The Meaning of Matthew 27:66 Explained

Matthew 27:66

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

YLT: and they, having gone, did make the sepulchre secure, having sealed the stone, together with the watch.

Darby: And they went and secured the sepulchre, having sealed the stone, with the watch besides.

ASV: So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Matthew 27:66 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 27:57-66 - The Closed And Guarded Tomb
Fear not to entrust yourself to God in death. If you yield up your spirit and commend it to the Father's hands, He will provide for it and for your body also. He has His Josephs everywhere. He will provide loving hands for the body, which was the shrine and casket of the precious jewel that He bought at so great a cost. Precious in His sight is the death of His saints, Psalms 116:15.
The kings and princes of this world set themselves to guard the sepulcher of the Son of God by sealing-wax and sentries. They might as well have endeavored to restrain the bursting life of spring. Said the King of Terrors to Captain Corruption, "Take care to keep this Man's body fast." But what did this avail, when it had been ordained that he should not stay in Hades, nor even see corruption? Whatever your foes may do against you will not avail, if only you wait patiently for God. See Psalms 40:1-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 27

1  Jesus is delivered bound to Pilate
3  Judas hangs himself
19  Pilate, admonished of his wife,
20  and being urged by the multitude, washes his hands, and releases Barabbas
27  Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns;
33  crucified;
39  reviled;
50  dies, and is buried;
62  his tomb is sealed and watched

Greek Commentary for Matthew 27:66

Sealing the stone, the guard being with them [σπραγισαντης τον λιτον μετα της κουστωδιας]
Probably by a cord stretched across the stone and sealed at each end as in Daniel 6:17. The sealing was done in the presence of the Roman guard who were left in charge to protect this stamp of Roman authority and power. They did their best to prevent theft and the resurrection (Bruce), but they overreached themselves and provided additional witness to the fact of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus (Plummer). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 27:66

John 3:33 Hath set his seal [εσπραγισεν]
First aorist active indicative of σπραγιζω — sphragizō for which verb see Matthew 27:66. The metaphor of sealing is a common one for giving attestation as in John 6:27. The one who accepts the witness of Jesus attests that Jesus speaks the message of God. [source]
Romans 15:28 Have sealed [σπραγισαμενος]
First aorist middle participle (antecedent action, having sealed) of σπραγιζω — sphragizō old verb from σπραγις — sphragis a seal (Romans 4:11), to stamp with a seal for security (Matthew 27:66) or for confirmation (2 Corinthians 1:22) and here in a metaphorical sense. Paul was keenly sensitive that this collection should be actually conveyed to Jerusalem free from all suspicion (2 Corinthians 8:18-23). [source]
Revelation 22:10 Seal [σφραγίσῃς]
Rev., seal up. This word occurs eighteen times in Revelation and twice in the Gospel, and only five times elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to confirm or attest (John 3:33); to close up for security (Matthew 27:66; Revelation 20:3); to hide or keep secret (Revelation 10:4; Revelation 22:10); to mark a person or thing (Revelation 7:3; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30) [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 27:66 mean?

- And having gone they made secure the tomb having sealed stone with the guard
οἱ δὲ πορευθέντες ἠσφαλίσαντο τὸν τάφον σφραγίσαντες λίθον μετὰ τῆς κουστωδίας

οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πορευθέντες  having  gone 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πορεύομαι  
Sense: to lead over, carry over, transfer.
ἠσφαλίσαντο  they  made  secure 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀσφαλίζω  
Sense: to make firm, to make secure (against harm).
τάφον  tomb 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τάφος  
Sense: burial.
σφραγίσαντες  having  sealed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: σφραγίζω  
Sense: to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal.
λίθον  stone 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λίθος  
Sense: a stone.
κουστωδίας  guard 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: κουστωδία  
Sense: guard: used of Roman soldiers guarding the sepulchre of Christ.

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