“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 27:65-66)
Pilate only authorized the crucifixion of Christ in order to avoid a riot among the Jews. Afterward, the Bible tells us in Matthew 27: 62-64 that the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate and asked him to secure the tomb since Jesus had said he would rise again after three days, and they were afraid his disciples would steal the body to deceive people into believing Jesus had resurrected.
I think that verse 65 indicates that Pilate may have had some doubts about anyone's capability to keep Jesus in the tomb from his words, “make the tomb as secure as you know how.”
Nevertheless, we now know that the tomb was opened not so Jesus could get out, but so we could see he was gone. How could man think he could ever contain the Creator of the universe? It was an impossible task back then and it is an impossible task now. And, that is good news indeed!
