The chief priests and others from the Ruling Council had succeeded in persuading the Roman Governor to order the crucifixion of Jesus. Their deadly plan had worked, and His body was then locked into a rock-tomb. But a fresh fear seized them. What if His body should get out of the tomb? Then His influence and that of His disciples would continue and the authority of the religious leaders would continue to be undermined.
 
Their anxiety had been spurred by remembering what Jesus has said – that He would rise again on the third day. Even though His disciples appeared not to have understood what Jesus was saying at the time, His enemies did. Their best interpretation was that the disciples would steal the body and so pretend that He had risen. So to prevent that happening Pilate was asked to post a military guard. It appears that Pilate authorised the temple guard to keep watch but set an official Roman Seal over the stone covering the grave.
 
They did not realise that they were working with God! In years to come many people would try to disprove the resurrection by claiming that Christ's body had been stolen. But Matthew carefully records the lengths that the authorities went to trying to prevent it. They believed that Jesus was a fraudulent messiah, but now feared that He might prove to be the Son of God with power to become alive again. As we know, they failed in all their objectives, but provided strong historical arguments to contradict those who claimed that Jesus did not rise from the dead.
 
However much wicked people push against God, they can never win. They try to cover their tracks with lies but cannot succeed. And at the same time, God is validating the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This should be a comfort to those who are suffering unjustly or whose gospel efforts are being quenched by powerful people. Isaiah 14:27 says, "For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?" Whatever the issue, nothing can stand in the way of God. Be comforted … God knows what He is doing!