Matthew 28:15

KJV

So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

KJV (with Strong's)

So {G1161} they took {G2983} the money {G694}, and did {G4160} as {G5613} they were taught {G1321}: and {G2532} this {G3778} saying {G3056} is commonly reported {G1310} among {G3844} the Jews {G2453} until {G3360} this day {G4594}.

Complete Jewish Bible

The soldiers took the money and did as they were told, and this story has been spread about by Judeans till this very day.

Berean Standard Bible

So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.

American Standard Version

So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continueth until this day.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 28:15 details the successful implementation of the chief priests' and elders' conspiracy to suppress the truth of Jesus' resurrection. The Roman guards, having witnessed the miraculous events at the tomb, accepted a large sum of money and, as instructed, propagated the fabricated story that Jesus' disciples had stolen His body while they slept. This verse concludes by noting the widespread and enduring nature of this false report among the Jewish people, persisting even to the time of Matthew's writing.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Matthew 28:15 is the culmination of a sequence of events immediately following Jesus' resurrection. Prior to this, the Roman guards at the tomb were struck with terror by the appearance of an angel and a great earthquake, which rolled back the stone and revealed the empty tomb ([Matthew 28:2-4](/matthew/28-2-4 "Matthew 28:2-4 - The Angel's Appearance and the Guards' Fear")). Some of these guards, recovering from their shock, went into the city and reported all that had happened to the chief priests ([Matthew 28:11](/matthew/28-11 "Matthew 28:11 - The Guards Report to the Chief Priests")). Faced with undeniable, eyewitness testimony of a supernatural event, the chief priests and elders, rather than acknowledging the truth, convened and devised a scheme. They gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, instructing them to spread the lie that Jesus' disciples came by night and stole His body while the guards were asleep ([Matthew 28:12-13](/matthew/28-12-13 "Matthew 28:12-13 - The Bribe and the Lie")). Verse 15 confirms the guards' compliance and the subsequent, lasting impact of this fabricated narrative.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is Jerusalem shortly after the Passover, a time of heightened religious and political tension. The chief priests and elders represented the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish religious and judicial body, deeply invested in maintaining their authority and the existing religious order. The Roman guards were under strict military discipline; falling asleep on duty, especially at a critical post, was a capital offense. The Jewish leaders' promise to "persuade him [the governor] and secure you" ([Matthew 28:14](/matthew/28-14 "Matthew 28:14 - The Promise to Protect the Guards")) indicates their significant influence with the Roman authorities, likely Pontius Pilate, who had already capitulated to their demands regarding Jesus' crucifixion. The payment of "a large sum of money" (ἀργύρια ἱκανά) highlights the desperation and financial resources of the Jewish leaders, underscoring the perceived threat of the resurrection message. The phrase "among the Jews until this day" indicates that this specific false report became a common, enduring counter-narrative to the resurrection claims within Jewish communities during the early Christian era.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. It highlights the **suppression of truth** by those in power who are threatened by divine revelation, showcasing the lengths to which human institutions will go to maintain control and deny inconvenient truths. The immediate and lasting propagation of the lie underscores the **persistence of falsehood and misinformation**, demonstrating how a deliberate fabrication can gain traction and endure, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Paradoxically, the very existence of this elaborate and costly cover-up serves as **indirect evidence for the resurrection**, as a stolen or missing body would not have necessitated such a desperate and widespread deception. Finally, the actions of the chief priests exemplify the broader biblical theme of **human opposition to God's redemptive plan**, echoing the resistance and unbelief seen throughout salvation history, as highlighted in passages like [John 1:10-11](/john/1-10-11 "John 1:10-11 - He Came to His Own").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **took (Greek, _lambánō_):** This verb (G2983) means "to take" in a very wide range of applications, often implying an active reception or acquisition. Here, it signifies the guards' deliberate acceptance of the money, not merely a passive receipt. It underscores their complicity and the transactional nature of their agreement to propagate the lie.
* **taught (Greek, _didáskō_):** Derived from a primary verb meaning "to learn," this prolonged causative form (G1321) means "to teach." In this context, it highlights the specific and intentional instruction given to the guards by the chief priests. It implies a clear, pre-determined narrative that the guards were to internalize and then disseminate, emphasizing the calculated nature of the deception.
* **commonly reported (Greek, _diaphēmízō_):** This verb (G1310) means "to report thoroughly" or "to divulgate." It suggests an active and widespread dissemination, implying that the false story was not merely whispered but actively spread abroad and became a well-known, public narrative. The use of the passive voice ("is commonly reported") indicates that this action was ongoing and widely recognized.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"So they took the money":** This clause directly states the guards' acceptance of the bribe offered by the chief priests and elders. It signifies their agreement to the terms of the conspiracy, prioritizing financial gain over truth and integrity. This act of "taking" is a crucial step in the execution of the leaders' plan to suppress the resurrection.
* **"and did as they were taught":** This phrase confirms the guards' obedience to the instructions given by the Jewish authorities. It means they actively propagated the false narrative that Jesus' disciples had stolen His body while they slept. This highlights the effectiveness of the bribe and the guards' willingness to participate in a deliberate deception.
* **"and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day":** This concluding clause emphasizes the enduring impact and widespread acceptance of the fabricated story. "This saying" (οὗτος ὁ λόγος) refers to the lie about the stolen body. "Commonly reported" signifies its broad dissemination and general currency. The phrase "among the Jews" specifies the primary audience and adherents of this false narrative. "Until this day" is a crucial temporal marker, indicating that at the time Matthew wrote his Gospel, this particular lie was still a prevalent explanation for the empty tomb among Jewish communities, underscoring the persistence of unbelief and the challenge faced by early Christians.

