{"id":339,"date":"2023-10-02T00:37:39","date_gmt":"2023-10-01T16:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/?p=339"},"modified":"2023-10-10T00:45:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T16:45:28","slug":"the-guard-at-the-tomb-matthew-2762-66","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/ptr-art-calaguas\/the-guard-at-the-tomb-matthew-2762-66\/","title":{"rendered":"The Guard at the Tomb (Matthew 27:62-66)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shalom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a 3-week visit to my daughter\u2019s family (especially my grandson) in Canada, and the effects of jet lag, I would like to continue with new Bible Study topics as I promised before we left in early September. However I saw that I had left over in my planned Reflection-Bible Study Topics a short passage in the Gospel of Matthew after the Olivet Discourse. So before embarking on a new Bible Book and for completion, I would like to explore Matthew 27:62-66 now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For context, note that Matthew 27 relates to us the events following the arrest and trial of our Lord Jesus in the Sanhedrin (Jewish Supreme Court): his delivery unto and trial before the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate; Judas\u2019 suicide; the freeing of Barabbas instead of our Lord at the insistence of the \u1f38<\/em>\u03bf\u03c5\u03b4\u03b1<\/em>\u1fd6<\/em>\u03bf\u03b9<\/em> (Jewish authorities opposed to our Lord) and the fickle crowd that now turned against him; Pilate hand washing his guilt away; and the Lord\u2019s scourging, crucifixion, death and burial. The last part of Matthew 27 talks about the posting of a guard at the Lord\u2019s tomb. This passage is unique in the Gospel of Matthew; it is not found in the other Synoptic Gospel accounts nor in John\u2019s Gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while this passage is not mentioned in the other Gospels, all give an account of the Empty Tomb and the Lord\u2019s Resurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew 28 relates that the tomb guards shook with fear at the descent of an angel of the Lord from heaven and the ensuing earthquake which rolled away the stone covering the tomb\u2019s entrance and the women who came encountered the angel and later on the Lord Jesus himself, and that some of the guards reported what had happened to the chief priests. Mark 16 says the women who came to the tomb saw the (\u03bc\u03ad\u03b3\u03b1\u03c2 \u03c3\u03c6\u03cc\u03b4\u03c1\u03b1<\/em>) extremely large (\u03bb\u03af\u03b8\u03bf\u03c2<\/em>) stone already rolled away and mentions a young man in a white robe but without any mention of posted guards. Luke 24, likewise notes that the stone was rolled away from the tomb and the women encountering 2 men in dazzling clothing, but did not mention anything about guards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, John 20 relates that Mary Magdalene, who came early in the first day of the week saw that the stone covering the tomb already taken away and later saw 2 angels inside the tomb, and later on meets the Lord Jesus himself; but made no mention of any guards. Hence, while all the Gospels converge on the essential facts of the Empty Tomb; mention of the guards and the posting of the guards in the first place is unique to Matthew\u2019s Gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is Matthew 27:62-66 from the Society of Biblical Literature Greek New Testament (SBL GNT) followed by my formal translation in interlinear format:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

62<\/sup><\/a>\u03a4\u1fc7 \u03b4\u1f72 \u1f10\u03c0\u03b1\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd, \u1f25\u03c4\u03b9\u03c2 \u1f10\u03c3\u03c4\u1f76\u03bd \u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u1f70 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03c3\u03ba\u03b5\u03c5\u03ae\u03bd<\/mark>, \u03c3\u03c5\u03bd\u03ae\u03c7\u03b8\u03b7\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd \u03bf\u1f31 \u1f00\u03c1\u03c7\u03b9\u03b5\u03c1\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03bf\u1f31 \u03a6\u03b1\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03b1\u1fd6\u03bf\u03b9 \u03c0\u03c1\u1f78\u03c2 \u03a0\u03b9\u03bb\u1fb6\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the next day, which is after the Preparation<\/mark>, the chief priests and the Pharisees were assembled with Pilate<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

