The Hero

“The Lord Is Risen”

Picture: “The Lord Is Risen” 3TC 458.1

This chapter is based on Matthew 28:2-4; 11-15.

The night of the first day of the week had worn slowly away. Christ was still a prisoner in His tomb. The Roman seal was unbroken; the Roman guards were keeping their watch. If it had been possible, the prince of darkness would have kept the tomb that held the Son of God sealed forever. But heavenly angels who excel in strength were waiting to welcome the Prince of life. 3TC 458.2

“And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven.” The bright beams of God’s glory illuminated his pathway. “His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.” 3TC 458.3

This messenger was the angel who fills the position that Satan lost. As he rolled away the stone, heaven seemed to come down to earth. The soldiers saw him removing the stone as if it were a pebble, and they heard him cry, “Son of God, come out; Your Father is calling You.” They saw Jesus come out from the grave and heard Him proclaim over the open tomb, “I am the resurrection and the life.” As He came out in majesty and glory, the multitude of angels welcomed Him with songs of praise. 3TC 458.4

At sight of the angels and the glorified Savior, the Roman guard had fainted and become like dead men. When the heavenly procession was no longer visible, they got up and, staggering like drunken men, hurried to the city, telling those whom they met the wonderful news. They were making their way to Pilate, but the priests and rulers sent for them to come first to meet with them. Trembling with fear, their faces colorless, the soldiers told all, just as they had seen it. They said, “It was the Son of God who was crucified; we have heard an angel proclaiming Him as the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory!” 3TC 458.5

Caiaphas Urges Deceit

Caiaphas tried to speak. His lips moved, but they uttered no sound. The soldiers were about to leave when Caiaphas at last found speech. “Wait, wait,” he said. “Tell no one the things you have seen.” 3TC 458.6

“Tell them,” said the priests, “His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.” Here the priests overdid their story. If the soldiers were asleep, how could they know? And if the disciples had been proved guilty of stealing Christ’s body, would not the priests have been first to condemn them? Or if the sentinels had slept, would not the priests have been the leaders in accusing them to Pilate? 3TC 458.7

The soldiers were horrified. Sleeping at their post was an offense punishable with death. Should they lie and place their own lives in danger? How could they stand the trial, even for the sake of money, if they perjured themselves? 3TC 459.1

The priests promised to secure the safety of the guard, saying that Pilate would not want to have such a report circulated any more than they did. The Roman soldiers sold their integrity for money. They came to the priests burdened with a startling message of truth. They went out with a burden of money and with a lying report on their tongues. 3TC 459.2

Meanwhile the report of Christ’s resurrection had reached Pilate. Though he had condemned the Savior unwillingly, he had felt no real pangs of conscience until now. In terror he now shut himself inside his house, determined to see no one. But the priests made their way into his presence and urged him to overlook the sentinels’ neglect of duty. He himself questioned the guard privately. They did not dare to conceal anything, and Pilate drew from them an account of all that had happened. He did not take any further legal action, but from then on there was no peace for him. 3TC 459.3

In putting Christ to death, the priests had made themselves the tools of Satan. Now they were entirely in his power, entangled in a trap from which they saw no escape but to continue their warfare against Christ. The only hope for them was to prove Christ an impostor by denying that He had risen. They bribed the soldiers and arranged for Pilate’s silence. 3TC 459.4

But there were witnesses whom they could not silence. Many had heard of the soldiers’ testimony about Christ’s resurrection. And certain ones of the dead who came from the tombs with Christ appeared to many and declared that He had risen. The priests and rulers were in continual dread that in walking the streets or within the privacy of their own homes they would come face to face with Christ. Bolts and bars were poor protection against the Son of God. By day and by night that awful scene was before them when they had cried, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Matthew 27:25. 3TC 459.5

The Guarantee of Our Resurrection

When the mighty angel spoke at Christ’s tomb, saying, “Your Father is calling You,” the Savior came out from the grave by the life that was in Himself. Christ had proclaimed in triumph, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Only the Deity could speak these words. All created beings are dependent on God, receiving life from Him. Only He who is one with God could say, “I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it up again.” See John 10:18. 3TC 459.6

Christ rose from the dead as the first fruits of those who slept, and His resurrection took place on the very day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. For more than a thousand years when the people went up to Jerusalem to the Passover, the sheaf of first fruits, the first heads of ripened grain, was waved before the Lord as a thank offering. The grain harvest could not continue until this was presented. The sheaf dedicated to God represented the harvest. So Christ’s resurrection is the representation and pledge of the resurrection of all the righteous dead. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 4:14. 3TC 459.7

Many Resurrected With Jesus

As Christ arose, He brought from the grave a multitude of captives. See Matthew 27:52. They were those who had borne their testimony to the truth at the cost of their lives. Now they were to be witnesses for Him who had raised them from the dead. 3TC 460.1

During His ministry, Jesus had raised the dead to life. But these resurrected ones were not clothed with immortality. They were still subject to death. But those who came from the grave at Christ’s resurrection were raised to everlasting life. Later they ascended with Him as trophies of His victory over death and the grave. But now they went into the city and appeared to many, declaring, “Christ has risen from the dead, and we are risen with Him.” Risen redeemed ones bore witness to the truth of the words, “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise.” Isaiah 26:19. 3TC 460.2

In our Savior, the life that was lost through sin is restored. He is granted the right to give immortality. “I have come,” He said, “that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:54. To the Christian, death is only a sleep, a moment of silence and darkness. “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:4. 3TC 460.3

The Voice that cried from the cross, “It is finished!” will penetrate the graves and unlock the tombs, and the dead in Christ will rise. At the Savior’s resurrection a few graves were opened, but at His second coming all the precious dead will hear His voice and come forth to glorious immortal life. The same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church above all powers, not only in this world, but also in the world to come. 3TC 460.4