and setting a watch = with (Greek. meta, as in verses: Matthew 27:34 , Matthew 27:41 , Matthew 27:54 . Not as in verses: Matthew 27:7 , Matthew 27:38 ) the watch: i.e. in the presence of the watch, leaving them to keep guard. read more
So they went, and made the sepulchres sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.Thus Christ was sealed in the grave, the guard posted, and the Pharisees settled down to enjoy their imagined triumph. The sabbath, whether the high sabbath of the Passover or the ordinary weekly sabbath, would find the Lord sleeping in his grave. The victory of evil was apparently complete and irrevocable. The sadness and discouragement that descended upon the disciples can only be imagined. The entire... read more
Matthew 27:66. So they went, &c.— The priests going along with the guards granted them by the governor, placed them in their post, and sealed the stone that was rolled to the door of the sepulchre, to hinder the guards from combining with the disciples in carrying on any fraud whatever. We find a precaution of the like kind made use of by Darius, Dan 6:17 in the case of Daniel shut up in the lion's den. Thus while the priests cautiously proposed to prevent our Lord's resurrection from being... read more
66. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone—which Mark ( :-) says was "very great." and setting a watch—to guard it. What more could man do? But while they are trying to prevent the resurrection of the Prince of Life, God makes use of their precautions for His own ends. Their stone-covered, seal-secured sepulchre shall preserve the sleeping dust of the Son of God free from all indignities, in undisturbed, sublime repose; while their watch shall be His guard of honor until... read more
5. The burial of Jesus 27:57-66Matthew emphasized two things about Jesus’ burial: the fulfillment of prophecy, and the impossibility of the theory that someone stole Jesus’ body. read more
The guarding of Jesus’ tomb 27:62-66Matthew’s Gospel is the only one that includes this pericope. It is a witness to the falsehood of the chief priests and elders’ claim that someone stole Jesus’ body (Matthew 28:11-15). read more
Pilate refused to assign his own troops to guard Jesus’ tomb, but he allowed the Jewish leaders to use their temple guards for this purpose (cf. Matthew 28:11). Pilate’s reply was probably cynical. These men had feared Jesus when He was alive, and now they feared His disciples after He was dead. Pilate did not think the chance that Jesus’ disciples would steal His body was very great. The chief priests and Pharisees secured the tomb by posting their guards at the site and by putting an official... read more
Before Pilate. The Crucifixion1, 2. Jesus delivered to Pilate (Mark 15:1; Luke 23:1; John 18:28: see on Jn).1. When the morning] Since according to St. Luke, who follows an excellent and independent authority, the trial itself did not take place ’until it was day’ (Luke 22:66), this second meeting must be placed some time later in the morning, considerably after cock-crowing (Matthew 26:74). The object of the meeting, which was evidently largely attended, was simply to consider how to induce... read more
(66) Sealing the stone.—The opening of the tomb had been already closed by the stone which had been rolled so as to fill, or nearly fill, it. The sealing was probably effected by drawing one or more ropes across the stone and fastening either end to the rock with wax or cement of some kind.And setting a watch.—Better, with the guard. What is meant is that the priests were not content to leave the work to the soldiers, but actually took part in it themselves. read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:57-66
160. The burial (Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)Two members of the Sanhedrin did not agree with the decision to crucify Jesus. They were Nicodemus (cf. John 3:1-12; John 7:45-52) and Joseph, the latter being a man from the Judean town of Arimathea. Joseph, like many rich people, had built a fine tomb to be used one day for himself, but he sacrificed it so that Jesus could have an honourable burial. The two men took the body down from the cross late on the Friday... read more