Matthew 27:64Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe how they labor, even against their own intentions, to uphold the truth. Notice too how the disciples honor this truth, leaving nothing concealed regarding what their foes said, even if it was shameful. They labeled Him a deceiver, yet the disciples did not remain silent—this demonstrates both the malice of His enemies, who continued their rage even after His death, and the integrity and sincerity of the disciples.

We must scrutinize His declaration: "After three days I will arise." You won’t find clearer affirmation of this elsewhere, except in the case of Jonah. The unrighteous Jews understood His words and deliberately chose to act wickedly. Do you see how they inadvertently contended for the truth? They came themselves, inquiring and sealing the tomb with guards, thereby becoming witnesses against themselves. Indeed, when could the disciples have stolen His body? On the Sabbath? And how, when they were prohibited from traveling on that day? If they had broken the law, how could these fearful men have dared to emerge? How could they have won over the populace? What could they have said or done? What drove their jealousy to support a deceased man? What did they hope to gain? What accolades? When He was alive and apprehended, they fled, so how could they have risked standing up for Him after His death, had He not risen?

It is evident they neither wished for nor could have fabricated such an extraordinary resurrection. He spoke repeatedly about it, affirming, as their enemies noted, "I will rise after three days." Consequently, if He hadn’t risen, they—as deceived individuals who faced persecution from everyone, driven from their homes and cities—would have abandoned Him; they would not have spread a false tale, having been misled and suffering greatly because of Him. It goes without saying that the thought of resurrection could not have crossed their minds if it hadn't truly happened. What could they anticipate? Was it based on their words? They were simple, uneducated men. Was it wealth? They possessed nothing. Was it nobility? They were humble and of lowly origins. What of the status of their homeland? They hailed from meager backgrounds. Were they numerous? Hardly, for there were only eleven, and they were scattered. On the Master’s promises? Yet, without His resurrection, the rest of His assurances would hold no weight for them. How could they have calmed the people's outrage? If even their leader did not uphold the word of the gatekeeper's wife, how could they, when witnessing Him bound, dare to proclaim a fabricated narrative of resurrection to the ends of the earth? If one faltered under his wife’s threats, and others scattered at the sight of His bindings, how could they confront kings, princes, and nations, facing swords, flames, and countless forms of daily peril, if not fortified by the strength of the Risen One?

Numerous miracles were performed, yet the Jews felt no shame, crucifying Him who created them. Could mere words from the disciples regarding the resurrection have been credible? Certainly not! All of this transpired through the power of the Risen One. Observe how farcical their schemes become! They declare, "I will rise again after three days," while simultaneously calling Him a flatterer for the same claim. But if He was a deceiver, falsely boasting, why all the anxiety, distress, and commotion? They admit their fear that the disciples might steal away and mislead the crowds, but it has already been demonstrated that this could not have happened. Yet their malice is relentless and shameless, attempting even a foolish act. They insisted on guarding the tomb for three days, seemingly trying to uphold their narrative and suggest that He was deceptive even in burial. This is why He rose quickly, to avoid the accusation of being a liar or having His body stolen. Had He delayed His resurrection, it would have appeared suspicious; if He had risen while they were watching, any delay could have prompted speculation.

Thus, the Lord permitted the tomb to be sealed as they wished and allowed the soldiers to guard it. They didn’t mind to labor on the Sabbath, focusing solely on how to advance their wickedness. This was the peak of their insanity and terror! Those who had seized Him while alive now trembled at the One who had died. Had He been merely a man, they would have remained untroubled. But the very fact that they should acknowledge that even while alive He willingly endured all that He experienced speaks volumes—how could the seal, stone, and guards possibly restrain a dead man? They inadvertently confirmed both His burial and enhanced the credibility of His resurrection since the soldiers were continuously at the tomb and the Jews were vigilant.

He frequently told His disciples that He would rise after three days, but He never specified this timing. The Jewish leaders drew this inference from the account of Jonah. They refer to the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the ultimate deception, with the first deception being His claim to be the Son of God. Oh, foolish ones! Reflect on what motive the disciples would have had to steal the body. If Christ had not resurrected on the third day as He promised, it stands to reason that if they had been misled by Him and turned into enemies of their entire nation, experiencing homelessness and despair because of Him, they would have instead distanced themselves from Him and despised Him as a fraud, making it quite unlikely they would desire to take His body. Furthermore, they would have been unable to persuade the masses of Christ's resurrection. What foundation would they rely upon? Their own words? But they were not learned men. Their wealth? Yet they were destitute. The prestige of their heritage? They were largely unknown. Their numbers? They were merely a handful, not more than ten. The honor of their homeland? They hailed from obscure regions. The assurances of their Master, perhaps? But what assurances could they claim? If He had not risen, they would never have trusted His promises. Thus, it is evidently futile to assume that the disciples could have taken Him; the reasons presented make this highly improbable.

They struggle against it, but ultimately succumb to their own defeat. Regardless of their statements or actions, they work against their own interests. They assert that Jesus is deceased, that Jesus is interred, and that the entrance to His burial site is sealed with a stone. Could this not be a testament to the truth of Christ? This alone is insufficient; they are unwittingly crafting a new victory for the truth, ensuring that, to their disgrace, they become the most loyal witnesses to what will happen to the One who has died.

