Mt 28:8-15
8[Mary Magdalene and the other Mary] went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce [the good news] to [Jesus’] disciples. 9And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
11While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had happened. 12They assembled with the elders and took counsel; then they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him while we were asleep.’ 14And if this gets to the ears of the governor, we will satisfy [him] and keep you out of trouble.” 15The soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to the present [day].
They gave a large sum of money to the soldiers. Prostitution may not be the oldest profession in the world. Perhaps bribery is. Bribery is very much alive in Jesus’ time. The soldiers are given a large sum of money and told what they are to say. The governor will be satisfied, that is, he will also be bribed.
Satisfied is such an apt word. We cover things up. We make up stories. We gag the truth. We pay our way through. We make everyone happy and satisfied.
Some people believe in karma, that bad things will befall those who do evil. We, Christians, do not believe in karma. We hold that one cannot always get away with everything. Time will come when justice will catch up with evildoers. God, they say, judges quietly. He knows the truth but waits. And the truth will triumph and will be proclaimed from the housetops.
The version of the soldiers who guarded the tomb may have circulated for some time. But lies have expiration dates. The real story of the resurrection lives today. And the lies of the soldiers have been buried with them.