But the third thought we had about the rumor was this, why would anyone get up as our brother Peter is doing these days, and preach the resurrection of a dead man, Jesus, if it didn't happen -- and especially preach that doctrine within 500 yards of where they buried Jesus? All we can say is that we have seen the Master, talked with Him, eaten with Him -- after we saw Him dead and buried! We know He lives!"

Let us sum up the chief priests' story and its obvious lie by just stating some thoughts, realizing of course that the priests are of concern to us 20 centuries later only as their story relates to our belief in Jesus's resurrection.

First, the priests didn't doubt the guards' story of the raising of Jesus. The priests do not seem for a moment to have doubted the guards. Perhaps it was something in the terrified looks and manner and words of the guards. Second, the priests themselves didn't believe the story they concocted! They never tried to prove the story they made up of the disciples stealing the body, or to seize the stolen body and display it, even though that would have been the quickest way to destroy Christianity.

Third, there are just too many resurrection proofs for such a false story as that of the priests to survive. (1) There is the testimony of those who saw Jesus after His resurrection. Paul, for example, gives a marvelous list in I Corinthians 15 -- He was seen by Peter, then the 12, then by 500 all at once (most of whom are still alive, says Paul when he wrote), then by His brother James, then by all the believers as they gathered for the ascension. (2) There is the transformation of the disciples themselves. Fearful, depressed men saw Him die, saw Him carted off to a tomb, ran amazed to peer into the tomb on Easter Morn -- and their fear changed to faith; their timidity to boldness; their doubt to assurance; their cowardice to courage -- because they realized that Jesus was alive!

(3) There is the unanswered empty tomb. Unanswered, that is, except for this preposterous rumor, and the Gospel account of the resurrection! (4) There is the existence of the Early Church. There is no explanation for the emergence of the church, for the 120 praying at Pentecost, for the boldness of Peter's preaching at Pentecost, for the spirit of love and sharing that characterized the first Christians -- no explanation based on a dead body! But if Jesus did rise from the grave ...

Yet the importance of Easter is not found in the proofs for the resurrection of Jesus. The importance of Easter is not that it assures us that we, too, shall rise from the grave -- that was already a common Jewish belief. The importance of Jesus' resurrection is that it means God is victorious over the Evil One. If the chief priests' story had been true, the devil would still have this world in his grip, and you and I would have no hope of enjoying the fellowship of Jesus or living in the presence of God. The resurrection of Jesus means God is victorious over evil and that the life-giving, life-changing power of Jesus Christ is turned loose in this world. And can be turned loose in your life!