“The Lord Is Risen”
671
presence, told the story which they had invented, and urged him to
overlook the sentinels’ neglect of duty. Before consenting to this, he
himself privately questioned the guard. They, fearing for their own
safety, dared not conceal anything, and Pilate drew from them an
account of all that had taken place. He did not prosecute the matter
further, but from that time there was no peace for him.
When Jesus was laid in the grave, Satan triumphed. He dared to
hope that the Saviour would not take up His life again. He claimed the
Lord’s body, and set his guard about the tomb, seeking to hold Christ a
prisoner. He was bitterly angry when his angels fled at the approach of
the heavenly messenger. When he saw Christ come forth in triumph,
he knew that his kingdom would have an end, and that he must finally
die.
[783]
[784]
[785]
The priests, in putting Christ to death, had made themselves the
tools of Satan. Now they were entirely in his power. They were entan-
gled in a snare from which they saw no escape but in continuing their
warfare against Christ. When they heard the report of His resurrection,
they feared the wrath of the people. They felt that their own lives were
in danger. The only hope for them was to prove Christ an impostor
by denying that He had risen. They bribed the soldiers, and secured
Pilate’s silence. They spread their lying reports far and near. But there
were witnesses whom they could not silence. Many had heard of the
soldiers’ testimony to Christ’s resurrection. And certain of the dead
who came forth with Christ appeared to many, and declared that He
had risen. Reports were brought to the priests of persons who had seen
these risen ones, and heard their testimony. The priests and rulers were
in continual dread, lest in walking the streets, or within the privacy
of their own homes, they should come face to face with Christ. They
felt that there was no safety for them. Bolts and bars were but poor
protection against the Son of God. By day and by night that awful
scene in the judgment hall, when they had cried, “His blood be on us,
and on our children,” was before them.
Matthew 27:25
. Nevermore
would the memory of that scene fade from their minds. Nevermore
would peaceful sleep come to their pillows.
When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ’s tomb,
saying, Thy Father calls Thee, the Saviour came forth from the grave
by the life that was in Himself. Now was proved the truth of His
words, “I lay down My life, that I might take it again.... I have power