Meaning of Matthew 27:62

This verse, Matthew 27:62, marks a critical juncture immediately following the burial of Jesus, highlighting the persistent anxiety and strategic maneuvering of the Jewish religious authorities. Having witnessed Jesus' crucifixion and death, the chief priests and Pharisees, driven by a mixture of fear, disbelief, and a desire to maintain their authority, are not content with the finality of the tomb. Their decision to approach Pilate the very next day, "the one after Preparation Day" (which was the day of Jesus' crucifixion and burial), underscores their deep-seated concern that Jesus' followers might attempt to steal his body and fabricate a resurrection, thereby undermining the established order and potentially igniting further unrest. This action reveals their active opposition to Jesus, even after his apparent defeat, and sets the stage for the unfolding events of the resurrection narrative.

Context and Background

The "Preparation Day" (Paraskeuē) refers to the day before the Sabbath, in this instance, the Friday on which Jesus was crucified and buried. It was a day of intense activity to prepare for the Sabbath rest. Following the burial, which was hurried due to the approaching Sabbath, the chief priests and Pharisees, representing the religious and political establishment of Judea, are not at rest. Their concern is rooted in Jesus' own predictions of his resurrection (e.g., Matthew 12:40, 16:21). They actively remember these claims and are determined to prevent any event that could be interpreted as their fulfillment. Pilate, the Roman governor, is their recourse, as he holds the ultimate authority to enforce order and prevent any perceived sedition.

Key Themes and Messages

• Lingering Fear and Opposition: Despite Jesus' death, the opposition remains active and vigilant. Their fear is not of a living Jesus, but of the potential claim of his resurrection.
• Strategic Planning: The authorities are not acting impulsively but are taking deliberate steps to counter what they perceive as a potential threat to their power and the established religious order.
• The Power of Belief (and Disbelief): Their actions are driven by a profound disbelief in Jesus' claims, leading them to preemptively try and neutralize any evidence that might support those claims. This highlights the human tendency to resist inconvenient truths.
• The Inevitability of Divine Plans: While the authorities seek to thwart God's plan, their very actions inadvertently contribute to its unfolding and eventual confirmation.

Spiritual Significance and Application

This passage offers a stark reminder that opposition to divine truth often persists even in the face of apparent defeat. The spiritual lesson lies in recognizing that disbelief can lead to desperate and often counterproductive measures. For believers, it underscores the importance of vigilance and steadfast faith, knowing that the enemy will seek to sow doubt and confusion. It also highlights that God's purposes are not easily thwarted by human machinations. The actions of the chief priests and Pharisees, intended to prevent a resurrection, ultimately serve to authenticate it by prompting them to secure the tomb, thereby making the subsequent discovery of the empty tomb and the resurrection claims even more compelling.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This event is a crucial precursor to the resurrection account. It directly addresses the disciples' potential actions and the authorities' fears, thereby providing a framework for understanding the subsequent events. The securing of the tomb, as a direct consequence of this verse, is a pivotal element in the Gospel narratives of the resurrection. It demonstrates that the resurrection was not a clandestine event that could be easily dismissed, but one that occurred under the watchful eyes of those who sought to suppress it. This narrative thread connects to Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah's suffering and eventual triumph, as well as Jesus' own repeated prophecies of his resurrection.

Analogies

Imagine a political party that, after their leading opponent has been discredited and removed from public life, still fears that their supporters might rally around a misinterpreted statement or a symbolic gesture. They might then take extreme measures to ensure no such symbol or statement can be leveraged to reignite public support, perhaps by controlling all communication or even attempting to discredit any future claims of their opponent's influence. Similarly, the chief priests and Pharisees are acting like a political or religious establishment attempting to "quash" any lingering influence of a defeated rival, not out of concern for justice, but out of fear for their own position.

Relation to Other Verses

• Matthew 12:40: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." This verse foreshadows Jesus' burial and resurrection, which the chief priests and Pharisees would have been aware of.
• Matthew 27:64: "Give the order to make the tomb secure for three days. Then his disciples will not come and steal him away and tell the people he has been raised from the dead. So the last deception will be worse than the first." This is the direct request made by the chief priests and Pharisees to Pilate, a direct consequence of the action described in verse 62.
• 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." This foundational passage of Christian belief emphasizes the centrality of the resurrection, a truth that the actions in Matthew 27:62-66 sought to prevent.