They rested but little upon the Sabbath. Though they would not step over a Gentile’s threshold for fear of defilement, yet they held a council concerning the body of Christ. They knew that the disciples would not attempt to remove him until after the Sabbath; but they were anxious that all precautions should be taken at its close. Therefore “the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command, therefore, that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead; so the last error shall be worse than the first.” Pilate was as unwilling as were the Jews that Jesus should rise with power to punish the guilt of those who had destroyed him, and he placed a band of Roman soldiers at the command of the priests. Said he, “Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch.” {3SP 178.2}

De hvilede ikke meget på sabbaten. Skønt de ikke ville træde over dørtærsklen til en hednings hus af frygt for at blive besmittede, holdt de dog råd angående Kristi legeme. De (179) vidste, at disciplene ikke ville forsøge at fjerne ham før sabbaten; men de var ængstelige for, at de kunne tage enhver mulig forsigtighedsregel ved dens slutning. Derfor "samledes ypperstepræsterne og farisæerne hos Pilatus og sagde: "Herre, vi er kommet i tanker om, at denne bedrager sagde, medens han endnu levede: "Efter tre dages forløb opstår jeg. Giv derfor befaling til, at graven skal bevogtes strengt indtil den tredje dag, for at ikke hans disciple skal komme og stjæle ham og sige til folket: "Han er opstået fra de døde"; og så vil det sidste bedrageri blive værre end det første." (Matt 27,62-64) Pilatus ønskede ligeså lidt som jøderne, at Jesus skulle opstå med magt til at straffe dem, som havde ihjelslået ham, og han stillede en afdeling romerske soldater til præsternes rådighed. Han sagde: "Der har I vagtmandskab; gå hen og bevogt graven, så godt I kan." Og de gik hen og bevogtede graven med vagt efter at have sat segl for stenen. (65.,66.vers)