Matthew 27:65

 Matthew 27:65

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

a. NASB 1995: Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” [NASB95 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: And Pilate said to them, 'Ye have a watch, go away, make secure -- as ye have known;'  [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Pilate said to them, You have a guard [of soldiers; take them and] go, make it as secure as you can.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: Pilate said to them, You have guards; go and take precautions as best you know.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: Pilate said to them, “You have a guard[fn] of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

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

a. [Strong: 3588. [ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

b. Pilate [Strong: 4091 Pilâtos, pil-at'-os; of Latin origin; close-pressed, i.e. firm; Pilatus, a Roman:—Pilate.]

c. said [Strong: 5346 phēmí, fay-mee'; properly, the same as the base of G5457 and G5316; to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. speak or say:—affirm, say.]

d. [unto] them [Strong: 846 autós, ow-tos'; from the particle αὖ aû (perhaps akin to the base of G109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative G1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:—her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

e. [Ye] have [Strong: 2192 échō, ekh'-o; a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):—be (able, × hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), × conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, × sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

f. [a] watch [Strong: 2892 koustōdía, koos-to-dee'-ah; of Latin origin; "custody", i.e. a Roman sentry:—watch.]

g. [go your] way [Strong: 5217 hupagō, hoop-ag'-o; from G5259 and G71; to lead (oneself) under, i.e. withdraw or retire (as if sinking out of sight), literally or figuratively:—depart, get hence, go (a-)way.]

h. make it sure [Strong: 805 asphalízō, as-fal-id'-zo; from G804; to render secure:—make fast (sure).]

i. as [Strong: 5613 hōs, hoce; probably adverb of comparative from G3739; which how, i.e. in that manner (very variously used, as follows):—about, after (that), (according) as (it had been, it were), as soon (as), even as (like), for, how (greatly), like (as, unto), since, so (that), that, to wit, unto, when(-soever), while, × with all speed.]

j. [you] can [Strong: 1492 eídō, i'-do; a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent G3700 and G3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:—be aware, behold, × can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

1). This passage (Matthew 27:62-66), is the request for the Roman soldiers to watch over the tomb where Christ was buried to prevent his body from being stolen in order to spread the teaching that Christ had risen from the dead. But it backfired because these same soldiers who were guarding the tomb actually witnessed the moment of the angels rolling away the stone to prove that he did rise. 

a). Matthew 27:62-66 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

(1) The soldiers were there from the day after Jesus was crucified until the resurrection. A Roman watch consisted of three hour periods, so that every three hours the guards changed. Dake teaches it was a guard of four soldiers changed every three hours.

b). Matthew 28:1-4 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

28: His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

c). Matthew 28:11-13 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

28:13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

(1) The chief priests and elders of the Jews knew the truth that Christ Jesus had risen from the dead. This truth compounds their sin when this is considered in their many attempts to stop the multitudes from believing in Christ Jesus.