“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 ESV
These five verses from one Gospel writer are the only recorded verses in the Bible referencing Saturday’s events between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. A secret meeting between Pilate and the religious leaders to create a fabricated alibi and to secure the tomb of a dead man. Does that seem interesting to you? The silence of Saturday. No word from Mark, Luke or John. No word from any of the disciples. No word from God. Only the brief words of those plotting a plan in case the “imposter’s” plan actually came to fruition. It almost seems like they believed more in the possibility of Jesus coming back to life than those who walked and talked with him every day for over three years. Why? I think they planned because they actually feared that He would rise again. Why the silence of everyone else? Maybe the God-Man’s supporters were afraid His death was permanent. Plus, Saturday was Sabbath. It was designed to be silent and solemn. Were they just resting for the Sabbath or resting from their running in fear for their lives. The silence of Saturday. Is this silence golden or troubling? Does it add fear or precipitate the hope of Sunday? Does it leave you thinking or at a loss for words? Sometimes silence is golden. Other times, it’s deafening. And this, for me, is such a time. Loud, overwhelming silence. Hard to explain but never without purpose. It’s Saturday. It’s the Sabbath. Jesus is still dead. God is still silent. But all silence must come to an end. And Sunday is coming with noise much louder than Saturday’s deafening silence. It won’t be long now.
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