Matthew 27 64

Matthew 27:64 kjv

Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Matthew 27:64 nkjv

Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first."

Matthew 27:64 niv

So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."

Matthew 27:64 esv

Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first."

Matthew 27:64 nlt

So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we'll be worse off than we were at first."

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 64 Meaning

Matthew 27:64 records the chief priests and Pharisees, full of fear and unbelief, requesting Pilate to secure Jesus' tomb. They remembered Jesus' prophecy of rising on the third day and, assuming it to be a deception, feared His disciples would steal the body and then falsely claim His resurrection. Their ultimate concern was that such a false report would create a "last error"—a widespread belief in a false resurrection—that would be "worse than the first" error, referring to Jesus' public ministry and claims. This reveals their desperate attempt to control the narrative and suppress any belief in Jesus' divine claims.

Matthew 27 64 Context

Matthew 27:64 is set in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Jesus had been buried late on Friday, the day of His crucifixion (Matt 27:57-61). The verse records the interaction between the chief priests and Pharisees, the religious authorities, and Pilate, the Roman governor. Driven by fear that Jesus' prophetic claim of rising after three days would gain credence, even if they believed it was a deception, they urgently seek Pilate's permission to secure the tomb. This interaction highlights their intense animosity towards Jesus and their proactive measures to prevent His influence from continuing, even in death. Their concern about the "third day" shows they were well aware of Jesus' teachings and predictions concerning His resurrection. Their desperate attempt to control the outcome ironically sets the stage for a stronger witness to the actual resurrection, as their extraordinary precautions verify the empty tomb later.

Matthew 27 64 Word analysis

• Command: The Greek word is keleusō (κελεύσω), indicating a directive, an order. This reveals the authoritative posture of the religious leaders, even towards Pilate, stemming from their perceived position and concern for public order.
• therefore: Connects to the previous verse (Matt 27:63), where they recalled Jesus' prophecy about rising "after three days." Their request is a direct consequence of their fear of this specific claim.
• sepulchre: From the Greek taphos (τάφος), meaning grave or tomb. Specifically refers to the burial place of Jesus.
• be made sure: From the Greek asphalizō (ἀσφαλίζω), meaning to make firm, secure, or safe; to guard against escape or intrusion. This implies a thorough securing process beyond simple burial, involving sealing and guarding.
• until the third day: This precise timeframe directly links to Jesus' specific prophecies (e.g., Matt 16:21, 17:23, 20:19) and the Jewish understanding of a three-day period after which a body was fully dead and resuscitation was thought impossible.
• lest: Introduces the specific reason for their request, articulating their fear.
• his disciples: Refers to the followers of Jesus, whom the religious leaders viewed as deluded and capable of deception.
• come by night, and steal him away: This reveals their specific preconceived notion of how a false resurrection claim would arise – a clandestine act of body snatching. This is their planned narrative if the tomb is found empty.
• and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: The exact declaration they feared would be spread, knowing its powerful implications for Jesus' messianic claims and their authority.
• so the last error shall be worse than the first:
  • last error: Refers to the believed resurrection (which they assume would be a false one orchestrated by the disciples). They envision it as a more potent and dangerous deception.
  • worse: Implies greater impact, wider deception, and more significant public disturbance than Jesus' original ministry.
  • the first: Refers to Jesus' public ministry, His claims of being the Son of God, and His teachings and miracles which they condemned as blasphemous or performed by the power of evil.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day": This phrase showcases the religious leaders' direct challenge to God's redemptive plan through their attempt to exert control over the fate of Jesus' body, based on their misinterpretation of His prophecies. They aimed to prevent the very event that was prophesied.
  • "lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead": This forms the core of their "stolen body" theory, a preemptive accusation that reveals their complete disbelief in Jesus' divine nature and power. It also demonstrates their understanding of the central importance the resurrection would hold for Jesus' followers.
  • "so the last error shall be worse than the first": This statement highlights their priority: not truth or divine revelation, but the containment of perceived spiritual or social unrest that might challenge their power. They saw Jesus' movement as a 'rebellion' and His resurrection as an even greater threat to their established religious order. The very means they employed to suppress the truth ultimately provided independent corroboration for it.

Matthew 27 64 Bonus section

The irony in Matthew 27:64 is profound: The very precautions taken by Jesus' adversaries to prevent a supposed hoax—namely, sealing the tomb and posting Roman guards—ended up serving as compelling evidence for the authenticity of the resurrection. When the tomb was found empty despite these stringent measures, it strengthened the testimony of Jesus' followers that He had truly risen. Their calculated effort to discredit Jesus paradoxically authenticated His ultimate triumph over death. This pre-empts common arguments against the resurrection and solidifies its historical foundation.

Matthew 27 64 Commentary

Matthew 27:64 encapsulates the profound unbelief and desperate actions of the chief priests and Pharisees. Their request to secure the tomb reveals several key aspects: Firstly, their awareness of Jesus' prophecies of resurrection (even though they label Him a "deceiver" in the previous verse) is evident. This ironically establishes a common ground: both believers and skeptics were expecting something to happen on the third day. Secondly, their fear of a "stolen body" narrative directly addresses and pre-emptively debunks a major historical counter-explanation to the resurrection. The fact that the tomb was sealed and guarded at their request for the express purpose of preventing a body theft makes any later "stolen body" theory much harder to substantiate. Thirdly, their statement that "the last error shall be worse than the first" speaks volumes about their motives. Their primary concern was not the truth, but the public perception and potential social uprising that a resurrection claim (even if perceived as false) might cause, further destabilizing their religious and political authority. Their fear of Jesus' teachings being validated through a resurrection demonstrates the immense spiritual blindness that kept them from recognizing God's work. Ultimately, their efforts to thwart God's plan became part of the very evidence for its triumph, making their own security measures unintended proofs for the authentic resurrection.