κουστωδία G2892
guard; a Roman military guard or watch detail assigned to secure a location
A Latin loanword (from custodia) referring to a military guard detail. This word appears only in Matthew's passion narrative, specifically regarding the guard stationed at Jesus' tomb. Pilate grants the chief priests and Pharisees 'a guard' to secure the tomb (27:65-66), sealing the stone and posting soldiers to prevent the disciples from stealing the body. When the resurrection occurs, some of the guard report to the chief priests what happened (28:11), leading to the bribery scheme to claim the disciples stole the body while they slept. Ironically, the guard meant to prevent resurrection testimony becomes unwitting witnesses to it.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A Roman military guard or watch detail. All three occurrences in Matthew 27:65-28:11 concern the guard posted at Jesus' tomb. Pilate tells the Jewish leaders 'You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you can' (27:65). They sealed the tomb and set the guard (27:66). After the resurrection, some of the guard went to the chief priests to report what happened (28:11), receiving bribes to spread the story that disciples stole the body while they slept—a tale that persisted among Jews. 3×
AR["الحَرَسِ", "الْحُرَّاسِ", "حُرَّاسٌ"]·ben["পাহারা", "পাহারার", "প্রহরীদের"]·DE["κουστωδίαν", "κουστωδίας"]·EN["a-guard", "guard"]·FR["garde"]·heb["מִשְׁמָר"]·HI["पहरा", "पहरे", "पहरेदारों"]·ID["penjaga"]·IT["koustodian", "koustodias"]·jav["prajurit-jagi,", "prajurit-jagi.", "prajurit-jagi;"]·KO["경비대", "경비대-를", "경비대-의"]·PT["guarda"]·RU["стражей", "стражи", "стражу"]·ES["guardia"]·SW["walinzi"]·TR["muhafız", "muhafızla", "muhafızların"]·urd["پہرہ", "پہرے-میں-سے", "پہرے-کے"]
Related Senses
H4421 1. war, battle, armed conflict (319×)H0341 1. enemy, adversary, foe (284×)H3898a 1. Nifal: to fight, wage war (167×)H2026 1. kill, slay (active) (146×)H2451 1. wisdom, discernment (146×)H5483b 1. horse (the animal) (138×)H0006 1. to perish, be destroyed (105×)H7843 1. Hifil: destroy, annihilate (83×)H2491a 1. slain, fatally pierced (74×)H6862c 1. adversary, enemy, foe (69×)H8045 1. destroy, exterminate (69×)G0615 1. kill, put to death (60×)H6571b 1. horseman, cavalryman (52×)H8077a 1. desolation, waste (abstract state) (52×)G4678 1. of wisdom (51×)G4717 1. crucify, fasten to a cross (46×)H2763a 1. utterly destroy (Hifil active) (44×)G0622 1. perish, be destroyed (intransitive) (41×)H0006 2. to destroy, annihilate (Piel) (38×)H8074 1. be desolate, lie waste (36×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κουστωδία, ἡ, = Latin custodia, NT