Matthew 27:66 kjv
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
Matthew 27:66 nkjv
So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Matthew 27:66 niv
So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Matthew 27:66 esv
So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
Matthew 27:66 nlt
So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.
Matthew 27 66 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus' Resurrection Prophecies | ||
| Mt 12:40 | "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights...so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." | Foretold resurrection after burial. |
| Mt 16:21 | "From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things...and be killed, and on the third day be raised." | Jesus' explicit prophecy to His disciples. |
| Mt 17:23 | "...They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised." | Repeated prophecy before the Transfiguration. |
| Mt 20:19 | "...and crucify him, and on the third day he will be raised." | Prophecy during the journey to Jerusalem. |
| Mt 26:32 | "But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." | Prophecy concerning meeting disciples after resurrection. |
| Mt 27:63 | "Sir, we remember how that imposter said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.'" | The chief priests' knowledge of Jesus' prophecy. |
| Mk 8:31 | "...the Son of Man must suffer many things...and be killed, and after three days rise again." | Mark's account of Jesus' prophecy. |
| Jn 2:19-21 | "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." ... "But he was speaking about the temple of his body." | Jesus linking His body to the temple and resurrection. |
| Acts 2:24 | "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." | Peter's sermon, stating God's sovereign act of resurrection. |
| Acts 10:40 | "but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear..." | Peter's testimony of God raising Jesus. |
| Tomb Security & Verification | ||
| Mt 27:62-65 | The preceding verses where the request for the guard is made. | Immediate context of the guard's appointment. |
| Mt 28:11-15 | "While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place." | The guards' firsthand testimony and the bribe to cover up the resurrection. |
| Mk 15:46 | "...and rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb." | Confirms the presence of a large stone at the tomb entrance. |
| Lk 24:1-3 | "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices...And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb." | The empty tomb discovered by the women. |
| Jn 20:1-8 | "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away." | Discovery of the empty tomb, Peter and John's inspection. |
| Human Opposition & God's Sovereignty | ||
| Ps 2:1-4 | "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?...He who sits in the heavens laughs." | God's response to human plots against Him and His Anointed One. |
| Prov 19:21 | "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." | Emphasizes God's ultimate control over all plans. |
| Isa 46:10 | "declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose...'" | God's foreknowledge and unwavering plan. |
| Acts 4:27-28 | "...for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus...to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place." | Even human opposition fulfills God's predetermined plan. |
| Gen 50:20 | "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..." | God's ability to turn evil human intentions for His good purpose. |
| Sealing as Authority | ||
| Dan 6:17 | "A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring..." | Example of sealing an area to prevent tampering and mark official authority. |
| Rev 5:1-5 | "...a scroll with seven seals...and no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it." | Symbol of unbreakability and divine authority of a sealed item. |
Matthew 27 verses
Matthew 27 66 Meaning
Matthew 27:66 signifies the deliberate and extreme measures taken by the Jewish religious authorities and Roman officials to secure Jesus' tomb, ensuring no one could tamper with the body or claim a fraudulent resurrection. This act of securing the tomb by sealing the stone and setting a military guard represents human futility against the divine purpose and serves to provide irrefutable evidence for the later, miraculous resurrection.
Matthew 27 66 Context
Matthew 27:66 immediately follows the chief priests and Pharisees requesting Pontius Pilate to secure Jesus' tomb. They feared that Jesus' disciples would steal His body and then falsely claim He had risen from the dead, thus perpetuating "the last deception" (Mt 27:64) which they believed would be worse than His initial ministry. Pilate grants their request, giving them leave to secure it as best they could, likely due to his interest in maintaining order and his earlier discomfort with Jesus' crucifixion. This act of securing the tomb occurs after Jesus' death, burial by Joseph of Arimathea, and the setting of the large stone at the tomb's entrance. The entire sequence, from the chief priests' plea to the final sealing and guard, highlights their desperate attempt to control the narrative and suppress any claims of resurrection, unknowingly establishing crucial evidence for its authenticity.
Matthew 27 66 Word analysis
- So they went (ἀπελθόντες / apelthontes): Literally "having gone away" or "departing." This signifies a direct, immediate action taken by the chief priests and Pharisees (or their delegated representatives) following Pilate's consent (Mt 27:65). It indicates their proactive involvement in securing the tomb.
