Deliverance from the Cross — Page 88
strengthen the action of the heart, though no doubt it would have taken some time for Jesus to recover complete consciousness. This happened during Friday night. Again, we have no indication whatsoever how Jesus passed the day of Saturday and Saturday night. Matthew alone, of the four Evangelists, mentions that after the body of Jesus had been laid in the sepulchre Joseph rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre (Matt. 27:60-61). It is not mentioned, however, whether they were sitting inside the sepulchre or outside of it and when they did depart. The account continues that the next day, that is to say on the Sabbath, the chief priests and Pharisees came to Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command, therefore, that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: So the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them: Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as you can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch (Matt. 27:62-66). This shows that Pilate was indifferent and left the priests and Pharisees to take such precautions as they thought fit; but the precautions that they took were rendered nugatory, as there was a great earthquake: 88