Matthew 28 11

Matthew 28:11 kjv

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

Matthew 28:11 nkjv

Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

Matthew 28:11 niv

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.

Matthew 28:11 esv

While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.

Matthew 28:11 nlt

As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened.

Matthew 28 verses

Matthew 28 11 Meaning

Matthew 28:11 describes a pivotal moment following Christ's resurrection. As the women departed the empty tomb after encountering the angel, some of the Roman guards, assigned to secure the grave, entered Jerusalem. These guards then reported all the astonishing and supernatural events they had witnessed at the tomb to the very chief priests who had appointed them. This report forced the religious authorities, who were opponents of Jesus, to confront the undeniable reality of the empty tomb and the miraculous occurrences associated with it, despite their efforts to prevent any such claims.

Matthew 28 11 Context

Matthew 28:11 is set in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' resurrection. Following Jesus' burial, the chief priests and Pharisees, remembering Jesus' prophecy of rising in three days, requested Pontius Pilate to secure the tomb with guards and a seal (Matt 27:62-66). Their intention was to prevent the disciples from stealing the body and claiming a resurrection. Verse 11 introduces a parallel narrative to the women's experience at the tomb, shifting focus to the Roman guards. While the women are going to tell the disciples what they witnessed (Matt 28:8-10), the guards, having also experienced supernatural events (earthquake, terrifying angel), now come to report these to the chief priests. This verse serves as a critical bridge, setting up the Jewish leaders' attempt to suppress the resurrection truth through bribery (Matt 28:12-15) and demonstrating their hardened hearts in the face of irrefutable evidence.

Matthew 28 11 Word analysis

• Now when they were going: The Greek phrase is poreuomenōn (πορευομένων), a present participle, indicating a continuous action. This highlights that the women, mentioned in verses 8-10, were still on their way when this next significant event involving the guards began to unfold. It creates a sense of immediate sequential action in the narrative.
• behold: The Greek word is idou (ἰδοὺ), an exclamation common in the Gospels. It serves to draw the reader's attention to something sudden, important, or surprising about to be revealed, marking a significant turn in the narrative.
• some of the watch: The Greek tines tōn phylassontōn (τινὲς τῶν φυλασσόντων) means "some of those guarding." This refers to the Roman soldiers appointed by Pilate at the request of the chief priests (Matt 27:65-66). The word "some" implies a contingent of them, not just an individual, which would lend credibility to their joint eyewitness account of the events. These guards were elite, typically in units of four or sixteen, entrusted with critical security, and failing their duty could result in death (cf. Acts 12:19).
• came into the city: This refers to Jerusalem. The tomb was outside the city walls, implying that the guards departed their post, presumably due to the terrifying experience (Matt 28:4), and returned to a place of authority to make their report.
• shewed unto: The Greek word is apēngeilan (ἀπήγγειλαν). This term implies a formal or official reporting or announcing, not merely casual conversation. It denotes a delivering of news or information, often with significant implications.
• the chief priests: The Greek tois archiereusin (τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσιν) refers to the highest-ranking Jewish religious officials, predominantly Sadducees, who held significant power within the Sanhedrin. These were the primary instigators behind Jesus' crucifixion and His persistent antagonists. They are presented here as receiving a direct report about what transpired at the tomb.
• all the things that were done: The Greek panta ta genomena (πάντα τὰ γενόμενα) signifies a complete and comprehensive account. This suggests the guards reported not just the empty tomb, but also the earthquake, the angel descending, the angel's dazzling appearance, and their own incapacitating fear and stupor, all as described in Matt 28:2-4. Their testimony was robust and inclusive of the supernatural.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch...": This phrase connects the women's departure to the sudden appearance of the guards, highlighting the narrative continuity and the concurrent unfolding of events. The behold emphasizes the immediate impact and unexpected nature of the guards' appearance.
• "came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests...": This sequence of actions emphasizes the guards' direct and official reporting to the very individuals who had a vested interest in the tomb's security and preventing resurrection claims. It highlights their accountability and the gravity of their message.
• "all the things that were done": This conclusive phrase stresses the full extent of the guards' report. It was not just the absence of a body but the detailed, eye-witness account of divine intervention and overwhelming power that the guards were compelled to deliver, placing the chief priests in an undeniable position regarding the supernatural events.

Matthew 28 11 Bonus section

• The detail of the guards reporting to the chief priests is unique to Matthew's Gospel. This narrative choice emphasizes Matthew's theological purpose in refuting contemporary Jewish polemics that claimed Jesus' body was stolen by His disciples (as seen in the later bribery narrative in Matt 28:12-15).
• From a Roman military perspective, the guards' failure to secure their prisoner (even if supernaturally overpowered) was punishable by death. Their decision to report everything, rather than fabricating a story initially, highlights the overwhelming and terrifying nature of what they witnessed.
• The scene underscores that God's sovereign plan cannot be thwarted by human plotting or power. Those intended to prevent the resurrection paradoxically become its unwilling, yet vital, initial witnesses to the authorities.

Matthew 28 11 Commentary

Matthew 28:11 is crucial as it demonstrates that the very authorities who sought to prevent Jesus' resurrection from being proclaimed were among the first to receive irrefutable evidence of it, through their own appointed guards. The guards, eyewitnesses to the earthquake, the descending angel, and the stone being rolled away, were reduced to paralyzed fear. Their report was not merely about an empty tomb, but about divine intervention that shattered their security measures. This direct, credible testimony from those tasked with preventing "deception" utterly dismantled any human conspiracy theory. Despite this undeniable truth presented by the "watch," the chief priests' response was not repentance or belief, but a further descent into deceit through bribery, reinforcing their hardened opposition to God's redemptive plan. This incident highlights the profound human tendency to reject truth, even when confronted with overwhelming evidence, due to vested interests and a love for darkness over light.