Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19, ESV)
The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” (Matthew 27:62–66, ESV)
Jesus reiterated a promise once made to Ezekiel to the Jews who crucified him, but they didn’t believe him. Attempting to avoid a hoax, they employed a large stone and a squad of Roman soldiers to make as secure as they could the tomb where Jesus was laid.
Having once forsaken all to follow Jesus, after he was crucified his disciples now feared for their lives and scattered in the wind making as secure as they could.
In each case, man was doing what he could to secure himself. Neither succeeded.
Holy Saturday reminds us our security is in God’s promises, not our own abilities. We must say with Ezekiel, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off,” and then look to Christ for our resurrection. No stone, no soldiers—not even death itself—could keep Jesus in the tomb. He said he would live again and if we believed him we would too. That is as secure as it gets.
Further Reading: Ezekiel 37:1–14