THE REPORT OF THE ROMAN GUARD

When the angels left the tomb, the light and glory went away. The Roman guards raised their heads and looked around. The guards were amazed. They saw that the great stone had been rolled from the entrance of the tomb. Jesus' body was gone. The guards hurried to the city to tell the priests and rulers what they had seen.SRme 1.1027

The leaders listened to the soldiers' amazing report, and turned pale. Terror filled their hearts. If the report was correct, they were lost. For a time the leaders sat silent, looking into one another's faces. They did not know what to do or say. The leaders went off by themselves to discuss what should be done. The leaders believed that if the people heard Jesus was alive, they would kill those who had murdered Him.SRme 1.1028

Finally the priests and rulers decided to pay the soldiers to keep their report secret. They offered the soldiers a large amount of money, telling them "'You are to say that His disciples came during the night and stole His body while you were asleep'" (Matt. 28:13, TEV). The soldiers asked what would be done to them if they said they were sleeping when they should have been guarding the tomb. The Jewish officers promised to ask the governor to protect the soldiers. So, for the sake of money, the soldiers sold their honor and agreed to do what the Jewish leaders asked them to do.SRme 1.1029