Tony Abbott once described his Work Choices policy as ‘dead, buried, cremated.’ It was not one of his most elegant descriptions of anything, but he made his point. Matthew makes his point here too, as he tells of how Jesus was dead and buried. It is crucial for the gospel that Jesus died as a real person in a real place for real sin, to be followed by a real resurrection. If He did not rise from the dead, we are dead in our sins – read 1 Cor.15:17. Of course, if Jesus did not literally die, He could not literally rise from the dead, and our sins would not be paid for. Calvin says that burial is a mirror of resurrection.
- Jesus dead and buried.
- Joseph of Arimathea supplied his own new, unused, tomb – 27:57-60; Luke 23:50-51.
- this was witnessed by the women – 27:61.
- the chief priests (Sadducees) and the Pharisees asked Pilate for a guard to make the tomb secure – 27:62-66; note Matthew 12:40. The word for ‘secure’ is found in three successive verses to make the point (vv.64, 65, 66). Calvin spoke of ‘absolutely reliable evidence’.
- Alternative explanations are specious.
- Isa.53:9; Matt.16:21-23.
If the body was stolen, there are only two possible culprits: it could only have been by the authorities or by the disciples. Jesus’ enemies wanted to produce the body to disprove the resurrection. So we are left with the disciples. They were in no condition to do so – Matt.26:31; Luke 24:19-23; John 20:19. They could not have stolen the body. More obviously, they would not have stolen the body.
- Really dead for real sin.
- John Newton:
I may my fierce accuser face,
And tell him Thou hast died.
Stephen Hawking: ‘Because there are laws such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.’ The rationalist is irrational. Worship the Lamb – Rev. 5:11-14.
- John Newton: