Matthäus 27:66

66 Sie gingen hin und verwahrten das Grab mit Hütern und versiegelten den Stein.

Matthäus 27:66 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 27:66

So they went
From Pilate's palace, to the garden of Joseph, and to the sepulchre there; which whether more than a sabbath day's journey, or two thousand cubits, may be inquired; and if so, then they broke one of their own traditions, which allowed a person to go no further on a sabbath day; (See Gill on Acts 1:12).

And made the sepulchre sure;
in the following manner,

sealing the stone;
that was rolled to the door of it, it may be with some public seal, with Pilate's, or with the sanhedrim's; as the stone at the mouth of the lions' den, in which Daniel was put, was sealed with the king's signet, and with the signet of his lords, ( Daniel 6:17 ) , that there might be no change of the sentence upon him, and by which it appeared, that his deliverance was by no human assistance: so the stone at Christ's sepulchre was sealed, that it could not be removed without breaking it; which would show, whether any fraudulent methods were taken to remove the body:

and setting a watch;
a guard of soldiers, to observe and prevent any person coming near it; or "with the watch": they made sure the sepulchre with the watch; or sealed the stone, the watch being present; all which was overruled by the providence of God, for the greater confirmation of the truth of Christ's resurrection: by the methods taken, it clearly appears, there could be no fraud in the case; the body was laid in a tomb, where no corpse had ever been before; in a tomb hewed out of a rock, to which there was no access, but at the door; where a great stone was rolled; and this had a seal upon it, and a guard of soldiers about it; and hereby there were more witnesses of Christ's resurrection, than otherwise would have been; as the soldiers, though they were afterwards bribed to tell another story; and even the chief priests and Pharisees were convicted that he was risen, or they would never have taken such a method with the soldiers, as they did.

Matthäus 27:66 In-Context

64 Darum befiehl, daß man das Grab verwahre bis an den dritten Tag, auf daß nicht seine Jünger kommen und stehlen ihn und sagen dem Volk: Er ist auferstanden von den Toten, und werde der letzte Betrug ärger denn der erste.

65 Pilatus sprach zu ihnen: Da habt ihr die Hüter; gehet hin und verwahret, wie ihr wisset.

66 Sie gingen hin und verwahrten das Grab mit Hütern und versiegelten den Stein.