The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: `He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
Matthew 28:5-7
Today around the world, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah, is being remembered. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem marks the traditional location where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected.
The Gospel of Matthew says there was a seal placed over his tomb (Matthew 27:66). This wouldn’t keep anyone from opening it, but it was for tamper detection. Using clay or wax, documents and other containers could be sealed with a unique impression like a signet ring (eg Daniel 6:17). Think today of labels on objects you own that say, “Warranty void if seal is broken.” However, Jesus’ tomb was opened and he wasn’t inside. The seal was broken. Death couldn’t hold him in. He is the firstfruits of those to rise from the dead. Because he rose, we who follow him will rise again someday. If his seal was like the seals we have today, perhaps it would have read, “Death void if seal is broken.”
