John Calvin Commentary Matthew 28:15

"So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying was spread abroad among the Jews, [and continueth] until this day." — Matthew 28:15 (ASV)

And this statement is currently reported. It was the finishing stroke of God's vengeance to blind the Jews, so that the resurrection of Christ was buried by the soldiers' perjury, and such a gross falsehood was believed. From this it is evident that those who did not believe Christ had risen were deceived by a voluntary error, just as the world voluntarily gives itself up to be deceived by Satan's snares.

For if anyone had merely opened their eyes, a long inquiry would have been unnecessary. Armed soldiers say that the body of Christ was stolen from them by a feeble, timid, small, and unarmed group of men. What plausible grounds do they have for saying so? They add that this was done while they were asleep. How then do they know that it was stolen? And if they had any suspicion of the disciples, why did they not track their footsteps? Why did they not, at least, make a noise?

It was therefore a childish subterfuge, which would not have protected them from punishment if they had dealt with an honest and upright governor. But through Pilate's connivance, that enormous wickedness was allowed to pass unnoticed. In the same way, we see it happen every day that irreligious judges take little trouble when truth is oppressed by fraud and malice; on the contrary, if they are not afraid of suffering damage, they appear to enter into collusion with wicked and shameful men.

Though it may appear strange that God would permit this false report to gain currency to extinguish the glory of his Son, we ought to render the honor due to his just vengeance. For we perceive that this nation deserved to have its light obscured by clouds, because it so eagerly seizes upon an idle and childish falsehood. Furthermore, because almost all had stumbled on the stone of stumbling, it was fitting that their eyes should be darkened, that they might not see that the cup of giddiness was presented to them, and, in short, that they were abandoned to every kind of madness, as Isaiah had foretold (Isaiah 6:9).

For God would never have permitted them to be deceived by such foolish credulity, except so that those who had despised the Redeemer might be excluded from the hope of salvation. He now inflicts a similar punishment on the world's ingratitude by giving loose rein to the reprobate, so that they may go from bad to worse.

But though this falsehood gained currency among the Jews, this did not prevent the truth of the Gospel from spreading freely to the very ends of the earth, as it always rises victorious over all the obstacles in the world.