Where are they now? They have all fled like frightened sheep. Did the Sanhedrin witness any of them at the cross, apart from John? Did they see any at the tomb? Poor souls! They sense the magnificence of Jesus, even in death; they fear a dead Christ yet stubbornly resist the heavenly truth. They grapple with it, but only cause their own downfall.” They overlook that their own law treats contact with a dead body as a defilement, lasting up to seven days and demanding purification, with the failure to cleanse leading to dire consequences. St. Chrysostom observes, “Falsehoods arise from all sides, inadvertently defending the truth. It is essential to affirm that the Lord died, was entombed, and rose again, and even His adversaries lend credence to this belief. Examine their statements: ‘We remembered,’ they assert, ‘the deceiver is still among the living,’ thus affirming His death; ‘we mandated the tomb to be secured,’ therefore He is indeed buried; ‘lest His disciples should stealthily remove Him by night.’ If the tomb is sealed, does the deception truly persist? This is an untenable position! And if no trickery existed, yet the tomb is discovered empty, it is clear that He has risen; we cannot oppose this truth. Do you see how they, albeit unwillingly, advocate for the truth? Observe how the disciples also uphold the truth, revealing everything spoken by their adversaries, even if it casts a shadow upon them. His enemies label Him a deceiver, yet the disciples remain vocal about it. This reflects the viciousness of His foes, as their animosity continued even posthumously. Pilate was disinclined to provoke further contention with them. To him, the matter they raised held little significance.

12:39, 40; 16:4; Jn. 11:19).

It is clear that the enemies of Christ did not accept the truth of these predictions; they perceived Him as merely cunning and feared that His disciples might seize upon this information. Their efforts to silence the Galilean prophet would then be rendered futile. Consequently, the Sanhedrin convened to strategize on how to counteract the potential ramifications of His words. Although the Sabbath hindered a formal assembly, it did not prevent key members from privately discussing a pressing matter. They resolved to request a guard to secure the tomb until the third day. Although they possessed their own temple guards (Luke 22:52), they deemed it prudent to involve the procurator for added authority.

At the same time, Pilate needed to understand their urgency to eliminate Jesus, as well as any necessary precautions against His remaining followers. Once the Sabbath was nearly over, some of the chief priests approached Pilate, presenting a request from the Sanhedrin: "We remember that this deceiver, whose name need not be mentioned, claimed while alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ We affirm that He will not rise. Yet, He has left behind a group of adherents who might exploit His teachings, potentially stealing His body and spreading false reports of His resurrection. Such actions could lead to dire consequences, inciting many to believe, resulting in disturbances in the name of the risen Messiah.”

Pilate, unconvinced by their arguments but eager to dismiss these bothersome petitioners, did not oppose their wishes. It struck him as odd that the Sanhedrin sought his assistance in this matter. The guards who had witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus were still on duty. "You have guards," he replied to the messengers. "Go and secure it as you deem fit." The guards were promptly assigned to the tomb; a rope secured the stone closing the entrance, and a seal was affixed to the ends of the rope. It bore a resemblance to Daniel in the lion’s den under King Darius’s seal; one would anticipate a similar outcome regarding the seal. The reality demonstrated that the guards at Jesus’ tomb were better regarded as the bodyguards of the dormant King rather than mere custodians of His burial site.

The Lord had indeed forewarned His disciples of this eventuality multiple times, albeit in private settings (John 2:19; Matthew 12:39-40, among others). It is plausible that what was shared solely within the circle of the twelve disciples may have been disclosed more widely; the apostles could have relayed it to many of Jesus' devoted followers, who in turn might have shared this news with their friends and families. Consequently, the chief priests and Pharisees could have become aware of the Lord's clear declarations regarding His resurrection, possibly even through Judas. When Pilate learned of their concerns, he informed them they could utilize the guards assigned to them for the festival, meant to prevent disruptions in the temple due to the throngs of worshippers, allowing them to maintain their watch as they deemed appropriate. They proceeded to secure the tomb with guards and sealed the stone.

The chief priests had access to a contingent of Roman soldiers, assigned to maintain order at the temple during the festival. However, they could not simply redirect them without special authorization. To secure this permission, they approached Pilate. In their actions, they unwittingly became instruments of Divine Providence: had they not stationed guards at Jesus' tomb, following His resurrection, they could have maliciously accused the disciples of stealing His body. Such accusations would have drawn on the empty tomb to sway many to their cause, particularly since the risen Christ only revealed Himself to those who had faith in Him. Yet, by arranging for armed soldiers to guard the burial site, they rendered their slander devoid of any credibility.

Some recalled that 'that deceiver' had predicted His resurrection on the third day, prompting them to consider necessary measures, ‘lest his disciples, coming by night, should steal him away and say to the people, 'He is risen from the dead'. And the last deception will be worse than the first.'

The profound impact of the crucified One's death on the people (Luke 23:48), the compassion shown by the devoted women (Matthew 27:55-56; Mark 15:40-41; Luke 23:27), and His interment by two honorable members of the Sanhedrin in a new tomb located in a garden near the city ignited suspicion in the dark hearts of His foes, leaving them restless even during the grand festival. The Lord had frequently and clearly foretold His resurrection to His disciples (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19), and had communicated these truths to the Jews in a more veiled manner (Matthew 12:39-40; John 2:19, 21). In light of these prophecies, His enemies reflected on these claims and, fueled by their intense animosity toward the crucified One, conspired to take every possible precaution in collaboration with the Roman governor. They approached Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember that deceiver said while he was yet alive, 'After three days I will rise again.' Therefore, command that the sepulcher be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' which would render the last deception worse than the first." They considered the news of the resurrection to be a far greater threat than the statements made by Jesus about Himself, believing that those earlier claims could no longer be credible given the circumstances.