T Minus 1 Day and Counting: Saturday of Passion Week
You’ll find the events of this day in: Matthew 27:57-66
Read Matthew 27:62-66
The good news of the gospel is not good news to those who refuse to believe. No doubt you have encountered people that, regardless of the amount of answers given and proof provided, they will not concede that Jesus is Lord.
In the aftermath of the crucifixion, there were people present ready to pounce on the events and spin them in any direction except the obvious truth. We learn how sinful people are, how much they love the darkness rather than light, and how the Holy Spirit is needed to break through for salvation to occur.
Matthew’s gospel is the only account of any recorded events on the day after the crucifixion. Can you imagine, had you been there, what must have been going through people’s minds in the aftermath of Friday? Matthew shows us several thoughts that turned to action as the day progressed. Three major thoughts pervaded those who rejected Jesus.
First, The Denial of the Truth
Matthew tells us that, “The next day…the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate (Matthew 27:62).” We don’t have to wonder what they were thinking. The text spells it out clearly. First, they thought that Jesus was an imposter, “We remember what the imposter said (Matthew 27:63).” That’s a bold statement to make about a man who performed incredible miracles, taught truth like no one else, and fulfilled prophecies long held concerning the Messiah. If we are tempted to think that Jesus did not provide enough proof or proclamation of his deity (and Messiahship), then all we need to do is read a gospel account.
Particularly read John’s gospel. Jesus spent the first 11 chapters of John publicly preaching and performing miracles. It all comes to a head in John 10 when the man born blind is healed. At this point in John’s gospel Jesus is rejected by the Jewish religious elite. He withdraws and makes plans to die. The last half of John is all about his passion week and the road to the cross. His road to the cross was due to his truth and his proof. For example, his raising Lazarus from the dead (See John 11) was the catalyst for the leaders to finally carry out the plan to exterminate Christ (see John 11:45-54). No matter how much Jesus said or did, nothing would convince these people that he was nothing more than an imposter.
How about us? How much truth do we need to read and hear to see that Jesus is who He says He is? How much evidence do we need to trust in His promises? We either walk by faith or we walk in denial.
Second, The Denial of the Proof
If we go back and read the events of Good Friday, we see that several events transpired that had to have some impact on the people who witnessed it all. First, there was an earthquake. The Temple curtain was torn in two. We are told, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (see Matthew 27:45-51).” We are even told an amazing event in that, “The tombs also were opened, and many of the bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many (see Matthew 27:52-53).” What must that have been like?
Years ago I read a fictional book entitled The Returned by Jason Mott. The book presents, as good fiction always does, philosophical issues in which the reader must contend. We often think we want our loved ones back, but what would that actually mean if they returned to earth? God obviously does not have that in the master plan. In fact, in the Old Testament it was always said that the saints had a number of days when they walked the earth. We all have a time, and coming back to a time that is not ours would not work. So, like Mott’s book indirectly contends, it’s best to trust God’s plans. We have certain days and years in which we walk the earth (see Abraham’s example in Genesis 25:7).
Our deceased loved ones will reunite with us in eternity. While it wouldn’t be best to have them back here and now we know that we will only be prepared to see them on the other side of glory, and not until. Can you imagine loved ones showing back up at your door? It sounds good. Perhaps it was good? I don’t know about that, but I know it happened at the crucifixion, and I know that it had to have some kind of impact on the community! How could you see earthquakes and dead people and think that all of this was just some imposter posing as the Messiah?
Third, Claiming it Was A Spoof
The last thing we see on this Saturday is that the leaders believed it wall a hoax. “Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first (Matthew 27:64).”
One of the most interesting stories is told by former Nixon Whitehouse counselor, Chuck Colson. Colson was directly involved in the Watergate coverup, ended up going to jail, and then became a born believer when it was all said and done. Reflecting back on that horrible time he equated the cover up of Nixon to the events surrounding the resurrection of Christ. Colson said in his book, Born Again, the following:
”I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Everyone was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren't true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn't keep a lie for three weeks. You're telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.``
Were these 12 men just covering up the death of Jesus attempting to steal his body and create a story? Impossible!
What about you? Do you see the resurrection as spoof or truth? Saturday reveals a lot of what people of that day were thinking, and it reveals what people continue to think today. The Scripture always provides unwavering truth!
Going Deeper:
What do you think the disciples were doing on this day? While the Bible nowhere mentions their Saturday actions, we know that the next day they were huddled in the upper room. What do you think they were thinking?
There are people who say that during this three day period Jesus actually went to Hades and preached to the prisoners there, offering them salvation. They base that off of 1 Peter 3:19. Do you agree that he did this, or would you reject this theory? Why or why not?
