it always has been; they want to use their physical ‘eyes and ears’, the satisfaction of their preconceived expectations, as proof to convince themselves of the universal, spiritual Truth. In their mind, physical evidence which satisfies their expectation becomes the ‘proof’ of the existence of the Father and our ‘resurrected’ Savior.
John4:7 – Yes, ‘loving one another’ is God’s evidence of a born-again life, though we are called to ad to this our 'teaching'. The context where ‘good works’ come from can and ought to be ‘explained’; that they are the reflection of God’s spiritual Truth of His Love for mankind; that they come from the Source of all Love, the original Giver of Love - God – for all Love is of God.
I have read through this many times before but never noticed this before
"On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate"
The Priest went to Pilate on SABBATH to ask permission to seal the tomb! They were anxious to get Jesus in the grave BEFORE the sabbath came. Jesus was resting as prophesied the priests were still running scared and seeking a way to make sure Jesus stayed in the tomb.
Myron, I noticed that too. It says to me that they knew they were wrong. They were willing to break their own rules regarding the Sabbath to make sure Jesus did not come out of that tomb. This would be a huge deal for them to be exposed, which, in the end they were exposed to everyone. No amount of money was going to keep those guards completely silent about what they saw.
I am currently reading Sunday's section for this week's lesson and am curious to know if anyone has any additional information on the Eastern inclusive language — in which a fraction of a day stands for a whole day - and potential resources that can help me understand the time frame concept of Jesus being three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
If Jesus had been in the tomb for three complete twentyfour hour days(Friday[preparation day] late afternoon to Saturday[Sabbath] late afternoon[1st 24 hours];to Sunday[1st day] late afternoon[2nd 24 hours]; to Monday[2nd day] late afternoon[3rd 24 hours], then Jesus would have been raised on the fourth day, not the third day as recorded in scripture.
Joe Crews wrote a booklet addressing this topic available from Amazing Facts Ministry(also on their free online library.
[The booklet is also availabe on Amazon as Three Days and Three Nights.]
Thank you for the link to this book....it was very helpful.
Another explanation of 3 days and 3 nights
14 Nisan Thursday - passover lamb killed - Crucifixion
15 Nisan Friday - feast of unleaven bread - a Special Sabbath (John 19:31) in tomb
16 Nisan Saturday - 7th day Sabbath - in tomb
17 Nisan Sunday - Resurrection. (Matthew 28:1) After the Sabbaths (original Greek)
To my mind, Carolyn, that "explanation" creates more problems than it solves. The crucifixion happened on Friday. Otherwise, they would not have broken the legs of the thieves in order to hasten their death, so that they could be taken down before the Sabbath.
If Friday was a special Sabbath, Thursday would have been a preparation day. John 19:14 calls it a preparation day. Lamb killed on Passover and eaten after sunset (next day).
I'd be interested to know of any evidence that the day before a ceremonial sabbath (distinct from the seventh-day Sabbath) was ever called "preparation day," since I don't know of any.
Hello Carolyn,
The simplest reading of the account in all four gospels supports the idea of Friday crucifixion, Sabbath in the tomb and resurrection on Sunday. My understanding of the quote from John 19:31 is the Feast was coincident with the regular Sabbath, making that Sabbath a "high day", that is, two sabbaths occurring on the same day.
The consistency of the gospel witness supports the truthfulness of events.
Regardless, the main point is the resurrection, which appears to have surprised all of Jesus' disciples.
Richard
Eastern thought on a “Day” is complicated. It is NOT black and white (dark/light) as we think of it. There are many factors including celestial factors that go into the calculation of a period of time that equal a day and it varies throughout the year. Just minutes of a “Day” can constitute a whole day. Check out this Jewish site for a beginning of an explanation. There is more to it than this but I believe it will support the idea that it is nothing like we Westerners look at a “Day”.
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/134527/jewish/Zmanim-Briefly-Defined-and-Explained.htm
Lucifer, the adversary of our Creator, offered the world to Jesus and was refused; Jesus preferred the Faith through Love offered by the Father. It proved stronger then the lure of riches and gain this world has to offer; Jesus steadfastly refused the tempter's offer and won - 1John5:4; 1Cor.15:57.
It appears that everyone had a stake in the outcome of this battle; all were focused on ‘securing’ the body of Jesus, but Jesus’ work was not finished, yet. The work of ‘convincing’ was still left to be done - John16:7;
Now, His mission was to assure His astonished Apostles and all who witnessed His death, that His Father truly holds the power of Life and Death in His hands. Fully becoming convinced of this Truth, though, would become the work of the Holy Spirit after His final departure – John14:16; John15:26.
Foretold in the Old Testament and confirmed by His resurrection, Jesus Christ’s message was now to go into all the world. The Spirit of Truth would reveal the truth about the power of the Word of God and Jesus Christ's resurection to all – John15:27; 1Cor.2:9.
Through the sealed tomb was the Love of and Faith in the Father’s Word revealed; the tomb opened and they remained victorious. Nothing in this world was more precious to our Savior than to love God with all His heart and to do His Will. The world still considers it ‘foolishness’ until Truth will be revealed to their hearts and minds.
Nothing the adversary offers the world compares with the value of a resurercted life in Jesus, our Savior. It demonstrates that our fear of death is overcome by God's Love, our faith in His Word.
The tomb is not sealed any longer. To our Savior belongs the victory of Life over death and He shares it with anyone who is willing to follow His Way of Truth and Light into eternity!
This world does not have a solution in itself... mankind does not find solutions to all of the problems it has been causing to the planet... we are not sustainable, not even smart, as far as species... although conscious, we continue to ignore the fact that we are harming our own "house"... for money, greed. So, unless some 'supernatural' power comes to make all of our nonsense stop, we are doomed to ourselves!
In the other hand, in Christ we find the ULTIMATE solution to absolutely ALL of our problems, ambiental, social, personal, physical, emotional, spiritual. God's wisdom is PERFECT, why do we continue do fight against it? We definitely are our worst enemy!
They couldn't keep the Rock (Jesus) shut in a rock (sepulchre). And for the sake of preventing His Resurrection, they could call Pilate 'Sir'!
Three days and three nights in the heart of the earth! Maybe it does NOT refer to 3 days & 3 nights in the grave, but instead 3 days and 3 nights in the clutches of Satan and mankind. Could it be that it's referring to the time in which Jesus actually begins to suffer the penalty for mankind? Jesus had already begun to suffer for mankind on Thursday night in the garden of Gethsemane. Matt. 26:38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”, Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.