The Burial of Jesus
The Burial of Jesus
In studying the burial of Jesus, we will look at the
records given in each of the four Gospels. These four
Scriptural passages, in complementing each other’s reports,
give a total view of the interesting and involved proceedings
in the burial of Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea and
Nicodemus are the two active participants in burying
Jesus. Except for Jesus’ burial, Joseph of Arimathea is
mentioned in no other Biblical record and Nicodemus is
mentioned in only two other places, John 3 and John 7.
As we shall see, each man worked independently of the
other, one with the idea that Jesus was temporarily dead
and the other believing that Jesus was truly to remain
perpetually in His lifeless condition. Mary Magdalene and
“the other Mary” also tried to participate in the burial
customs for their dead Master, but they were too late to
do so in arriving at the empty tomb early on Sunday
morning.
It is important to keep in mind that no single Gospel
gives the entire picture of the burial of Jesus. For example,
what John tells in his account is not identical to
what Matthew, Mark and Luke tell; yet there is no contradiction
among them when the Word of God is rightly
divided, noting carefully time and place of action and who
is involved.
Let us study the burial of Jesus by going through the
Gospels beginning in Matthew.
Matthew 27:57:
When the even was come, there came a rich man of
Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was
Jesus’ disciple.
There are two “evens” referred to in the Scriptures.
One “even” is from three o’clock in the afternoon until
sundown; the other “even” is after sundown. This “even”
of Matthew 27:57 is between 3 P.M. and sunset for we
know from the Biblical record in Matthew 27:46, as well
as the other Gospels, that Jesus died at the ninth hour
which corresponds to three o’clock in the afternoon as we
reckon time.
The words “a rich man” show that Joseph was abounding
in riches. He was a very wealthy man who lived in
Arimathea, approximately twenty-five miles from Jerusalem.
Being “Jesus’ disciple” means that he was technically
discipled to Jesus, a pupil of Jesus, a student, convinced
because of his own searching.
Verse 58:
He [Joseph of Arimathaea] went to Pilate, and begged
the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body
to be delivered.
Remember that Joseph was a Jew and Pilate a Gentile.
Entering into the court of a Gentile to request the body
of Jesus made Joseph ceremonially unclean to eat the
Passover. For this reason, the rulers of the synagogue
would not enter Pilate’s judgment hall when Jesus was
led in earlier that day.
John 18:28:
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of
judgment: and it was early; and they themselves [these
rulers, scribes and Pharisees] went not into the judgment
hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they
might eat the passover.
Joseph earnestly appealed to Pilate to give him Jesus’
body. Certainly, under normal circumstances, no person
would beg for a criminal’s body; in fact if a person had
a dead criminal’s body, he would try to get rid of it as
soon as possible, preferably without touching it. Yet
Joseph went to Pilate’s hall begging, “Please, Pilate, let
me have the body of Jesus.” How Joseph must have loved
Him.
Matthew 27:59:
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it
[the body] in a clean linen cloth.
Notice that nothing is said about Nicodemus’ aiding
Joseph in any way. It was Joseph of Arimathea who,
after Pilate commanded the body to be delivered, took
the body of Jesus and wrapped it in a clean cloth. The
words “wrapped it” mean “rolled it up in.” This does not
mean that he “wound” his trunk, head and limbs in a burial
fashion. The word for “linen cloth” is the Greek word
sindōn. This clean “linen cloth” was not the regular grave
wrapping, for which an entirely different word is used.
The linen cloth which Joseph wrapped around the body
of Jesus was a sheet of material which could be wrapped
around any body, not necessarily a dead body. The same
word sindōn is used again in Mark 14:51 as we shall see
later.
Verse 60:
And laid it in his own new tomb [sepulchre], which
he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great
stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
A question which this verse arouses is why should
Joseph of Arimathea have a tomb or a sepulchre in Jerusalem
right next to the place where criminals were executed?
