But the next day, the chief priests and Pharisees came to Pilate, to remind him that Jesus had said while He was alive, that He was going to rise again from the dead on the third day.
So they begged Pilate to command that the sepulchre should be made sure till the third day, lest Jesus' disciples should come in the night and steal His body away, and pretend that He had risen as He had said, which they thought would be a worse mistake than all!
And Pilate answered, "You have soldiers who can watch, go and make it as sure as you can."
So they went back, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting men to keep watch all night.
[XXIV. The Resurrection]
They had sealed the grave to make all sure, and they had set a watch that no one should come to steal the body of Jesus; and the women and those who loved Him and had followed Him, left the tomb at last, and went to their own homes.
SETTING MEN TO WATCH ALL NIGHT.
They had forgotten that the Lord Jesus had told them, over and over again, that He would rise from the dead on the third day.
But it was impossible that the grave could hold the Son of God, when the time came for Him to rise.