Matthew 28:12 Meaning and Explanation
“And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The chief priests meet with the elders, form a plan, and bribe the soldiers with a large sum of money.
What Does Matthew 28:12 Mean?
Faced with the soldiers' report, the chief priests gather the elders and take counsel. Their solution is not to investigate but to conceal: they hand the soldiers a large bribe to keep the truth from spreading. Money is spent to bury what the grave could not hold.
It is a sobering picture of how the human heart can resist God even when the evidence is plain. These leaders do not deny that the tomb is empty; they simply try to purchase a more comfortable story. Truth is inconvenient to those committed against it, and there is a costly effort here to smother it. Yet no scheme, however well funded, can finally undo what God has done. The resurrection stands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 28:12
What does Matthew 28:12 mean?
The chief priests meet with the elders, form a plan, and bribe the soldiers with a large sum of money.