This just doesn’t make sense unless we realize that this
particular sepulchre was a memorial specifically prepared
by Joseph of Arimathea at this accessible location that it
might be the burying place or tomb for Jesus.
The word for “had hewn” in verse 60, in contrast to
“had taken” in verse 59, is in the passive voice in the
Aramaic text, indicating that Joseph previously had the
memorial hewn out by someone else; he himself did not
hew it out. Verse 60 then notes that Joseph rolled the
“great stone” to the door of the sepulchre and departed.
Notice that there was no anointing, there were no spices
used, there were no wrappings of grave clothes.
Verse 61:
And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary,
sitting over against the sepulchre [taphos].
The word “against” means “on the opposite side of,
away from, in front of, or facing,” just as though one
would be sitting in front of a fireplace.
Joseph had his men hew out of the rock a tomb which
being a memorial was also referred to as a sepulchre.
According to Biblical usage a sepulchre may be a tomb
but a tomb is not necessarily a sepulchre. The word for
“sepulchre” in verse 60 is mnēmeion, meaning “monument;”
while the word for “tomb” in verse 61 is taphos
meaning “a place where one is buried.”
The women who were present observed everything that
was done by Joseph of Arimathea and, of course, they
noted that Joseph did not properly bury Jesus according
to Jewish custom. Why did Joseph not anoint Him with
spices and wrap Him in the burial clothing? All the
actions of Joseph of Arimathea indicate that burial rites
were unnecessary, for he believed that Jesus Christ would
rise again. The word “disciple” discussed earlier, does not
mean that he was simply a casual pupil or student of Jesus,
but that he was a convinced follower who believed literally
the words of Jesus. Specifically regarding the apostles
and the other disciples, John 20:9 says, “For as yet they
knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the
dead.” From context, the word “they” in this Scripture
could not be referring to Joseph of Arimathea.
After the Matthew 27 account, the next record in the
Bible regarding the burial of Jesus is found in Mark
15:42-47.
Mark 15:42:
And now when the even was come, because it was
the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath.
The word “even” is the same word used in Matthew
27:57, meaning the period of time between three o’clock
in the afternoon and sunset.
This verse directly informs us that the day Jesus Christ
died was the fourteenth of Nisan, the day before the Passover.
Passover was always a Sabbath, the “high day” of
John 19:31 and not the regular weekly Sabbath.
Verse 43:
Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counseller,
which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and
went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of
Jesus.
This record tells us a little more about Joseph; namely,
that he was “an honourable counseller,” that is, he was
a member of the Council, the Sanhedrin, the ruling body
of the Jews in Jerusalem. He was also waiting for the
Kingdom of God.
The word “craved” in verse 43 is the same word
“begged” used in Matthew 27:58.
Verse 44:
And Pilate marvelled [questioned with surprise] if he
[Jesus] were already dead: and calling unto him the
centurion, he asked him whether he had been any
while dead.
Pilate was not convinced by the word of Joseph so he
asked the centurion if Jesus were truly dead. I am deeply
impressed with the boldness of Joseph of Arimathea in
every record. Mark 14:50 says regarding the apostles,
“And they all forsook him, and fled.” Yet Joseph was
bold. He was not one of the twelve disciples, but he was
one who believed Jesus. The apostles may have been
closely associated with Jesus during His earthly life, but
under the adversity of this critical time, they fled. Yet
Joseph, instead of cowering, acted with conviction.
Verse 45:
And when he [Pilate] knew it [that Jesus was dead]
of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
Verse 46:
And he [Joseph] bought fine linen, and took him
down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in
a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled
a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.
Note that Joseph “bought,” deliberately purchased for
this person who was very special to him, a new wrapping
or sheet which here again is called “fine linen,” the
same word as used in Matthew, sindōn. Also this verse
specifically states that he (Joseph) took Jesus down from
the cross. The word for “wrapped him” is again the same
word as “rolled him up in” regular linen material; he did
not put the body in grave clothes.
