Breaking the Word

Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. They assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.' And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy (him) and keep you out of trouble." The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present (day). (Mt 28:8-15)

There are two stories of the guards. The first story is the real story which they went and told the officials. Because the gospel says that they told all that had happened. All that had happened were: the stone was rolled; the tomb was empty; the disciples had come; and they had witnessed the empty tomb. Probably this is what the guards would have told the chief priests. 

A large sum of money changed the story. Now the story is that the disciples came (which is true) and the body is no more in the tomb (which is also true). These two facts are interwoven with the thread of stealing and the story is complete. Money always changes stories.

But the story cannot go on like that for ever. The immediate question is: where did they re-bury the dead body? Since the Jews (and the disciples were jews) believed in the resurrection on the last day; they had to bury it somewhere (even in a secret place) till the last day for the resurrection. If they had done it then they would have gone to the tomb in secret to venerate or to pray. They did not seem to have done anything about it. Rather, they preached the resurrection because the body was not there. The disciples’ belief in the resurrection comes from the empty tomb and the vision of the risen Lord.   

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb…Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead. (Jn 20, 1-9)

Resurrection takes place before the arrival of the disciples and Mary of Magdala. Resurrection is like creation. No one can witness it. That is why when God created Eve, God placed Adam into a deep sleep. Because, creation could never be seen by men. Men can only enjoy the effects of creation. Similarly Resurrection cannot be seen by anyone. No one has seen Resurrection but they have witnessed the Risen lord.

That is why before the arrival of the disciples the stone is removed. It could not have been removed by the dead man and it was not removed by anyone interested in the dead person. So the author says (indirectly) that it was removed by God. God worked the resurrection. God raised Jesus from the dead.

The disciples are the witnessed of the empty tomb and cloths that covered the dead person.   The empty tomb and the empty cloths are the proof of something that has taken place to the dead person. That something is what we call resurrection. This is our faith that says that Jesus is risen.