Matthew 27:65 - Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
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What does "Matthew 27:65" mean?
This verse is part of the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection in the Gospel of Matthew. Here's a breakdown of what it means in context:
The Setup: After Jesus' crucifixion, the chief priests and Pharisees are worried that Jesus' disciples might steal his body and claim he had risen from the dead, fulfilling his prophecies. They remember Jesus saying he would rise again after three days (Matthew 27:62-64).
The Request: The chief priests and Pharisees go to Pilate, the Roman governor, to request guards be placed at Jesus' tomb.
Pilate's Response: "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can." This is the verse in question. There are a couple of possible interpretations here, and scholars debate which is most accurate:
"You have a guard" as sarcasm or dismissal: Pilate might be telling them, "You already have a temple guard (belonging to the Jewish authorities). Use them. I'm not going to waste my Roman soldiers on this." In this case, Pilate is downplaying the importance of their concerns and essentially saying, "Deal with it yourselves." The "go, make it as secure as you can" part would then be further dismissive, implying he doesn't care much about their concerns.
"You have a guard" as permission to use a Roman guard: This interpretation suggests that Pilate is granting them permission to use a Roman guard. He is likely still unsympathetic, as he leaves the responsibility of securing the tomb to them. The "go, make it as secure as you can" then becomes an instruction, emphasizing their responsibility.
Following verses: Matthew 27:66 states that they "went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and setting the guard." This verse appears to indicate that they did indeed manage to secure a guard. This tends to support the argument that they had a Roman guard.
In Summary:
Pilate's response is ambiguous and can be interpreted in a couple of ways. He is likely unsympathetic to the concerns of the chief priests and Pharisees. He grants them permission or instructs them to secure the tomb of Jesus to prevent the disciples from stealing the body. The fact that the tomb was secured emphasizes the lengths to which the authorities went to prevent any perceived deception surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection. However, regardless of their efforts, the tomb was ultimately found empty.
Matthew 27:65 - Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
What does "Matthew 27:65" mean?
This verse is part of the story of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection in the Gospel of Matthew. Here's a breakdown of what it means in context:
The Setup: After Jesus' crucifixion, the chief priests and Pharisees are worried that Jesus' disciples might steal his body and claim he had risen from the dead, fulfilling his prophecies. They remember Jesus saying he would rise again after three days (Matthew 27:62-64).
The Request: The chief priests and Pharisees go to Pilate, the Roman governor, to request guards be placed at Jesus' tomb.
Pilate's Response: "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can." This is the verse in question. There are a couple of possible interpretations here, and scholars debate which is most accurate:
"You have a guard" as sarcasm or dismissal: Pilate might be telling them, "You already have a temple guard (belonging to the Jewish authorities). Use them. I'm not going to waste my Roman soldiers on this." In this case, Pilate is downplaying the importance of their concerns and essentially saying, "Deal with it yourselves." The "go, make it as secure as you can" part would then be further dismissive, implying he doesn't care much about their concerns.
"You have a guard" as permission to use a Roman guard: This interpretation suggests that Pilate is granting them permission to use a Roman guard. He is likely still unsympathetic, as he leaves the responsibility of securing the tomb to them. The "go, make it as secure as you can" then becomes an instruction, emphasizing their responsibility.
Following verses: Matthew 27:66 states that they "went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and setting the guard." This verse appears to indicate that they did indeed manage to secure a guard. This tends to support the argument that they had a Roman guard.
In Summary:
Pilate's response is ambiguous and can be interpreted in a couple of ways. He is likely unsympathetic to the concerns of the chief priests and Pharisees. He grants them permission or instructs them to secure the tomb of Jesus to prevent the disciples from stealing the body. The fact that the tomb was secured emphasizes the lengths to which the authorities went to prevent any perceived deception surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection. However, regardless of their efforts, the tomb was ultimately found empty.