Matthew says that members of the guard report what happened to the chief priests. After consultation with the elders, the soldiers receive money and are instructed to say that Jesus' disciples stole His body during the night while they were asleep.
Jesus in Context
The Tomb Guards and the Stolen-Body Report
Matthew explains an early alternative account of the empty tomb: the guards are paid to say that Jesus' disciples stole His body while they slept.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
Matthew presents the episode within a world of competing public explanations. The chief priests and elders possess both institutional authority and financial resources, while the soldiers face possible consequences if their superiors hear that they failed in their assignment.
The payment also echoes the earlier payment associated with Judas, creating another scene in which money is connected with opposition to Jesus.
Why It Matters
The passage is valuable historically because Matthew acknowledges rather than conceals an alternative explanation for the empty tomb. His narrative directly disputes the stolen-body claim and says that the explanation continued to circulate when the Gospel was written.