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.

Thus it came out why Satan wanted a watch in the first place. By that means, the evil one provided suborned testimony to deny the resurrection after the fact. The resurrection seems to have been fully anticipated by Satan. Why, in all ages before or since, has there never been another case of guarding a grave to prevent a report of resurrection from the dead? There is a uniqueness about this solitary case of grave-guarding that truly identifies it as a part of that supernatural struggle between light and darkness on Calvary.

Second only to the betrayal by Judas was this conduct of the soldiers of infamy. For money, they circulated a lie concerning the most important truth the human race would ever know, even if the race of man should continue a million years. That the lie was not even contrived by them but by the priests, and that it was scandalously implausible even on its face, and actually unbelievable, made no difference.

So they took the money! What an indictment! How perfidious was their shameful compliance with the mandate of the priests! There would, of course, be men in all ages who would consent to believe it. There at the grave of Jesus, the BIG lie was born; and it is the ancestor of every big lie since then. Holy men, fired with heavenly zeal, would girdle the earth with the "good news" of the gospel! They would endure hardships unspeakable and finally seal every word with the blood of martyrdom; but alongside the apostles, there always slithered that child of the serpent, the lie that the disciples stole the body. For men who WILL disbelieve, Satan provides more than enough opportunity.