Pilate refused to assign his own troops to guard Jesus" tomb, but he allowed the Jewish leaders to use their temple guards for this purpose (cf. Matthew 28:11). Pilate"s reply was probably cynical. These men had feared Jesus when He was alive, and now they feared His disciples after He was dead. Pilate did not think the chance that Jesus" disciples would steal His body was very great. The chief priests and Pharisees secured the tomb by posting their guards at the site and by putting an official wax seal on the stone door (cf. Psalm 2:4). [source][source][source]
This pericope stresses the corruptness of Israel"s rulers and their willful rejection of Jesus. [1] It also shows that Jesus was definitely dead. [source][source][source]
"The incongruous, ironical result is that the opponents took Jesus" words about rising from the dead more seriously than did the disciples." [2][source]