So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And this last deception would be worse than the first.”
Pilate said unto them, ye have a watch,.... Meaning either the watch of the temple, said to be placed in the tower of Antonia, for the service of it: hence mention is made of the captain of the temple, Act 4:1, but it is not likely they would remove the temple guards, to watch a sepulchre night and day: or rather, therefore, the soldiers that...
Verse 64. Until the third day. That is, during two nights and the intervening day. This proves, that when the Jews spoke of three days, they did not of necessity mean three whole days, but parts of three days, as was the case in our Saviour's lying in the grave. The last error shall be worse than the first.
Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure--by a Roman guard. until the third day--after which, if He still lay in the grave, the imposture of His claims would be manifest to all. and say unto the people, he is risen from the dead--Did they really fear this? so the last error shall be worse than the first--the imposture of His pretended resurrection worse than that of His pretended Messiahship.