So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a guard.
All Commentaries on Matthew 27:66 Go To Matthew 27
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
. The evangelist did not call the sabbath "the sabbath," for it was not the sabbath as far as the Jews in their malice were concerned. For though the law forbade anyone on the sabbath day to wander about, these Jewish transgressors of the law assembled at the place of the foreigner, Pilate, instead of at the place of assembly ordained by the law. They were moved by their own evil to approach Pilate and then to secure the tomb. This was God’s providence, that the Resurrection might occur with them, His enemies, as witnesses guarding the sealed tomb. It is worth asking where the Jews learned that He had said that on the third day He would rise; for undoubtedly the Lord never said this clearly and openly. We can say that they surmised this from the example of Jonah. For Christ had said that "just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, so too will I be in the belly of the earth" (Mt. 12:38-39); and also, "Ye shall destroy this temple." Before they had not understood these sayings, but had thought that He was speaking of the Jewish temple. On this charge they had borne witness against Him. But now they understood that by "temple" He meant His own Body, and they were afraid and denounced Him as "a deceiver," not ceasing from their malice even after His death.
