Matthew 27:65 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can."

NIV: "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how."

NASB: Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.'

CSB: "You have a guard of soldiers," Pilate told them. "Go and make it as secure as you know how."

NLT: Pilate replied, 'Take guards and secure it the best you can.'

KJV: Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

NKJV: Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.”

Some of the chief priests and Pharisees have come to Pilate to make one more request about the false Messiah Jesus. They know He claimed the ability to rise from the dead after three days (John 2:19–22). They don't believe this, of course. However, they are worried His followers may steal the body and then tell everyone Jesus has been resurrected. How could they fight that fraud once it got started? If the body were simply to go missing, the lie would be harder to refute (Matthew 27:62–64).

Pilate seems to recognize the danger of such an event. His statement of "you have a guard of soldiers" can also be translated as "you may have a guard" or "take a guard." At the same time, he's not likely interested in using any of his own men for a relatively easy task. The Roman soldiers who will watch over Jesus' grave site are likely those already assigned to duty near the temple in Jerusalem. The religious leaders are, most likely, being given permission to reassign those men to Jesus' grave site.

He tells the Jewish religious leaders to do whatever they can to make the location secure. That will include placing a seal on the rock (Matthew 27:60) warning against tampering, as well as having the guards observe the area.

Matthew 27:57–66 describes Jesus' burial and the watch placed over His tomb. Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy follower of Jesus, asks for Jesus' body. Pilate agrees. Joseph wraps Jesus' body in a clean linen shroud and places it in his own, never-used tomb, which is cut out of the rock in a garden. Jesus' enemies ask Pilate to place Roman soldiers at the grave site. They seek to prevent anyone from stealing His body and claiming He has been resurrected. Pilate agrees. The tomb is sealed. A guard is posted. These events are also seen in Mark 15:42–47, Luke 23:50–56, and John 19:38–42.

When Judas learns Jesus has been condemned, he regrets betraying the Lord. He throws down his ill-gotten money and hangs himself. Jesus is taken to Pilate, who finds nothing to charge Him with. Given the choice, the people shout for the release of a convicted murderer and insist on Jesus' death. Jesus is mocked by a battalion of soldiers and then taken to be crucified. On the cross, He is mocked for not being able to save Himself. After three hours of darkness, Jesus dies. He is buried by a rich follower in a new tomb. This location is tightly guarded to prevent anyone from stealing the body.

Matthew 27 begins with an official meeting of the Jewish ruling council. They affirm Jesus' condemnation from the previous night, described in chapter 26. Judas confesses his betrayal and hangs himself. Pilate tries to release Jesus, but the mob shouts for Jesus to be crucified. Jesus is humiliated by Roman soldiers and marched to be executed. On the cross, He is mocked by Jewish religious leaders and others. He dies and is buried in a never-used tomb. Extensive efforts to secure His body from being stolen only serve to prove the miraculous nature of His resurrection, which is detailed in chapter 28.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.