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The Story of Redemption
body of Jesus from the instrument of torture, their sympathetic tears
falling fast as they looked upon His bruised and lacerated form,
which they carefully bathed and cleansed from the stain of blood.
Joseph owned a new tomb, hewn from stone, which he was reserving
for himself; it was near Calvary, and he now prepared this sepulcher
for Jesus. The body, together with the spices brought by Nicodemus,
was carefully wrapped in a linen sheet, and the three disciples bore
their precious burden to the new sepulcher, wherein man had never
before lain. There they straightened those mangled limbs, and folded
the bruised hands upon the pulseless breast. The Galilean women
drew near, to see that all had been done that could be done for the
lifeless form of their beloved Teacher. Then they saw the heavy
stone rolled against the entrance of the sepulcher, and the Son of
God was left at rest. The women were last at the cross, and last at
the tomb of Christ.
Although the Jewish rulers had carried out their fiendish purpose
in putting to death the Son of God, their apprehensions were not
quieted, nor was their jealousy of Christ dead. Mingled with the joy
of gratified revenge, there was an ever-present fear that His dead
body, lying in Joseph’s tomb, would come forth to life. Therefore
“the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir,
we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After
three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre
be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night,
and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the
dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.”
Matthew 27:63,
64
. Pilate was as unwilling as were the Jews that Jesus should rise
with power to punish the guilt of those who had destroyed Him, and
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he placed a band of Roman soldiers at the command of the priests.
Said he, “Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and
setting a watch.”
Matthew 27:65, 66
.
The Jews realized the advantage of having such a guard about
the tomb of Jesus. They placed a seal upon the stone that closed
the sepulcher, that it might not be disturbed without the fact being
known, and took every precaution against the disciples’ practicing
any deception in regard to the body of Jesus. But all their plans