63<\/sup><\/a>\u03bb\u03ad\u03b3\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2\u00b7 \u039a\u03cd\u03c1\u03b9\u03b5, <\/em>\u1f10<\/em>\u03bc\u03bd\u03ae\u03c3\u03b8\u03b7\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd <\/em>\u1f45<\/em>\u03c4\u03b9 <\/em>\u1f10<\/em>\u03ba\u03b5<\/em>\u1fd6<\/em>\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 <\/em>\u1f41<\/em> \u03c0\u03bb\u03ac\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 \u03b5<\/em>\u1f36<\/em>\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd <\/em>\u1f14<\/em>\u03c4\u03b9 \u03b6<\/em>\u1ff6<\/em>\u03bd\u00b7 \u039c\u03b5\u03c4<\/em>\u1f70<\/em> \u03c4\u03c1\u03b5<\/em>\u1fd6<\/em>\u03c2 <\/em>\u1f21<\/em>\u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2 <\/em>\u1f10<\/em>\u03b3\u03b5\u03af\u03c1\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9\u00b7<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

saying, Sir, we remembered that that deceiver said while still living; after three days I arise;<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

64<\/sup><\/a>\u03ba\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03c5\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd \u03bf<\/em>\u1f56<\/em>\u03bd <\/em>\u1f00<\/em>\u03c3\u03c6\u03b1\u03bb\u03b9\u03c3\u03b8<\/em>\u1fc6<\/em>\u03bd\u03b1\u03b9 \u03c4<\/em>\u1f78<\/em>\u03bd \u03c4\u03ac\u03c6\u03bf\u03bd <\/em>\u1f15<\/em>\u03c9\u03c2 \u03c4<\/em>\u1fc6<\/em>\u03c2 \u03c4\u03c1\u03af\u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 <\/em>\u1f21<\/em>\u03bc\u03ad\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2, \u03bc\u03ae\u03c0\u03bf\u03c4\u03b5 <\/em>\u1f10<\/em>\u03bb\u03b8\u03cc\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u03bf<\/em>\u1f31<\/em> \u03bc\u03b1\u03b8\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1<\/em>\u1f76<\/em> \u03b1<\/em>\u1f50<\/em>\u03c4\u03bf<\/em>\u1fe6<\/em> \u03ba\u03bb\u03ad\u03c8\u03c9\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u03b1<\/em>\u1f50<\/em>\u03c4<\/em>\u1f78<\/em>\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1<\/em>\u1f76<\/em> \u03b5<\/em>\u1f34<\/em>\u03c0\u03c9\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u03c4<\/em>\u1ff7<\/em> \u03bb\u03b1<\/em>\u1ff7<\/em>\u00b7 <\/em>\u1f28<\/em>\u03b3\u03ad\u03c1\u03b8\u03b7 <\/em>\u1f00<\/em>\u03c0<\/em>\u1f78<\/em> \u03c4<\/em>\u1ff6<\/em>\u03bd \u03bd\u03b5\u03ba\u03c1<\/em>\u1ff6<\/em>\u03bd, \u03ba\u03b1<\/em>\u1f76<\/em> <\/em>\u1f14<\/em>\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9 <\/em>\u1f21<\/em> <\/em>\u1f10<\/em>\u03c3\u03c7\u03ac\u03c4\u03b7 \u03c0\u03bb\u03ac\u03bd\u03b7 \u03c7\u03b5\u03af\u03c1\u03c9\u03bd \u03c4<\/em>\u1fc6<\/em>\u03c2 \u03c0\u03c1\u03ce\u03c4\u03b7\u03c2.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore command the tomb to be secured until the third day, lest his disciples having come should steal him and should say to the people \u2018he was raised from the dead,\u2019 and the last deception will be worse (than) the first. <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

65<\/sup><\/a>\u1f14\u03c6\u03b7 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2 \u1f41 \u03a0\u03b9\u03bb\u1fb6\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2\u00b7 \u1f1c\u03c7\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u03ba\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03c4\u03c9\u03b4\u03af\u03b1\u03bd<\/mark>\u00b7 \u1f51\u03c0\u03ac\u03b3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u1f00\u03c3\u03c6\u03b1\u03bb\u03af\u03c3\u03b1\u03c3\u03b8\u03b5 \u1f61\u03c2 \u03bf\u1f34\u03b4\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pilate was saying to them; \u2018You(pl) have a guard<\/mark>; go make it secure as you have known.\u2019\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

