Matthew 28:12 - When they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers,

Generated Verse: Matthew 28:12

What does "Matthew 28:12" mean?


This verse from Matthew 28:12 describes a key part of the cover-up story orchestrated by the Jewish religious leaders after Jesus' crucifixion. Let's break down its meaning:

"When they were assembled with the elders..." This refers to a gathering of the Jewish leaders, specifically the chief priests and elders, the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the time. They were the ones responsible for Jesus' trial and execution.

"...and had taken counsel..." This indicates that they deliberated and discussed a plan. They were trying to figure out how to deal with the unexpected news that Jesus' tomb was empty.

"...they gave a large amount of silver to the soldiers..." This is the crux of the verse. The leaders bribed the Roman soldiers who had been guarding Jesus' tomb. The "large amount of silver" suggests a significant sum of money, enough to motivate the soldiers to participate in the deception.

In essence, the verse means that the Jewish religious leaders, in a closed-door meeting, decided to pay off the Roman guards to spread a false story about what happened to Jesus' body. The story they wanted the soldiers to tell was that they had fallen asleep and Jesus' disciples had come and stolen the body.

Significance:

Attempt to discredit the resurrection: The verse shows a deliberate attempt to suppress the news of Jesus' resurrection. The leaders feared that the belief in the risen Christ would undermine their authority and the existing religious order.

Corruption and conspiracy: It highlights the corruption within the leadership at the time. They were willing to use bribery and deceit to maintain their power.

Impact on the narrative: This event, as recorded in Matthew, underscores the lengths to which the opponents of Jesus were willing to go to deny his resurrection and its implications.

It's important to note that the Gospel of Matthew presents this as a false account, a fabrication created to counteract the truth of the resurrection. Christian theology views the resurrection as a central and foundational event, and this verse provides context to the challenges to that belief.

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