Iskander Robertson said
“First, the chief priests and Pharisees were doing risk management: it is possible the disciples would start a rumor. “

so why did the pharisees not keep custody of the body ?

  

It’s most likely Jesus’ body rotted on the cross and was disposed of in a shallow grave.  There was no tomb to be guarded or body to be kept.  The post-resurrection stories are just that – stories.  

Too bad Paul did not mention the women who saw Jesus at the tomb. And were told to report his resurrection to his male disciples. 

If the Gospels were not yet in written form when Paul was alive surely their oral traditions were. Did Paul not hear from Peter or John or the other Apostles about the women?

Or were those reports false the women were not there? 

Perhaps the stories about the Empty Tomb just hadn’t been invented yet?  I’ve always suspected the women were Mark’s creative contribution because their response to the resurrection fits so neatly with his larger themes of fear and silence.

Fear and silence? 

Oh yes.

Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 

And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

After sternly warning him he He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone;

Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.

But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

He said to them, “Why are you afraid? 

“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”

They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 

But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 

Do you have ears, and fail to hear?

Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not tell anyone in the village.”

And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.

So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it…

But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.

Many sternly ordered him to be quiet…

And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

But he was silent and did not answer.

Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.