Nougat 22

Sometimes when reading, the text sparks several insights that influence our reading of the Bible and understanding of its implications. These may be context clues that prepare us for what’s coming, or even messages that help us hear from God in Scripture. Today’s Holy Nougat is one such.

Matthew 27:62-63 NIV

[62] The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate.

[63] “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’

A Few Thoughts

Background:

Our Nougat focuses on one response to Jesus’ prophesied death and resurrection. We infer from the text that He might already have been buried, but has not yet risen from the grave.

Surface Observations:

1) Timing: At Least One Day has elapsed since the Crucifixion.

2) Characters: A delegation of religious leaders went to see Pilate about Jesus

3) Context: Their tone suggests that they were not fond of Jesus

Implications:

(This is where we might draw new conclusions from this familiar narrative of our Faith. Hopefully, you see how I arrive at the following conclusions).

A. Traditionally, the timing between Christ’s death and resurrection is seen as Friday to Sunday. But that does not fully add up for many of us. Matthew’s detailed presentation of the timing suggests that this would have been the ‘preparation’ for the Feast of the Passover, which was a celebration of the salvation of the Hebrew firstborn males during bondage to Egypt.

If, as tradition dictated, it involved a half day’s fast, would there be many religious leaders actively present at Jesus’ crucifixion?

And what are the implications for Friday-Sunday death and resurrection?

B. Although we tend to lump them together, were some differences between the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Chief Priests.

Pharisees, comprising the middle or merchant class, were interested in maintaining the links between Judaism and family value, resulting in a very rigid approach to adherence of the faith;

Sadducees, comprisingjewish aristocrats and social elites, focused on tradition. They didn’t uphold teachings on resurrection.

Chief Priests derived from the Levites and may have had members among both groups.

Pilate was a Roman official whose responsibilities included governance of Judea during the Roman occupation. He presided over the Crucifixion. It is often assumed that he might not have been a favorite of the religious leadership.

C. Yet, for the drama unfurled at Jesus’ Crucifixion, all these characters seem to have unity of purpose. Keeping Jesus dead and buried. Despite his wife’s admonitions, Pilate may have felt obliged to see his duties as the Roman official with responsibilities for Jesus through to the end. This obviously included receiving the Jewish contingent, whose biases against Jesus remained strong.

Without any further knowledge of scripture, we could assume that they wished to dispel rumors or subsequent facts surrounding the deceiver’s (i.e., Jesus’) resurrection. Given the views about resurrection from those gathered, and their enmity with Jesus, it isn’t surprising that they interpreted what Jesus said prophetically.

Although we could assume this was a later edition on the text, the decision that followed indicates that something like that happened. Guards were sent to Jesus’ tomb. Stories were prepared when the eventuality became reality.

What is left for us then, is to determine what we believe.

Do we believe

– In a 3-day Crucifixion to Resurrection and how do we count the days?

– Jesus physically rose from death, or is it part of a conspiracy theory?

How does this influence our Practice of, and witness to our Faith?

Selah

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May all we seek be found in Christ