- and made the tomb secure (ἠσφαλίσαντο τὸν τάφον / ēspfalisanto ton taphon):
- ἠσφαλίσαντο (ēspfalisanto): From ἀσφαλίζω (asphalizō), meaning "to make safe," "to make firm," "to secure," "to fasten strongly." This term implies robust and foolproof measures. It highlights the thoroughness of their efforts to prevent any unauthorized entry or tampering. Their intention was to make it humanly impossible for the body to disappear naturally or by stealth.
- τὸν τάφον (ton taphon): "the tomb." Refers specifically to the rock-hewn burial site of Joseph of Arimathea where Jesus' body was laid.
- Significance: This phrase underscores the human, physical impossibility of a resurrection being faked or caused by human intervention. Their very action sets the stage for a divine act, ruling out natural or deceptive explanations.
- by sealing (σφραγίσαντες / sphragisantes): From σφραγίζω (sphragizō), meaning "to seal," "to stamp with a signet," "to secure by a seal," "to certify," "to attest." This was a common practice in the ancient world for securing valuables or important documents, signifying ownership, authority, or finality.
- Process: This would have likely involved stretching a cord or chain across the large stone that covered the tomb's entrance and attaching its ends to the rock on either side with clay or wax, which was then officially stamped with a seal, perhaps Pilate's or the Sanhedrin's.
- Significance: The seal made any disturbance instantly detectable and would incur severe legal penalties from the Roman authorities, reinforcing the tomb's inviolability. It was a formal, legally binding measure.
- the stone (τὸν λίθον / ton lithon): The massive circular or rectangular stone rolled against the tomb entrance (Mk 16:3). Sealing this specific element further guaranteed the integrity of the burial site.
- and setting a guard (μετὰ τῆς κουστωδίας / meta tēs koustōdias):
- τῆς κουστωδίας (tēs koustōdias): A Greek transliteration of the Latin custodia, meaning a "guard" or "watch" (specifically a military guard). This implies Roman soldiers, likely a small detachment (perhaps 4-16 men per shift for a rotating watch).
- Significance: Roman soldiers were disciplined, professional, and feared. They were under strict orders, with severe penalties for dereliction of duty (including death). Their presence removes any possibility of the disciples overpowering them or covertly moving the stone without being detected. This ensures that eyewitnesses from the "enemy" side could testify to the tomb's absolute security.
- Words-group significance: The combined acts of "sealing the stone" and "setting a guard" demonstrate an almost absurd level of precaution from a human perspective, revealing the profound anxiety of the religious leaders. This maximal effort, however, backfired from their viewpoint as it authenticated the resurrection beyond reasonable doubt. It showcases God's sovereign control, as human attempts to prevent a divine act only serve to highlight its undeniable reality.
Matthew 27 66 Bonus section
The "security" measures in Matthew 27:66 also underscore the spiritual blindness of the chief priests and Pharisees. Despite hearing Jesus' prophecies multiple times, they perceived His potential resurrection merely as "deception" orchestrated by His disciples, rather than a divine possibility. Their physical precautions were a misguided attempt to contain a spiritual reality, believing that human strength could overcome God's plan. This incident highlights the tension between worldly power and divine power; even the might of Rome and the authority of the Sanhedrin were utterly ineffective against the ultimate authority of God who would raise His Son. This account, historically preserved in the Gospel of Matthew, became a foundational apologetic argument for the early Christian church against accusations of a stolen body, as it details the extensive efforts of hostile witnesses to ensure the tomb's integrity.
Matthew 27 66 Commentary
Matthew 27:66 serves as a powerful testament to the rigorous and thorough attempts made by the Jewish leaders and the Roman authorities to prevent any alleged resurrection of Jesus. By employing the highest standards of security available—sealing the massive tomb stone with an official seal, making any disturbance instantly detectable and punishable, and posting a well-trained Roman military guard—they unwittingly ensured that any subsequent disappearance of the body could only be attributed to a supernatural event. The very meticulousness of their human precautions sets the stage for God's divine triumph, removing any naturalistic explanation for the empty tomb. It exemplifies the irony of human endeavors opposing divine will: their desperate efforts to discredit Jesus' claims inadvertently provided the most robust evidence for their truth.