Matthew 27:62-66: a reflection

62Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate, 63saying, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead;’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.

After Jesus is buried, the chief priests and Pharisees go to Pilate, anxious to keep him in the tomb. Remembering that Jesus had said he would rise, they ask for the tomb to be made secure, and they set a guard and seal the stone. They do everything human power can do to keep Christ in the grave: a guard, a seal, a secured tomb. And yet all their efforts could not keep him there; the sealed and guarded tomb could not hold the risen Christ. Human power, arrayed to thwart God's purpose, proved utterly unable to stop it. They sealed the stone and set their guard, but God's purpose to raise his Son went forward, and no human security could prevent it. The efforts of men could not thwart the purpose of God.

Notice the futility of their efforts against God's purpose. They did everything they could: a guard, a seal, a tomb made as secure as possible. Human power was arrayed to keep Christ in the grave, to prevent what God had purposed. And it all came to nothing; the sealed and guarded tomb could not hold him. However thorough their precautions, they could not thwart the purpose of God to raise his Son. The seal was broken, the guard helpless, the stone rolled away. All the security human power could muster was futile against what God had determined to do. When men set themselves against the purpose of God, their efforts, however thorough, cannot finally prevail; God's purpose goes forward. The guarded tomb is a monument to the futility of opposing God.

That is worth taking to heart, for human efforts cannot thwart the purpose of God, however thorough they seem. We can be daunted when human power sets itself against what is good, against God's purposes, and seems so thorough and secure; but the sealed and guarded tomb could not hold Christ, and no human effort can finally thwart the purpose of God. What God has purposed will go forward, whatever forces are arrayed against it. Do not be daunted when human power seems arrayed against God's purposes; the guarded tomb could not hold Christ, and no human effort can thwart what God has determined. Take heart that no human effort can finally thwart the purpose of God, as the sealed and guarded tomb could not hold the risen Christ; for however thorough the precautions men muster against God's purposes, they come to nothing, and what God has determined to do goes forward despite every human effort to prevent it, as the empty tomb declares.

Lord, after Jesus is buried, the chief priests and Pharisees go to Pilate, anxious to keep him in the tomb. Remembering that Jesus had said he would rise, they ask for the tomb to be made secure, and they set a guard and seal the stone. They do everything human power can do to keep Christ in the grave: a guard, a seal, a secured tomb. And yet all their efforts could not keep him there; the sealed and guarded tomb could not hold the risen Christ. Human power, arrayed to thwart your purpose, proved utterly unable to stop it. Show me the futility of their efforts against your purpose. They did everything they could: a guard, a seal, a tomb made as secure as possible. Human power was arrayed to keep Christ in the grave, to prevent what you had purposed. And it all came to nothing; the sealed and guarded tomb could not hold him. However thorough their precautions, they could not thwart your purpose to raise your Son. All the security human power could muster was futile against what you had determined to do. Take that to my heart, for human efforts cannot thwart your purpose, however thorough they seem. I can be daunted when human power sets itself against what is good, against your purposes, and seems so thorough and secure; but the sealed and guarded tomb could not hold Christ. What you have purposed will go forward, whatever forces are arrayed against it. Keep me from being daunted when human power seems arrayed against your purposes; the guarded tomb could not hold Christ, Lord, and no human effort can thwart what you have determined, as the empty tomb declares.