19. Guard

The Sabbath Day, the body of the Lamb
Of God now taken down and laid to rest,
The chief priests and the Pharisees did go
To Pilate, still with unbelief and fear
Within their hearts and minds despite the sign
Given to them and all who at the time
Of Jesus’ death witnessed the rendering
Of sacred veil, the great symbolic act
To bring all human souls into Yahweh’s
Presence, no more the need to veil that place
Of annual pilgrimage by the High Priest
To burn fragrant and holy incense as
An offering of prayer. With stubbornness
And hardness of their unbelieving hearts,
They put this request unto Pilate, saying:
“Sir, we must tell you of another lie
That came from the lips of that prophet false,
To put false hope into the people’s hearts
And minds to sway them from the path that we
Most surely teach them, for ours is the way
Of truth in which our God is pleased to bless
Us all. While he was still alive that man,
That prophet false when he was still alive
Did say that after three days that he would
Rise from the dead, which is at odds with what
We know and teach, for Sheol is the place
Where spirits of the dead are destined to
Spend time there in anticipation of
The hope when their poor souls will rise upon
The last day, never more in Sheol’s grip.
We ask most humbly for a guard to be
At the tomb stationed where this man now lies
Until the third day, to prevent those who
Are his disciples from stealing his corpse.
We sense that they, with poisoned minds and hearts
Will try to lead the people astray with
Fanciful notions that this man indeed
Has been raised from the dead, for they will say
‘The tomb is empty, come yourselves and see
And believe what we say to be the truth.’
Such false, deceptive utterance will be
Worse than the first that fell from that man’s lips
And will, like disease rampant, spread the more
In the minds of the people to lead them
Further astray from truth that only we
By our laws and our teaching counsel them
In all things righteous, good and diligent.”
And in response, Pilate said unto them
With chagrin and exasperated breath:
“By my authority, I will allow
A guard whom you may take to make the tomb
As secure as you know, even though I
Care not for your beliefs, their origin,
Or what this man has said unto your flock.
My chief concern is to administer
Means by which peace may be kept in this place
Which is your home. Go, make the tomb secure
Although I care not for your flighty talk.
Nonsense it is to me, out of my sight.”
With disgust and contempt raging within
Their minds at Pilate’s words contemptible,
Took they a guard with them to make the tomb
Secure by sealing up the stone in hope
That Jesus’ body would remain untouched
And ever locked away, a prisoner
Of their despicable and loathsome hate.
Yet even with the guard posted nearby
Not even they would ever reckon on
Events invisible to human sight
Would happen to make Jesus, Lamb of God
The One to whom all nations would look to
For their salvation and eternal hope
Transcending earth’s confinement of their souls
To live lives perfect and eternal on
The shores of Paradise, their heavenly home.