"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."
When the greatest miracle of all history occurs, the immediate eyewitnesses are soldiers standing guard outside Jesus' tomb. The earth shakes, an angel appears, bright as lightning, and the guards tremble and faint dead away. When they recover, they flee to the authorities to report what they have witnessed. But here is an astounding fact: Later that afternoon the soldiers, who have seen overpowering proof of the resurrection, change their story. The resurrection of the Son of God does not seem nearly as significant as, say, stacks of freshly minted silver.
A few women, grieving of Jesus, are next to learn of the miracle of miracles. Matthew reports that they hurry away, "afraid yet filled with joy." Fear is the reflexive human response to a supernatural encounter. Yet they are filled with joy- the news they hear is the best news of all, news too good to be true, news so good it has to be true.
Jesus is back! He has returned, as he promised. The dreams of a Messiah all come surging back as the women run on legs of fear and joy to tell the disciples. Even as the women run, the soldiers are rehearsing an alibi, their part in an elaborate cover-up. Like everything else in Jesus' life, his resurrection draws forth two contrasting responses. Those who believe are transformed. Meanwhile, those who choose not to believe find ways to ignore evidence they have seen with their own eyes.
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