While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
guard - Pilate had put the Roman soldiers at the disposal of the Sanhedrin, so the guards reported to the Jews first.
all that had taken place - the earthquake and the appearance of the angel (vs 2-4)
satisfy him - protect them from punishment for failing in their duty
"The desperation of the Sanhedrin can be clearly seen in the explanation that was offered. These witnesses certainly could not support their testimony as to what had happened, for they were asleep. Their story was a best only a guess. A large sum of money would have been necessary to persuade the guards to perjure themselves because, if they were asleep as they stated, they could be executed by the governor for dereliction of duty. In spite of the obvious flimsiness of the testimony and the danger to life, the guards "took the money and did as they were directed" (v 15). Thus they put their lives into the hands of the Sanhedrin. Having committed themselves to this explanation, the leaders circulated the story widely in an effort to explain away the fact of the resurrection of Christ."
"It is significant that while the disciples disbelieved the reports of the resurrection and sought confirmation of it. The Sanhedrin believed the report and sought an explanation to deny it." (Pentecost)
'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' - If the guards were asleep as they said, how could they know what happened to the body?
all that had taken place - the earthquake and the appearance of the angel (vs 2-4)
satisfy him - protect them from punishment for failing in their duty
"The desperation of the Sanhedrin can be clearly seen in the explanation that was offered. These witnesses certainly could not support their testimony as to what had happened, for they were asleep. Their story was a best only a guess. A large sum of money would have been necessary to persuade the guards to perjure themselves because, if they were asleep as they stated, they could be executed by the governor for dereliction of duty. In spite of the obvious flimsiness of the testimony and the danger to life, the guards "took the money and did as they were directed" (v 15). Thus they put their lives into the hands of the Sanhedrin. Having committed themselves to this explanation, the leaders circulated the story widely in an effort to explain away the fact of the resurrection of Christ."
"It is significant that while the disciples disbelieved the reports of the resurrection and sought confirmation of it. The Sanhedrin believed the report and sought an explanation to deny it." (Pentecost)
'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' - If the guards were asleep as they said, how could they know what happened to the body?
"How would sleeping people know what had happened? Would it be likely that all the soldiers were sleeping at the same time? Why would Roman soldiers risk incriminating themselves even for a large bribe? The story was self-contradictory!" (Ryrie)
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