The Guards' Report and the Chief Priests' Lie
Matthew 28:11-15
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
Jude
Revelation
Matt.28.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Πορευομενων: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,gen,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,3
- ιδου: INTJ
- τινες: PRON,nom,pl,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- κουστωδιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ελθοντες: PART,aor,act,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πολιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- απηγγειλαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- αρχιερευσιν: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- απαντα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- τα: ART,nom,pl,neut
- γενομενα: VERB,aor,mid/pass,part,acc,pl,n
Parallels
- Matthew 27:62-66 (structural): Background to Matt.28.11: the chief priests and Pharisees secured and posted a guard at the tomb, setting the stage for the guard's later report to the authorities.
- Matthew 28:12-15 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation: the chief priests' response—bribing the soldiers and circulating the cover story about the disciples stealing Jesus' body.
- Mark 16:11 (thematic): Like Matt.28.11, women report the empty tomb and resurrection; Mark emphasizes the disciples' unbelief when told by the women.
- Luke 24:11 (thematic): Reports of the women's testimony about the empty tomb are described as 'an idle tale' by the male disciples—parallel in theme of women's witness being discounted.
- John 20:2 (thematic): Mary Magdalene's immediate report of the empty tomb to Peter and the beloved disciple parallels Matt.28.11's focus on those who carried news of the tomb's events to others.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had taken place.
Matt.28.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- συναχθεντες: VERB,aor,pas,ptc,nom,pl,m
- μετα: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πρεσβυτερων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- συμβουλιον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- τε: PART
- λαβοντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- αργυρια: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- ικανα: ADJ,acc,pl,n
- εδωκαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- στρατιωταις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
Parallels
- Matt.27.62-66 (structural): Same episode earlier in Matthew: the chief priests and Pharisees secure the tomb and set a guard—background to the later bribing of the soldiers.
- Matt.28.11-15 (structural): Immediate literary context: the report of the guards to the chief priests and the priests' instruction to circulate the theft-story; v.12 is part of this contiguous pericope.
- Matt.26.59-61 (verbal): Chief priests and elders recruit false witnesses against Jesus—shows a pattern of Jerusalem leaders using deception and manufactured testimony.
- Matt.26.14-16 (thematic): Judas's betrayal for money (thirty pieces of silver) parallels the theme of monetary motives and corrupting influence of money in the passion-and-resurrection narrative.
- Prov.17.23 (thematic): Proverb condemning accepting a bribe to pervert justice—the bribing of the guards is an example of this broader biblical concern with bribery and corrupted testimony.
Alternative generated candidates
- And when they had gathered with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
Matt.28.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- λεγοντες·Ειπατε: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m + VERB,aor,act,imp,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- Οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,3,m
- νυκτος: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- ελθοντες: PART,aor,act,nom,pl,m
- εκλεψαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- ημων: PRON,gen,pl,1
- κοιμωμενων·: VERB,pres,act,part,gen,pl,m
Parallels
- Matt.27.64 (verbal): Nearly identical wording: the chief priests ask Pilate to secure the tomb so that 'his disciples may not come and steal him away,' anticipating the stolen-body charge.
- Matt.28.15 (structural): Immediate continuation of the guard narrative: the soldiers are bribed to say the disciples stole the body, and the report is circulated among the Jews.
- John 20.2-10 (thematic): Account of the empty tomb and the disciples' visit; emphasizes the absence of the body and the disciples' role (they were not present to steal it), engaging the stolen-body hypothesis.
- Luke 24.11 (thematic): The women's report of the empty tomb is called an 'idle tale' and not believed by the disciples—parallels the skepticism and alternative explanations (including theft) offered for the empty tomb.
- Mark 16.11 (thematic): When Mary reports the empty tomb, her testimony is disbelieved by the others; this parallels the hostile explanations and rejection of resurrection claims that underlie the 'stolen body' allegation.
Alternative generated candidates
- saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.'"
Matt.28.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εαν: CONJ
- ακουσθη: VERB,aor,pass,subj,3,sg
- τουτο: PRON,acc,sg,n
- επι: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ηγεμονος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- ημεις: PRON,nom,pl,1
- πεισομεν: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,pl
- αυτον: PRON,acc,sg,m,3
- και: CONJ
- υμας: PRON,acc,pl,2
- αμεριμνους: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- ποιησομεν: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,pl
Parallels
- Matt.28:11-15 (structural): Immediate context: the chief priests give the soldiers money and instruct them what to say; verse 14 is part of the same bribery/cover‑up narrative explaining they will 'persuade' the governor.
- Matt.27:62-66 (structural): Earlier scene in Matthew where chief priests and Pharisees secure the tomb and set a guard—this background explains why the soldiers were present and later bribed.
- Matt.27:24-26 (thematic): Chief priests and crowd influence Pilate to release Barabbas; parallels the theme of Jewish leaders seeking to manipulate a Roman governor for their ends (cf. 'we will persuade him').
- Prov.17:23 (verbal): Condemns accepting a bribe to pervert justice ('a wicked man accepts a bribe...'), thematically contrasting the chief priests' corrupt action in persuading the governor to cover the truth.
Alternative generated candidates
- And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you from trouble."
Matt.28.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- λαβοντες: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τα: ART,nom,pl,neut
- αργυρια: NOUN,acc,pl,neut
- εποιησαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- ως: CONJ
- εδιδαχθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- Και: CONJ
- διεφημισθη: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- λογος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ουτος: PRO,nom,sg,m
- παρα: PREP
- Ιουδαιοις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- μεχρι: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- σημερον: ADV
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
Parallels
- Matthew 28:12-14 (structural): Immediate parallel in the same pericope: the chief priests instruct the soldiers to say the disciples stole the body and give them money—this verse is the conclusion of that bribery narrative.
- Matthew 27:62-66 (structural): Earlier Matthean account of the chief priests and Pharisees securing and posting guards at the tomb, providing the background for the bribery and the guard’s involvement in the cover story.
- Luke 24:11 (thematic): Luke records that the report of the women’s testimony was treated as 'an idle tale' by the apostles and others—parallel theme of Christians’ witness being doubted or countered by hostile explanations.
- John 20:2, 11-18 (thematic): John narrates the women discovering the empty tomb and reporting it to the disciples (and Mary’s later encounter with the risen Jesus), highlighting the same contested reports about the empty tomb that Matthew says were countered by the bribery story.
- 1 Corinthians 15:12-15 (thematic): Paul addresses claims that there is no resurrection and the consequences for Christian testimony—a later theological engagement with attempts to deny or explain away the resurrection, thematically akin to the bribed 'stolen body' explanation.
Alternative generated candidates
- So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has circulated among the Jews to this day.
Now as they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
saying, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.'" And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will appease him and keep you safe." So they took the money and did as they had been instructed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.