Matthew 28:13
in Matthew 28and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
KJV
Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
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This verse in Matthew 28
Commentary
17 notes on this verse(ubi sup.) Not content to have put the Master to death, they plot how they may destroy the disciples, and make the Master's power matter of charge against His disciples. The soldiers indeed lost Him, the Jews missed Him, but the disciples crimed Him away, not by theft, but by faith; by virtue, and not by fraud; by holiness, and not by wickedness; alive, and not dead.
This site's exposition
shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done
on Matthew 28:11-15
Some of the same guards who had fallen as dead men now report everything honestly to the chief priests, who respond not with faith but with a payment large enough, Matthew's own word for it, to buy silence and a story neither party actually believes. The bribed account, his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept, convicts itself on its own terms, since sleeping soldiers could not have witnessed what happened while they slept, a self-defeating rumor the bench notes Justin Martyr already had to answer in the second century as still current among critics of the church. The chief priests' promise to secure the guards from Pilate's own discipline shows the cover story required collusion at every level Rome could reach, and Matthew records that this saying is commonly reported until this day, meaning still current decades later when he wrote.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The concealment of the Resurrection, and the false allegation of theft, is purchased by money; because by the honour of this world, which consists in money and desire, Christ's glory is denied.
(Vers. 12 seqq.) And when they were gathered with the elders, after taking counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying: Tell them that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep. And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And the story spread among the Jews to this day.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 90 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
How did they steal Him? O most foolish of all men! For because of the clearness and conspicuousness of the truth, they are not even able to make up a falsehood. For indeed what they said was highly incredible, and the falsehood had not even speciousness. For how, I ask, did the disciples steal Him, men poor and unlearned, and not venturing so much as to show themselves? What? was not a seal put upon it? What? were there not so many watchmen, and soldiers, and Jews stationed round it? What? did not those men suspect this very thing, and take thought, and break their rest, and continue anxious about it? And wherefore moreover did they steal it? That they might feign the doctrine of the resurrection? And how should it enter their minds to feign such a thing, men who were well content to be hidden and to live? And how could they remove the stone that was made sure? how could they have escaped the observation of so many? Nay, though they had despised death, they would not have attempted without purpose, and fruitlessly to venture in defiance of so many who were on the watch. And that moreover they were timorous, what they had done before showed clearly, at least, when they saw Him seized, all rushed away from Him. If then at that time they did not dare so much as to stand their ground when they saw Him alive, how when He was dead could they but have feared such a number of soldiers? What? was it to burst open a door? Was it that one should escape notice? […]
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 90 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
For the sake of these soldiers that earthquake took place, in order to dismay them, and that the testimony might come from them, which accordingly was the result. For the report was thus free from suspicion, as proceeding from the guards themselves. For of the signs some were displayed publicly to the world, others privately to those present on the spot; publicly for the world was the darkness, privately the appearance of the angel, the earthquake. When then they came and showed it (for truth shines forth, being proclaimed by its adversaries), they again gave money, that they might say, as it is expressed, "that His disciples came and stole Him." How did they steal Him? O most foolish of all men! For because of the clearness and conspicuousness of the truth, they are not even able to make up a falsehood. For indeed what they said was highly incredible, and the falsehood had not even speciousness. For how, I ask, did the disciples steal Him, men poor and unlearned, and not venturing so much as to show themselves? What? was not a seal put upon it? What? were there not so many watchmen, and soldiers, and Jews stationed round it? What? did not those men suspect this very thing, and take thought, and break their rest, and continue anxious about it? And wherefore moreover did they steal it? That they might feign the doctrine of the resurrection? And how should it enter their minds to feign such a thing, men who were well content to be hidden and to live? And how could they remove the stone that was made sure? how could they have escaped the observation of so many? Nay, though they had despised death, they would not have attempted without purpose, and fruitlessly to venture in defiance of so many who were on the watch. And that moreover they were timorous, what they had done before showed clearly, at least, when they saw Him seized, all rushed away from Him. […]
But if the guards slept, how saw they the theft? And if they saw it not, how could they witness thereto? So that what they desire to show, they cannot show.
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
Simple minds, and unlearned country-folk, often make manifest without guile the truth of a matter, as the thing is; but on the other hand, a crafty wickedness studies how to recommend falsehood by glosing words.
