Matthew 27:57-66 Pilate, body, tomb, custodians

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Matthew 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: [kjv]

27:58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. [kjv]

27:59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, [kjv]

27:60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. [kjv]

Note: The use of the new tomb was just for the weekend, not as a lasting monument. The tomb would soon become empty again.

Matthew 27:57

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KJV: When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

Greek: οψιας δε γενομενης ηλθεν ανθρωπος πλουσιος απο αριμαθαιας τουνομα ιωσηφ ος και αυτος εμαθητευσεν εμαθητευθη τω ιησου

Matthew 27:58

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KJV: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

Greek: ουτος προσελθων τω πιλατω ητησατο το σωμα του ιησου τοτε ο πιλατος εκελευσεν αποδοθηναι το σωμα

Matthew 27:59

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KJV: And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

Greek: και λαβων το σωμα ο ιωσηφ ενετυλιξεν αυτο εν σινδονι καθαρα

Matthew 27:60

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KJV: And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

Greek: και εθηκεν αυτο εν τω καινω αυτου μνημειω ο ελατομησεν εν τη πετρα και προσκυλισας λιθον μεγαν τη θυρα του μνημειου απηλθεν

Matthew 27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, [kjv]

τη δε επαυριον ητις εστιν μετα την παρασκευην συνηχθησαν οι αρχιερεις και οι φαρισαιοι προς πιλατον [gnt]

The religious establishment came to Pilate the "day after" the day of "preparation" to make a request to Pilate.

If the crucifixion were Thursday, this would be the traditional "High Sabbath" (Friday) and not the regular "Sabbath" (Saturday).
If the crucifixion were Friday , this would be the traditional "High Sabbath" (Saturday) and the regular "Sabbath" (Saturday).

Was it appropriate for the religious establishment to seek a meeting with Pilate on the regular "Sabbath"?

Matthew 27:62

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KJV: Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

Greek: τη δε επαυριον ητις εστιν μετα την παρασκευην συνηχθησαν οι αρχιερεις και οι φαρισαιοι προς πιλατον

Matthew 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. [kjv]

λεγοντες κυριε εμνησθημεν οτι εκεινος ο πλανος ειπεν ετι ζων μετα τρεις ημερας εγειρομαι [gnt]

The religious establishment does not have a good record for being accurate in how they reason and what they say.

They say, "after" "three" "days". Where is the starting point?

Some will try to use these verses to support the church tradition of a Friday crucifixion.

[Abraham seeing the day of Jesus, no prophet from Galilee, etc.]

Matthew 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. [kjv]

λεγοντες κυριε εμνησθημεν οτι εκεινος ο πλανος ειπεν ετι ζων μετα τρεις ημερας εγειρομαι [gnt]

What was the "first" "error"?

Matthew 27:63

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KJV: Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Greek: λεγοντες κυριε εμνησθημεν οτι εκεινος ο πλανος ειπεν ετι ζων μετα τρεις ημερας εγειρομαι

Matthew 27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. [kjv]

κελευσον ουν ασφαλισθηναι τον ταφον εως της τριτης ημερας μηποτε ελθοντες οι μαθηται κλεψωσιν αυτον και ειπωσιν τω λαω ηγερθη απο των νεκρων και εσται η εσχατη πλανη χειρων της πρωτης [gnt]

The religious elite requests that the "tomb" be made "safe" until the "third" "day". Some who try to defend the church tradition of a Friday crucifixion will use this verse that the "tomb" need only be "secure" "until" the "third" "day".

This assumes that the starting point is the crucifixion and they are asking for a guard until before the end of the "three" "days" and "nights".

Which makes more sense for a request to Pilate?

We would like a guard for the tomb from yesterday until the third day from yesterday. Does this request even make sense? That is what is often assumed without thinking through the logic of what one is saying.
We would like a guard for the tomb from now until the third day from now. This would go beyond the "three" "days" and "three" "nights".

Matthew 27:64

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KJV: Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Greek: κελευσον ουν ασφαλισθηναι τον ταφον εως της τριτης ημερας μηποτε ελθοντες οι μαθηται αυτου νυκτος κλεψωσιν κλεψωσιν αυτον και ειπωσιν τω λαω ηγερθη απο των νεκρων και εσται η εσχατη πλανη χειρων της πρωτης

Matthew 27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. [kjv]

εφη αυτοις ο πιλατος εχετε κουστωδιαν υπαγετε ασφαλισασθε ως οιδατε [gnt]

… custodiam … custodite … [v]

The Greek for "watch" is the word from Latin that is today the English word "custodian".

The "go your way" is the same word used for Jesus telling Satan to "get out of here".

How did Matthew know about this conversation of the religious elite with Pilate?

Matthew 27:65

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KJV: Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

Greek: εφη δε αυτοις ο πιλατος εχετε κουστωδιαν υπαγετε ασφαλισασθε ως οιδατε

Latin: ait illis Pilatus habetis custodiam ite custodite sicut scitis

Matthew 27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. [kjv]

οι δε πορευθεντες ησφαλισαντο τον ταφον σφραγισαντες τον λιθον μετα της κουστωδιας [gnt]

… lapidem … custodibus [v]

… stann … wearden. [wes]

… камень … кустодиею. [ocs]

The "watch" in Greek is «κουστωδίας» which was a word borrowed from Latin "custodibus" and from which we get the word "custodian".

After the resurrection, some of the custodians went to tell the chief priests what had happened.

The Old English word "wearden" ≈ "watch, guard" and is the second part of the English word "lord" as, originally, "load guarder" or "bread guarder".

Matthew 27:66

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

Greek: οι δε πορευθεντες ησφαλισαντο τον ταφον σφραγισαντες τον λιθον μετα της κουστωδιας

Latin: illi autem abeuntes munierunt sepulchrum signantes lapidem cum custodibus

Wessex: Soðlice hyo ferdon. & ymb-tremedon þa byrigenne. & inseggledon þanne stann mid þam wearden.

Slavonic: Они же шедше утвердиша гроб, знаменавше камень с кустодиею.