Verse 47:
And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses
beheld where he was laid.
Once more there is no mention whatsoever in this Gospel
of the presence of Nicodemus although Mark again
states that the women stayed around and watched Joseph
of Arimathea as he was burying Jesus. There was no
anointing with oil and spices for burial according to the
proper method of a Jewish burial.
The next record regarding Joseph’s ministering to the
dead body of Jesus is in Luke 23:50-56.
Luke 23:50:
And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller;
and he was a good man, and a just.
The word “good” used here means that he was worthy
to be admired, a person to be looked up to.
Verse 51:
(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed
of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews:
who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
This verse in Luke gives more information regarding
Joseph than does Matthew or Mark. It tells that he was
not only a member of the Council, the Sanhedrin, but that
he did not consent to the majority rule and the deeds carried
out by that Council.
Verse 52:
This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of
Jesus.
Verse 53:
And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid
it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein
never man before was laid.
Luke gives the same description as in the two other
Gospels with the word sindōn, “wrapped it in linen.”
Verse 54:
And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath
drew on.
The day once more is noted as the day of preparation,
the fourteenth of Nisan.
Verse 55:
And the women also, which came after him from
Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and
how his body was laid.
These women can be identified from Mark 15:40 and
41 which read, “There were also women looking on afar
off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Who
also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered
unto him;) and many other women which came up
with him unto Jerusalem.”
These women came from Galilee and beheld the sepulchre
and “how his body was laid.” In other words, they
observed exactly what Joseph of Arimathea had done. He
simply wrapped Jesus in a sindōn but did not properly
anoint His body with spices and oils according to Jewish
burial customs nor wind his body in burial cloths. Because
the women saw that Joseph of Arimathea did not
give Jesus’ body the proper rites, they took the ritual into
their own hands.
Verse 56:
And they [the women] returned [to Jerusalem], and
prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath
day [both the high day, Passover and the weekly
sabbath] according to the commandment.
Matthew, Mark and Luke concur that it was Joseph of
Arimathea who took the body of Jesus down from the
cross after Pilate had given him permission to do so. He
wrapped Jesus’ body in a linen cloth, a sindōn, and laid
it in his own sepulchre without giving Jesus the traditional
Jewish burial procedure.
Reading John 19:38-42, we find some interesting added
truths which do not contradict but which enlarge upon
that which the other three Gospels have told.
John 19:38:
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple
of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought
Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and
Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took
the body of Jesus.
“And after this” refers to the soldiers coming to break
the legs of Jesus.
“And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple
of Jesus” is the same information as recorded by the other
three writers; but then comes a statement which the other
Gospels did not tell, namely, “but secretly for fear of the
Jews.” The word “secretly” would lead one to think that
Joseph was afraid of what would happen to him if the
Jews found out about his activities. This is certainly a
contradictory idea about Joseph compared to his boldness
as posited in the other passages. To clarify the apparent
problem, the word translated “secretly” is the verb kruptō
in the Greek text. Therefore the verse should read, “After
this Joseph of Arimathea being a convinced follower, an
earnest student or disciple of Jesus, but hidden away for
fear of the Jews.” He was hidden away, crypted, during
the crucifixion events. So to fit Mark 15:43, when Joseph
came boldly to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, with
John 19:38, when Joseph hid away for fear of the Jews,
we should note that Joseph of Arimathea apparently was
not afraid of what might happen to him eventually; but
he was concealed for the duration of the crucifixion because
he wanted to be sure not only to be able to see what
was going on, but to be alive and boldly claim the body
of Jesus upon death. Joseph obviously believed that Jesus
was going to die and therefore bought a garden near to
the place of the crucifixion in which he had a sepulchre
hewn out of the rock. Certainly Joseph would never have
done this had he not believed what Jesus told him concerning
His death.