Likewise in that they urged a lie. And first they urge it; second, they promise impunity. They urge a lie: say, his disciples came by night and stole him away. Jer. 9:5: they have taught their tongue to speak lies. In Ps. 26:12: iniquity hath …
Now when they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city, and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Say, his disciples came by night, and stole him while we slept - Is it possible, that any man of sense should digest this poor, shallow inconsistency?
But, (3.) Considering this as intended to overthrow the great doctrine of Christ's resurrection, this was a sin against the last remedy, and was, in effect, a blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, imputing that to the roguery of the disciples, which was done by the power of the Holy Ghost.
Saying, say ye his disciples came by night,.... They charged them to tell every one that should ask them about this affair; and even publish it every where, that the disciples of Christ came in the dead of the night, and stole him away while we slept: which was a very unlikely thing, and a foolish scheme this, for such a body of men to form.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
His disciples came by night - This was as absurd as it was false. On one hand, the terror of the disciples, the smallness of their number (only eleven); and their almost total want of faith; on the other, the great danger of such a bold enterprise, the number of armed men who guarded the tomb, the authority of Pilate and of the Sanhedrin, must render such an imposture as this utterly devoid of credit. Stole him away while we slept - Here is a whole heap of absurdities. 1st.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept--which, as we have observed, was a capital offense for soldiers on guard.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:15w-of-28
These verses form the conclusion of the Gospel of St. Matthew. They begin by showing us what absurdities blind prejudice will believe, rather than believe the truth; they go on to show us what weakness there is in the hearts of some disciples, and how slow they are to believe; they finish by telling us some of the last words spoken by our Lord upon earth—words so remarkable that they demand and deserve all our attention. Let us observe in the first place the honour which God has put on our Lord Jesus Christ.
These verses form the conclusion of the Gospel of St. Matthew. They begin by showing us what absurdities blind prejudice will believe, rather than believe the truth; they go on to show us what weakness there is in the hearts of some disciples, and how slow they are to believe; they finish by telling us some of the last words spoken by our Lord upon earth—words so remarkable that they demand and deserve all our attention. Let us observe in the first place the honour which God has put on our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord says, “All power is given unto me in heaven and ” This is a truth which is declared by St. Paul to the Philippians: “God has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name” ( Philippians 2:9 ). It is a truth which in no wise takes away from the true notion of Christ’s divinity, as some have ignorantly supposed. It is simply a declaration that, in the counsels of the eternal Trinity, Jesus, as Son of Man, is appointed heir of all things; that he is the Mediator between God and man; that the salvation of all who are saved is laid upon him, and that he is the great fountain of mercy, grace, life and peace. It was for “this joy set before him” that he “endured the cross” ( Hebrews 12:2 ). Let us embrace this truth reverently and cling to it firmly. Christ is He has the keys of death and hell; Christ is the anointed priest, who alone can absolve sinners; Christ is the fountain of living waters, in whom alone we can be cleansed; Christ is the Prince and Saviour, who alone can give repentance and remission of sins. In him all fullness dwells. He is the way, the door, the light, the life, the shepherd, the altar of refuge. “He that hath the Son hath life; he that hath not have the Son of God hath not life.” ( 1 John 5:12 ). May we all strive to understand this!
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| λέγοντες· | legontes | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| εἴπατε | eipate | do say | G2036 → | 925 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαθηταὶ | mathetai | disciples | G3101 → | 260 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| νυκτὸς | nuktos | by night | G3571 → | 61 times |
| ἐλθόντες | elthontes | having come | G2064 → | 628 times |
| ἔκλεψαν | eklepsan | they stole | G2813 → | 13 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | we | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| κοιμωμένων. | koimomenon | being asleep. | G2837 → |
λέγοντες·saying;
legontesG3004 →1325 times
εἴπατεdo say
eipateG2036 →925 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
μαθηταὶdisciples
mathetaiG3101 →260 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
νυκτὸςby night
nuktosG3571 →61 times
ἐλθόντεςhaving come
elthontesG2064 →628 times
ἔκλεψανthey stole
eklepsanG2813 →13 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἡμῶνwe
hemonG3165 →1936 times
κοιμωμένων.being asleep.
koimomenonG2837 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 26:64“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on…
it leads to
- Daniel 7:13
In my vision in the night I continued to watch, and I saw One like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led…
- Mark 14:62
“I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
- Psalms 110:1
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
- Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
- Daniel 7:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Matthew
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Hilary of Poitiers, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 90; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Peter Chrysologus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.