#### Literary Devices
Matthew 28:15 employs several literary devices to underscore its message. The most prominent is **Irony**, as the very attempt to suppress the truth of the resurrection through a fabricated story inadvertently serves as indirect evidence for it. The desperate and costly nature of the lie implies that something extraordinary, requiring a cover-up, indeed occurred. The phrase "until this day" functions as a **Historical Marker** or **Apostolic Parenthesis**, providing a direct connection between the events of Jesus' resurrection and the ongoing reality for Matthew's original audience. This device validates the historical veracity of the account while also highlighting the persistent challenge of unbelief. Furthermore, the narrative presents a stark **Contrast** between the divine truth of the resurrection and the human-orchestrated falsehood, emphasizing the spiritual battle between light and darkness, truth and deception.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 28:15 serves as a stark reminder of humanity's propensity to reject divine truth, particularly when it challenges established power structures or comfortable worldviews. The chief priests' actions illustrate the depth of human depravity and the lengths to which individuals will go to suppress God's work, choosing deliberate deception over acknowledging a miraculous reality. This resistance to God's truth, fueled by fear and self-preservation, is a recurring theme throughout biblical history. Yet, paradoxically, the very existence of this elaborate lie underscores the undeniable power of the resurrection, for if Jesus' body was still in the tomb, or if there was a simple explanation, such a costly and enduring cover-up would have been entirely unnecessary. The lie, in effect, testifies to the truth it sought to bury.

* [John 8:44](/john/8-44 "John 8:44 - The Father of Lies")
* [Acts 5:29](/acts/5-29 "Acts 5:29 - Obeying God Rather Than Men")
* [1 Corinthians 15:1-8](/1_corinthians/15-1-8 "1 Corinthians 15:1-8 - The Resurrection as Core Gospel Truth")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 28:15 offers profound lessons for believers in every age. In a world saturated with information and misinformation, it challenges us to cultivate discernment, recognizing that truth often faces opposition and that false narratives can gain widespread acceptance and endure for significant periods. This verse calls us to a deeper commitment to the historical and theological truth of Christ's resurrection, which is not merely a historical event but the foundational cornerstone of Christian faith and hope. It encourages us to be vigilant against convenient lies and to embrace inconvenient truths, even when they challenge our assumptions or require us to stand against prevailing narratives. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of integrity, courage, and an unwavering pursuit of what is genuinely true, regardless of the cost or the opposition encountered.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does this passage challenge my own readiness to accept or reject truths, especially those that might be inconvenient or challenging to my worldview?**
* **In what ways do I see "false reports" or "alternative facts" being spread and gaining traction in our contemporary society, and how can I respond as a follower of Christ?**
* **What is the practical significance of the phrase "until this day" for my understanding of the enduring nature of truth and falsehood?**

