Jewish Conspiracy Theory

Evidence ID: HIS-EV70

Evidence: Jewish Conspiracy Theory

Summary: The Jewish leaders took every precaution to secure Jesus' tomb from grave robbers. Because the resurrection was accompanied by supernatural events, the soldiers guarding the tomb fainted and thus failed to fulfill their duties. Instead of being reprimanded, the Jewish leaders bribed to soldiers to spread a lie that Jesus' disciples came by night and stole his body.

Description: Perhaps the most popular theory regarding the missing body of Jesus is that the disciples stole Jesus' body [REF-STO02]. This theory was originally posited by the Jewish chief priests and Pharisees as recorded in Matthew 28. Their primary objective was to discredit Jesus' disciples and put an end to the Christian movement which threatened their political and religious power. To this end, they contrived a conspiracy theory which explained the empty tomb.

The day after the crucifixion and burial, the Pharisees petitioned Pilate to secure Jesus' tomb with guards.

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can." So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. (Matthew 27:62-66)

The Pharisees were keenly aware that Jesus foretold his resurrection (Matthew 12:40, John 2:18-21). They wanted to make sure the disciples would not steal Jesus body on the third day based on Jesus' predictions. Essentially, they wanted to make sure Jesus' body remained in the tomb, so they could prove any claim of a resurrection was a farce. In response to their concern, Pilate granted the Pharisees permission to make the tomb as secure "as they knew how".

It is unclear from this passage whether Roman soldiers were used, or Jewish temple guards were used. If a Roman quaternion were used, four soldiers would have been posted on every 8-hour watch. If temple guards were used, the Pharisees could have deployed tens of guards to secure the tomb. It is also possible the Pharisees posted Jewish temple guards at the tomb to fortify the quaternion of Roman guards.

Because of Pilate's permission to make the tomb as secure "as they knew how", we can assume Jesus' tomb was heavily guarded by very capable, armed soldiers, all hours of the day and night.

During Jesus' resurrection there was a violent earthquake and an angel descended to roll away the stone stealing the tomb.

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

Shocked by these natural and supernatural events, the soldiers on duty fainted and became as "dead men". In Matthew 28:11 we learn that the guards awoke just before the women arrived at the tomb early Sunday morning.

As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. They told the soldiers, "You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble." So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today. (Matthew 28:11-15 NLT)

From this passage we observe that some of the soldiers guarding the tomb returned to the Pharisees and reported what happened. The Pharisees did not reprimand the soldiers for failing to fulfill their duties in securing the tomb. Instead, the Pharisees decided to bribe the soldiers to perpetrate a lie that Jesus' disciples stole the body in the middle of the night. This conspiracy was well organized and spread widely among the Jews.

The lie they were instructed to perpetrate, "Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body", was lame. First of all, the soldiers would not have been sleeping if they were on duty, and if the Pharisees had secured the tomb "as best they knew how". There would have been four or more watches throughout the day and night. Even if the soldiers were sleeping, the commotion made by the disciples moving the stone would have woken the soldiers.

We assume the soldiers were not reprimanded because (1) the Pharisees believed the soldiers' account and (2) they needed the soldiers to testify about the stolen body. They had no other way to account for the broken seal on the tomb and the missing body.

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