66<\/sup><\/a>\u03bf\u1f31 \u03b4\u1f72 \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03b5\u03c5\u03b8\u03ad\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2 \u1f20\u03c3\u03c6\u03b1\u03bb\u03af\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03bf \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c4\u03ac\u03c6\u03bf\u03bd \u03c3\u03c6\u03c1\u03b1\u03b3\u03af\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2<\/mark> \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03bb\u03af\u03b8\u03bf\u03bd \u03bc\u03b5\u03c4\u1f70 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03ba\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03c4\u03c9\u03b4\u03af\u03b1\u03c2<\/mark>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0And having gone, they secured the tomb having sealed<\/mark> the stone with the guard<\/mark>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As narrated in vv. 62-64, the chief priests and Pharisees actually gather and petition Pilate to have the tomb of our Lord secured up to the third day. The surprising thing here is that they did this during the Sabbath; on the day after<\/strong> \u03a0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03c3\u03ba\u03b5\u03c5\u03ae<\/mark> <\/em>(\u201cparaskeu\u00e9\u201d Preparation Day, which was Friday)! All 4 Gospels attest that the Lord Jesus died and was laid in the tomb on Preparation Day (Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; and John 19:42). These chief priests and Pharisees were really concerned that the body of our Lord would be stolen by the disciples to foist a false narrative of a resurrection to such an extent that they did this work on the Sabbath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Matthew 27:63, the gathered Jewish authorities mention that they recall the Lord Jesus when he was alive talk about the sign of Jonah (see Matthew 12:38-42 and its parallel Luke 11:29-32) referring to his claim of resurrection on the third day. The scribes and Pharisees to whom our Lord addressed this (in Matthew 12:38) publicly could have been the source of their recollection. Another possibility is that the Lord\u2019s betrayer, Judas Iscariot relayed to them the words of our Lord about his suffering, death and resurrection as taught to his disciples, most notably the Twelve. No matter, the opponents of the Lord Jesus used this \u201csign of Jonah the prophet\u201d to ask Pilate to secure the tomb. We shall revisit this passage when we study the Old Testament (OT) Book of Jonah later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To secure the tomb, two things had to be done as mentioned in verse 66: the large stone covering the door of the tomb had to be sealed (a participle form of the verb \u03c3\u03c6\u03c1\u03b1\u03b3\u03af\u03b6\u03c9 <\/mark><\/em>\u201csphragiz\u00f3\u201d is used; meaning to seal, set a seal upon); and a guard posted outside to keep the disciples with any plans of body-snatching away. Pilate replied that the \u1f38\u03bf\u03c5\u03b4\u03b1\u1fd6\u03bf\u03b9<\/em> have\/own\/possess a \u03ba\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03c4\u03c9\u03b4\u03af\u03b1<\/mark> <\/em>(\u201ckoust\u00f3dia\u201d guard). He may have been amused but allowed them a guard to watch the tomb. Scholars debate whether the guard was Jewish or Roman. If it was Jewish, they would probably be part of the Temple guard. Note that Matthew 28:11-15 states that some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests what had happened and they were bribed to tell a story of the disciples stealing away the body. Roman soldiers would suffer execution if they slept on their watch or lost a prisoner, let alone a crucifixion victim\u2019s corpse. Moreover, if it was a Roman guard, they would report to their superior Roman officers or their Centurion, not to the Jewish chief priests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, what the chief priests and the Pharisees were trying to prevent happened but in an unexpected way to them. They tried to explain away the disappearance of the Lord\u2019s body but they could not nor did they deny the fact of the Empty Tomb. This Empty Tomb changed everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will start with a new Bible Study topic next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God bless us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Ptr. Art Calaguas Shalom. After a 3-week visit to my daughter\u2019s family (especially my grandson) in Canada, and the effects of jet lag, I would like to continue with new Bible Study topics as I promised before we left in early September. However I saw that I had left over in my planned Reflection-Bible…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[6,7,18,9,8,5],"class_list":["post-339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ptr-art-calaguas","tag-church-of-the-risen-lord","tag-crl","tag-jesus","tag-spiritual-refreshment-of-the-day","tag-upcemi","tag-upcrl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":340,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339\/revisions\/340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/upcrl.org\/refreshment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}