### FAQ
**Why did the chief priests and elders resort to bribery and a false report?**
Answer: The chief priests and elders resorted to bribery and a false report because they were faced with undeniable evidence of Jesus' resurrection, which directly contradicted their efforts to discredit Him and maintain their religious and political authority. They had already condemned Jesus as a blasphemer and orchestrated His crucifixion, believing they had eliminated a threat. The empty tomb and the guards' terrifying testimony of an angel and an earthquake ([Matthew 28:2-4](/matthew/28-2-4 "Matthew 28:2-4 - The Angel's Appearance and the Guards' Fear")) presented an existential crisis to their power and theological claims. Rather than repent or acknowledge God's work, they chose to suppress the truth through deception, attempting to control the narrative and prevent the spread of belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

**How long did this false report persist among the Jews?**
Answer: Matthew 28:15 explicitly states that "this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day." This phrase indicates that at the time Matthew wrote his Gospel, which is generally dated to the latter half of the first century AD (perhaps 60s-80s AD), the fabricated story of the stolen body was still a prevalent explanation for the empty tomb within Jewish communities. This suggests the lie persisted for several decades after the resurrection, highlighting the enduring nature of deliberate misinformation and the ongoing theological debate between early Christians and some Jewish factions regarding Jesus' identity and resurrection.

**What is the significance of the guards' willingness to participate in the lie?**
Answer: The guards' willingness to participate in the lie is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it highlights the corrupting power of money and the compromise of integrity. They accepted "a large sum of money" ([Matthew 28:12](/matthew/28-12 "Matthew 28:12 - The Bribe Offered")) in exchange for their testimony, demonstrating that financial gain can override truth and duty. Secondly, it underscores the desperation of the Jewish leaders, who were willing to pay a substantial bribe and even promise protection from Roman authorities ([Matthew 28:14](/matthew/28-14 "Matthew 28:14 - The Promise of Protection")) to ensure the lie's propagation. Thirdly, it adds another layer of human culpability to the narrative, showing how various parties, for different motives, conspired to deny God's miraculous intervention.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 28:15, while detailing a human attempt to suppress the truth, ultimately serves to highlight the undeniable and unstoppable victory of Christ. The very existence of this elaborate lie underscores the profound reality of Jesus' resurrection, for no such desperate measure would have been necessary had the tomb not been empty and the guards not witnessed a divine intervention. Christ's triumph over death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection are the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, demonstrating His power over sin, death, and the forces of darkness ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Triumph Over Principalities and Powers")). Even as human authorities conspired to spread falsehoods, the truth of Christ's victory could not be contained. His resurrection is the bedrock of the Gospel message, validating His claims to be the Son of God and the promised Messiah ([Romans 1:4](/romans/1-4 "Romans 1:4 - Declared Son of God by Resurrection")). The lie of the stolen body, designed to obscure His glory, instead serves as an ironic testament to the overwhelming evidence that demanded such a desperate cover-up, pointing all the more clearly to Jesus as the [Lord of life](/acts/3-15 "Acts 3:15 - The Author of Life"). He is the [Truth](/john/14-6 "John 14:6 - Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life") whom no lie can ultimately overcome, and His kingdom, founded on the reality of His resurrection, will endure forever, despite all human opposition ([Daniel 2:44](/daniel/2-44 "Daniel 2:44 - God's Enduring Kingdom")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:8

Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

1 Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Matthew 26:15

And said [unto them], What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.