Verse 39:
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first
came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of
myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
Until this verse Nicodemus has not been mentioned in
the Gospel records. The added note “And there came also
Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night. . .”
identifies Nicodemus as being the same man as told of
in John 3 and John 7. The first mention of spices in any of
the Gospels is when Nicodemus came and “brought a mixture
of myrrh and aloes” for the proper burial of Jesus.
Verse 40:
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in
linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the
Jews is to bury.
The word “they” in the King James has left the impression
that it was Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, but
this cannot be true from the records given in the other
three Gospels. In the Aramaic text the word “they” is the
word “he.” If the word were “they,” “they” would have
to refer to Nicodemus and his helpers, excluding Joseph
of Arimathea.
Verse 40 is the first time the word “wound” is used.
In the other Gospels Joseph wrapped the body of Jesus
in a sindōn. In this verse Nicodemus wound the body of
Jesus with the spices in linen clothes. Here the Greek word
for “linen clothes” is othonion meaning “bandages or
wrappings, grave clothes.” These are striking truths.
According to John 20:5, John the Apostle on the first
day of the week came to the sepulchre and “stooping
down. . .saw the linen clothes. . . .” In verse 6 Simon Peter
entered in the sepulchre and he “seeth the linen clothes
lie. . . .” The word for “linen clothes” in both verses is
not sindōn, but othonion, meaning “wrapping.”
Verse 41:
Now in the place where he was crucified there was
a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein
was never man yet laid.
This is the same garden where the women saw Joseph
of Arimathea place the body of Jesus and where Mary
Magdalene met Jesus after His resurrection.
Verse 42:
There laid they [”he,” the same as in verse 40] Jesus
therefore [after Nicodemus had properly anointed the
body and wrapped it for Jewish burial] because of
the Jews’ preparation day [because the Sabbath was
approaching]; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
“Because” is the Greek word dia. This word indicates
that Nicodemus laid Jesus back in this sepulchre because
time was running out before the Jewish Passover began,
which, of course, would occur at sunset. This verse well documents
the fact that sunset was near when Nicodemus
came to properly anoint the body.
Putting all the truths together from the four Gospels,
we note that Joseph of Arimathea, after receiving permission
from Pilate, took the body of Jesus, rolled it in a
sindōn, put it in his own sepulchre which he had prepared
for the occasion, rolled the stone to the door of
the sepulchre and departed. The women who had been sitting
a short distance from the sepulchre noted Joseph’s
treatment of Jesus’ body as he placed Him in this tomb
and returned to Jerusalem to prepare the spices and ointment
for proper burial without any knowledge of what
Nicodemus would do. Nicodemus, after Joseph of Arimathea
had departed from the garden, came to the sepulchre
and properly wrapped the body in grave clothes with
spices and buried Jesus according to the Jewish custom.
The total picture, drawn by studying collectively these
four accounts, is most interesting. The human elements
as shown by Joseph and Nicodemus make us think of our
own experience. We do not always think someone else’s
work is adequate so we re-do it to meet our satisfaction
or approval. Sometimes the situation is not clearly understood,
similar to Nicodemus’ not expecting the less-than-seventy-
two-hour-away resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus
he did unnecessary work in anointing and wrapping in
grave clothes the dead body. In contrast to all the others,
Joseph of Arimathea seemed unique in that he was the
only person prepared for the crucifixion and resurrection
of Jesus. He had bought a location in a garden near
Golgotha and had a sepulchre hewn out. After receiving
permission to take the body of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea
gave it tender though minimal care. Joseph’s actions confirmed
that he believed the Lord’s teaching that He would
rise three days and three nights after being buried.
Perhaps someone will now ask you as I have been
asked hundreds of times, “What difference does it make
if Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus worked independently
of each other?” It makes all the difference between
an unerring, accurate Word and a crumbling jumble of
writing. If God thought it important enough to sacrifice
His only-begotten Son for the integrity of His Word, then
we ought to think it supremely important to accurately
divide that Word.