SEV Biblia, Chapter 27:66
Y yendo ellos, aseguraron el sepulcro con guardia, sellando la piedra.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:66
Verse 66. Made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.] Or rather, made the tomb secure by the guard, and by sealing the stone. I follow Kypke, in construing meta thv koustwdiav, with hsfalisanto. The guard was to take care that the disciples should not steal him away; and the seal, which was probably the seal of the governor, was to prevent the guards from being corrupted so as to permit the theft. So every thing was done which human policy and prudence could, to prevent a resurrection, which these very precautions had the most direct tendency to authenticate and establish. How wonderful are the wisdom and goodness of God!- and how true is it, that there is neither might nor counsel against him! 1. The death of Christ was ordered, so as to be witnessed by thousands; and if his resurrection take place, it must be demonstrated; and it cannot take place without being incontestable, such are the precautions used here to prevent all imposture.
2. The more the circumstances of the death of Christ are examined, the more astonishing the whole will appear. The death is uncommon-the person uncommon-and the object uncommon; and the whole is grand, majestic, and awful. Nature itself is thrown into unusual action, and by means and causes wholly supernatural. In every part, the finger of God most evidently appears.
3. How glorious does Christ appear in his death! Were it not for his thirst, his exclamation on the cross, and the piercing of his side, we should have found it difficult to believe that such a person could ever have entered the empire of death; but the divinity and the manhood equally appear, and thus the certainty of the atonement is indubitably established.
4. But who can reflect on the state of the poor disciples, during the whole of the time in which our blessed Lord lay under the empire of death, without sharing their sorrows! When he expired on the cross their expectation was cut off; and when his body was laid in the grave their hopes were buried; and nothing but the resurrection of Christ from the dead could have given a resurrection to their hopes. It is true they had heard him say that he would rise again the third day; but in this it is evident their faith was very imperfect; and the uncertainty, perplexity, anxiety, and distress which they in consequence must have suffered, can neither be described nor imagined. Though we know the glorious result, yet who can help sympathizing with the pious father, the virgin mother, and the disconsolate disciples!
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 66. So they went , etc.] From Pilates palace, to the garden of Joseph, and to the sepulchre there; which whether more than a sabbath days 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 Pilates, or with the sanhedrims; as the stone at the mouth of the lions den, in which Daniel was put, was sealed with the kings 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 Christs 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 Christs 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 Christs 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 62-66 - On the Jewish sabbath, the chief priests and Pharisees, when the should have been at their devotions, were dealing with Pilate abou securing the sepulchre. This was permitted that there might be certai proof of our Lord's resurrection. Pilate told them that they migh secure the sepulchre as carefully as they could. They sealed the stone and set a guard, and were satisfied that all needful care was taken But to guard the sepulchre against the poor weak disciples was folly because needless; while to think to guard it against the power of God was folly, because fruitless, and to no purpose; yet they thought the dealt wisely. But the Lord took the wise in their own craftiness. Thu shall all the rage and the plans of Christ's enemies be made to promot his glory __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
οι 3588 T-NPM δε 1161 CONJ πορευθεντες 4198 5679 V-AOP-NPM ησφαλισαντο 805 5662 V-ADI-3P τον 3588 T-ASM ταφον 5028 N-ASM σφραγισαντες 4972 5660 V-AAP-NPM τον 3588 T-ASM λιθον 3037 N-ASM μετα 3326 PREP της 3588 T-GSF κουστωδιας 2892 N-GSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
66. Sealing the stone and setting a watch (sfragisantev ton liqon, meta thv koustwdiav). Lit., having sealed the stone with the watch. Rev., Sealing the stone, the guard being with them. This is rather awkward, but the rendering rightly corrects the A.V. The idea is that they sealed the stone in the presence of the guard, and then left them to keep watch. It would be important that the guard should witness the sealing. The sealing was performed by stretching a cord across the stone and fastening it to the rock at either end by means of sealing clay. Or, if the stone at the door happened to be fastened with a cross beam, this latter was sealed to the rock.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
27:66 {Sealing the stone, the guard being with them} (sfragisantes ton liqon meta tes koustwdias). Probably by a cord stretched across the stone and sealed at each end as in #Da 6:17. The sealing was done in the presence of the Roman guard who were left in charge to protect this stamp of Roman authority and power. They did their best to prevent theft and the resurrection (Bruce), but they overreached themselves and provided additional witness to the fact of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus (Plummer).
