The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 654

(cf, A~te I. 15; 1 Oor.. xv, 6?, (5). He calls hie ~sciples hie "br_ethren." Here for the first time we find him usmg th1e condescend.fog and endeanng appellation. The Reeurreotion, which declared him the Son of God with power, declared also all the sons of God to bo his brethren. 'l'he spirit of the servant now gives place to that of the son. First we are "servants," then "friends" (see John xv. 15), finally "brethren" (see oh. xxv. 40; John x.x. 17). (6) The Christian discipleship is now constituted into a. sacred brotherhood.-J. A. M. Vere. 11-17.-~ commotion, The earthquake which accompanied the resurrec- tion of Obrist had its counterpart in the moral commotion which this event occasioned. Thus- I. To WA.TOH WEBl!I MOVED. 1. They were alarmed for their liveB. (1) By" the things that were come to pass." They had felt the shock of a. "great earthquake." The stoutest heart will shake in the presence of a force that moves the foundations of the earth. To this terror was added the appearance of the angel whose form shone like lightning, while hie raiment glittered as the snow. The effect was paralyzing. "For fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men." "Who can abide amidst the wonderful visions and tremendous elemental uproar of that great day of the Lord, when in the glory of his majesty he shall arise to shake terribly the earth? (2) By the fear of military discipline. They were responsible with their lives for the safe custody of the body of Jesus, and the security of the sealed stone. But the stone has been rolled away and the sepulchre is vacant. "What are they to do? The ways of God are perplexing to the sinner. (3) The soldiers tremble for their lives when they should have trembled for their sins. The death of the sinful is of all deaths the most terrible. Unhappily, this is too seldom and too partially seen. 2. They acted with the wisdom of the world. (1) We have no proof that they deserted their post. Some of them went into the city to report to the elders the things that had come to pass. This probably they did by order of their captain, while the rest waited to receive their official discharge. The steady discipline of the Roman soldier has its lessons for the Christian soldier. (2) They entered into the wicked plot of the elders. Covetousness conquered the Roman soldier, "What a mass of evidence did he consent to set aside for a bribe 1 The mercenary tongue will sell the truth for money. Fear may have wrought with their covetousness. They might doubt whether the governor would believe the truth, or whether the rulers might not set up another plot against their fidelity. They elected to take the money and trust to the promise of ttie rulers to secure them against the terror of the military discipline. (3) What a glorious opportunity did the soldiers miss of becoming honourable witnesses for Christ I But God made them his witnesses in spite of their unworthiness. He can make men efficient preachers of his gospel without giving to them a particle of the preacher's honour or reward. II. THB ELDERS WERE MOVED. 1. TM hypocrite i, alarmed for his credit. (1) The murderer would appear a saint. To free themselves of the guilt of the murder of Christ, the rulers had accused him of being a "deceiver" (see eh. xxvii. 63). But his resurrection from the dead is a triumphant refutation of that wicked defence. (2) What will the elders do now that blood-guiltiness is brought home to them ? Will they, even at the eleventh hour, confess their hypocrisy and sue for mercy for their aggravated sin? Or will they at the peril of their damnation defend their credit and persist in their hypocrisy? How solemn are the resolutions of the will I (3) They elect to persist in their impenitence. "What a melancholy example of the power of unbelief! It often pleads want of evidence. Here is an instance of determined unbelief against admitted evidence. An evil, churlish heart will repel the clearest evidence. Note: The waywardness of unbelief prevents the Saviour from rising in our hearts. 2. But he vainly S1!$k, to preserve it. (1) His efforts may be desperately impudent. The elders deliberately resolved to oppose a lie to the living Truth. 'l'hey give II large money" to the soldiers to encourage them to publish the lie. How deeply did they sin in thus casting a stumbling-block in the way of the soldiers I They teach them to lie speciously. 11 By night," etc. But the war is toilsome which false- hood has to wage with truth. "If," etc. (ver. 14). Note: The" large money" is the ilequel of the small money paid to Iscariot. Iniquity begets iniquity, and the descents 160 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. M.:\.TTllEW. [oH. :uvm. 1-20.