Well if the Jewish leaders did not fear the disciples, what did they fear then? I am sure they would not have voiced this openly, but in my judgment what they actually feared was the resurrection. After all, they were not imperceptive, and they had been observing Jesus for the better part of three years. They had seen Him heal the sick, give sight to the blind, cleanse the lepers, restore strength to the impotent. And then, greatest wonder of all, only a few days before His arrest He had actually raised Lazarus of Bethany from the grave.

Usually the Bible is not a funny book. The issues with which it deals are too grave. But the Bible is an honest book, and when it reports situations in life which are naturally funny it reflects them honestly and therefore with an appropriate sense of humor. There is a situation like this in Matthew’s account of the death and burial of Jesus Christ, preceding His resurrection.

We rejoice in hearing of people becoming Christians, learning of people moving from mere understanding of the facts of the Gospel and going beyond that to saving faith in the one who did what He said He would do and rose triumphant, in order that He might live in His church by His Spirit and draw men and women to Him in this age of God’s grace.

And then the religious leaders came to the point in time not far from Jesus’ arrest, and Christ did this stupendous miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus. It was the talk of the town and isn’t it true that somewhere in their thinking there was the idea that perhaps, although they would have liked to arrest Him, they just might not be able to do it.

Not only did they understand the teaching, but they feared the teacher. Oh, they wouldn’t have said that. They were not afraid Jesus might rise from dead. Instead, they feared that Jesus’ disciples might come and steal the body and claim Jesus had risen from the dead. But deep down underneath, who was it they really feared? Was it the disciples? That insignificant band of cowardly men who didn’t even have the courage to stand by their Lord at the time of the arrest and the trial and who scattered at the crucifixion, who were nowhere around and couldn’t be found? Was it really that weak, insignificant band they feared? Or did they really fear the Master?

Yesterday, we concluded by saying that during Jesus’ trial before the religious leaders, these men tried to find something they could accuse Jesus of. However, nothing they said could be established, even though many false witnesses were brought against Jesus. Two came forward and declared, “This fellow said ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” And Mark gives another detail of it: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days I will build another not made by man’” (14:58).
That was very interesting, and it was so for two reasons.

It’s a strange fact about Christianity, but one that we can easily observe, that the Gospel is sometimes better understood by those who are not Christians than by those who are. It’s not that those who are not Christians believe it. They probably disbelieve it, but at least they understand what it’s about while those who are Christians and do believe sometimes appear vague and muddleheaded in their confession.