Roman Soldiers guard the Tomb

Matthew 27:62-66. The Roman soldiers sealed the tomb this was still the 14th of Nisan. Then, they stood guard for the next three days in four-hour shifts of four soldiers each.

How many Roman soldiers were involved we do not know, but it could have been as many as 50 or more and also a number of soldiers from the temple guard, i.e. Jewish soldiers who worked at the Temple.

The stone that closed the entrance was very big and was rolled in a channel. This channel was sloped so it was easy to close but hard to open.

Background Reading:

The Guards at the Tomb Secure it

27:62 The following day (that is, after the Day of Preparation), the high priests and Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘I will be raised after three days.’ 64 Therefore, order the tomb to be secured until the third day, or his disciples may go and steal him and then tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ Then the last deception would be worse than the first one.”

65 Pilate told them, “You have a military guard. Go and make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and secured the tomb by putting a seal on the stone in the presence of the guards.
Matthew 27:62-66

More Information:

These were regular Roman soldiers. A watch consisted of four soldiers, who was changed every four hours. They would die if their prisoner escaped. These soldiers were not from the temple guard, like the group that came to imprison Jesus.


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