Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 27:66

"So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them." — Matthew 27:66 (ASV)

Sealing the stone. The sepulcher was secured by affixing the large stone to the entrance in such a way that it could not be removed without detection. It was sealed.

In what way this was done cannot now be told with certainty. The cave in which Daniel was cast was fastened in the same manner and sealed with the king's signet (Daniel 6:17), perhaps by fastening the stone in its place with cords, bringing them together, uniting them with wax, and impressing the king's seal on it.

In this way, letters and books were sealed in ancient times. Possibly, the seal of Pilate—the seal of office—was impressed on Jesus' sepulcher in this manner, making it doubly secure. Or it may be that the stone was fitted into the tomb with clay or cement, and Pilate's seal was impressed on that.

Setting a watch. That is, as large a number of soldiers as they judged necessary to secure the tomb.

We cannot help but be struck by the wisdom of God in ordering the circumstances of the Savior's burial in such a manner as to avoid the possibility of deception. Had all this been done by his friends, it might have been said that they only pretended to secure the tomb and only pretended that he was dead.

But he was judged to be dead by the Jews themselves; Pilate was satisfied that this was the fact. They had their own way regarding his burial; he was buried alone.

The place of his sepulcher was made secure—expressly to prevent his being removed—and they placed a guard around him, which, in their own judgment, was large enough to prevent his being taken away by force or strength.

His very enemies, therefore, took every possible precaution to place his resurrection beyond any suspicion of fraud and imposture. In doing so, they became the very means of furnishing the most striking proof that his death, burial, and resurrection were not deceptions, but most affecting, awe-inspiring, and yet cheering realities.