The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Matthew 27:62 – 66

The Jewish chief priests and Pharisees were uneasy.  That Jesus was known to be dead and in a tomb did not settle their spirits.  Jesus, they recalled, predicted that after three days he would rise again.  They were very uneasy.  They asked the Roman ruler, Pilate, to secure the grave and place guards there for the next three days.  The Roman authorities made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

That done, the ancient Jewish festivities continued as usual.  Finally, the Jews had done away with Jesus, assisted, of course by the Romans who did the dirty work.  Jesus was in that tomb!  They were sure of that.  No one could disturb that tomb, it was sealed with a Roman seal!  And guarded hour after hour by Roman soldiers.  It seems strange that the Jews left all of this for the Romans to do. They did not crucify him, the Romans did.  They did not guard the sealed tomb, the Romans did.  How they thanked the Roman Empire for doing away with Jesus!

All is well.  For the Jews, Jesus is dead.  For the Romans, they pleased the Jews greatly.  Normally the Jews and Romans were in contention.  When it came to Jesus, they acted together.  Strange but true.

All is quiet at the tomb as the Jews feasted and rejoiced in their own way throughout the Land. It was a happy Sabbath, Jesus is gone!

Darkness covered the earth.