Angels From Christ’s Resurrection Until His Ascension
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had witnessed.... Meanwhile a messenger was dispatched to the priests
and rulers, announcing to them: Christ whom ye crucified is risen
from the dead!
A servant was immediately sent with a private message summon-
ing the Roman guard to the palace of the high priest. There they
were closely questioned; they gave a full statement of what they had
witnessed at the sepulcher: That an awful messenger had come from
heaven with face like the lightning for brightness, and with garments
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white as snow; that the earth shook and trembled, and they were
stricken powerless; that the angel had laid hold of the immense stone
at the door of the sepulcher, and had rolled it away as if it had been
a pebble; that a form of great glory had emerged from the sepulcher;
that a chorus of voices had made the heavens and earth vocal with
songs of victory and joy; that when the light had faded out, and the
music had ceased, they had recovered their strength, found the tomb
empty, and the body of Jesus nowhere to be found.—
Redemption: Or
the Resurrection of Christ; and His Ascension, section 6, 14, 15
.
They [the Roman guard] hastened to the chief priests and elders
with the wonderful story of what they had seen; and as those murderers
heard the marvelous report, paleness sat upon every face. Horror seized
them at what they had done. They then realized that if the report was
correct, they were lost. For a little while they were stupefied, and
looked one to the other in silence, not knowing what to do or say. They
were placed where they could not believe unless it be to their own
condemnation.
They went aside by themselves to consult what should be done.
They decided that if it should be spread abroad that Jesus had risen, and
the report of such amazing glory, which caused the guard to fall like
dead men, should come to the people, they would surely be enraged,
and would slay them. They decided to hire the soldiers to keep the
matter secret. They offered them much money, saying, Say ye, His
disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept. And when
the guard inquired what should be done with them for sleeping at their
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post, the priest and elders said that they would persuade the governor
and save them.—
Spiritual Gifts 1:68
.