The Narrators of the Passion: Doubt, Control, and the Resurrection Story | Perspectives FUMSD Pastors Podcast S3E27
Mar 22, 2026
Summary
Was Jesus resurrected in body or spirit? Does it matter? What does it mean for us today? That’s what Revs. Trudy D. Robinson and Brittany Juliette Hanlin discuss in this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast. This week, we turn to a brief but powerful passage: Matthew 27:62–66, where religious and political leaders seal Jesus’ tomb to prevent what they call “deception.” But beneath the surface is a deeper question: Who gets to control the story of resurrection?
Detail
Was Jesus resurrected in body or spirit? Does it matter? What does it mean for us today? That’s what Revs. Trudy D. Robinson and Brittany Juliette Hanlin discuss in this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast.
Throughout Lent, this series—The People of the Passion—has focused on the individuals surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion, not just as historical figures, but as mirrors for who we are today.
This week, we turn to a brief but powerful passage: Matthew 27:62–66, where religious and political leaders seal Jesus’ tomb to prevent what they call “deception.” But beneath the surface is a deeper question: Who gets to control the story of resurrection?
The female pastors wrestle with:
- Why the resurrection has been reduced to something overly literal and what we lose as a result
- The tension between faith, mystery, and the need for certainty
- How institutions (then and now) shape narratives through doubt and control
- Whether resurrection is less about what happened to Jesus—and more about what is still happening in us
This conversation invites us to move beyond proving resurrection…and instead, to live it.
Continue the conversation by reflecting with someone you trust or join the Perspectives community online via Patreon or in person at the weekly Convergence Discussion Group.
Reflection questions for Lent:
- What significance does the resurrection of Jesus mean for you?
- How does that understanding of resurrection appear in your daily life?
- How does the resurrection impact your relationship with others?
Limited on time? Jump ahead to these pivotal moments.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction: Does the resurrection make sense?
01:43 Scripture Story: Matthew 27, verses 62 to 66
03:18 Is resurrection controversial—or just assumed?
05:00 “Death doesn’t have the final say” – what really matters
07:06 Why we’ve lost the mystery of resurrection
10:46 Resurrection as personal transformation (hope, joy, love)
15:15 Controlling the narrative: doubt, power, and the sealed tomb
19:28 Why Jesus’ story survived—and why that matters
24:18 Resurrection is not just for you
27:45 Reflection questions + closing
