Matthew 27:64, commentary and pictures

On the Sabbath the chief priests and Pharisees came to Pilate asking that the tomb be made sure until the third day, because they remembered that Jesus while alive had said He would rise after three days and they feared His disciples would come by night and steal Him away and tell the people He was risen from the dead, calling that deception the last error worse than the first. Pilate granted them a watch and told them to make it as secure as they could, so a great stone was set before the opening with cords fastened to the rock and sealed with the Roman seal, and disciplined soldiers were stationed around the tomb to prevent tampering. No human sealing and guarding could keep the Lord of Life in the grave nor prevent His resurrection. The very precautions meant to prevent the claim of resurrection instead established its truth and proved no fraud had taken place, so that the greater the guard the more undeniable His triumph. The sealed tomb is empty, for Jesus is not a dead Savior still lying in Joseph's tomb but is risen and lives and reigns as King and Lord, giving believers sure hope that those who trust in Him will live also.

Leaders Secure the Tomb

The chief priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate on the Sabbath, though they would not enter a Gentile house for fear of defilement, to have the tomb made sure until the third day. They came because they remembered that while alive Jesus had said He would rise after three days, and they were determined that death and the grave must hold Him whom they had crucified. Their fear was sharpened by having seen Him raise Lazarus and by remembering His predictions of His death and resurrection on the third day. They feared the disciples would steal the body and tell the people He had risen from the dead, calling that deception the last error worse than the first. The request specified that the disciples might come by night to steal Him away.

His enemies also feared that Jesus Himself might come to life and escape the tomb. Their fear of Him dead was greater than their fear of Him alive. Pilate granted them a watch and told them to make the tomb as secure as they could. Pilate first made certain Jesus was really dead by sending for the centurion in charge at the cross before releasing the body. He had received conflicting reports about the crucifixion and knowledge of Christ's death had been purposely kept from him, so he first learned Jesus was really dead when Joseph asked for the body, and he drew from the centurion an account of the scenes of Calvary confirming the request for burial.

The tomb was made sure with a great stone before the opening, with cords placed across the stone fastened to the solid rock and sealed so the stone could not be moved without breaking the seal. The weight of testimony holds the sealing to have been with the Roman seal, while those behind one account hold it to have been sealed with the seal of the high priest. Soldiers were stationed around the tomb to prevent tampering, a Roman guard of strict discipline keeping watch through the night. The guard around the tomb numbered one hundred soldiers, sealing Him in as securely as if He were to remain there through all time. These precautions were made not by Christ's friends or disciples but by men who hated Him for His purity and integrity, showing they did not realize the uselessness of their efforts to keep Him in the tomb.

The verse belongs to the history of professedly pious Jews told in Matthew 27 and 28, to be read together with Christ's commission to His disciples in Matthew 28.

Guard Proves the Resurrection

The securing of the tomb until the third day was meant to stop any claim that Jesus had risen, yet it established the truth of the resurrection and proved that no fraud had taken place. The sealed stone and the Roman guard became strong testimony to Christ's resurrection, for the stricter the watch the more complete the triumph. The more soldiers placed around the tomb, the stronger their witness that He had risen, so that the greater the guard the more undeniable His victory.

Human sealing and guarding could not hold the Lord of Life in the grave nor prevent His resurrection. The tomb was watched to keep the body from being stolen, but the watch did not prevent Him from rising on the morning of the third day. The sealed tomb and its guards were powerless when a mighty angel came from heaven and rolled away the stone.

Angels also guarded the sepulcher and awaited the command to release Him from the tomb. Roman soldiers kept watch through the night against surprise or fraud, yet one angel had power to strike down the whole Roman army. When the mighty angel appeared in glory and rolled away the stone, the Roman guards who witnessed the rising fell as dead men.

Afterward the disciples bore the lasting stigma of having stolen the body to deceive the people. They feared the false impression created by that accusation could never be corrected.

They themselves saw the great precautions taken to make the tomb sure lest the body be stolen and a resurrection reported. The sight made strange impressions on their minds that they dared not frame into words. Yet they did not believe He would rise the third day as He had plainly stated, being perplexed over what rising from the dead might mean. When He was buried their hopes were buried with Him in utter hopelessness, despondency, sorrow and despair, with faith unable to penetrate the shadow cast across their horizon. Only afterward, when He was glorified before them at His ascension to heaven, did they remember with sorrow that if they had believed His word and searched the Scriptures concerning Him they would have found comfort and hope and been saved much sorrow.

Risen Lord Gives Hope

The sealed tomb is empty, for Jesus is not a dead Savior still lying in Joseph's tomb closed with a great stone and sealed with the Roman seal. The tomb is no longer the place where He is found, for He is risen and lives. He reigns as King and Lord of hosts.

His resurrection gives believers hope and grounds the assurance that those who trust in Him will live also. This hope holds the soul like a sure anchor, and belief in Jesus brings the promise of seeing God's glory.

The risen Christ guards His loyal people amid the strife of nations. He measures their trials and watches over them through testing and danger, so that they are safe in His hands. To accomplish this He had laid aside His divine glory and taken humanity, so that people could endure His presence and humanity could be brought into close connection with God.