Now as the women were on their way, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened.

They met with the elders and decided to give a large sum of money to the soldiers.

They told them, 

"Say that Jesus' disciples came at night and stole his body while you were sleeping.

And if the governor hears about this, we will take care of it with him so you will have nothing to worry about."

So the soldiers took the money and did as they were told. And this report has spread throughout all Judea to this very day.

Matthew 28:11-15 CEB

Why didn't they just tell the truth?

It's so easy to blame the minimum wage workers.

So easy to blame those with no power.

Yet it's the chief priests in this story, those with power and resources who are controlling the narrative, what people are led to believe, because it suits them.

This passage is recorded by Matthew for a reason - why is it part of the Easter story for us?

Is it to remind us where we have power to use it for justice, to stand for truth even if it costs?

Or maybe it's a nudge to stand against, to resist systems of power that try to shape our world, to stand by those more vulnerable (the ordinary soldiers, the security guards in this story)?

Remember Jesus was killed by people wanting to maintain their power...

#easter2025

#somethingtochewon

#upsidedownkingdom