Category: New Testament
Scriptures:
Matthew 27:57-27:66
Mark 15:42-15:47
Luke 23:50-23:56
John 19:38-19:42
Matthew 27:57-27:66
57 When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus’ disciple came.
58 This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given up.
59 Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock, and he rolled a great stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
61 Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
62 Now on the next day, which was the day after the Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together to Pilate,
63 saying, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’
64 Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead;’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can.”
66 So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.
Mark 15:42-15:47
42 When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.
44 Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long.
45 When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
46 He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid.
Luke 23:50-23:56
50 Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man
51 (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for God’s Kingdom:
52 this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.
53 He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.
54 It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
55 The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid.
56 They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
John 19:38-19:42
38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore and took away his body.
39 Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred Roman pounds.
40 So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb in which no man had ever yet been laid.
42 Then because of the Jews’ Preparation Day (for the tomb was near at hand) they laid Jesus there.
Commentary
The burial of Jesus was itself an aspect of His humiliation. We are reminded that, "Christ's humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell."
Jesus did not die and then immediately come back to life. His suffering and humiliation descended to the point of remaining under the power of death from Friday through Sunday. One aspect of the meaning of the statement "He descended into hell" is clearly the separation of His body and soul in death. Herman Bavinck opined, "The state of death in which Christ entered when he died was as essentially a part of his humiliation as his spiritual suffering on the cross. In both together he completed his perfect obedience."
Though Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31 assure us that Jesus did not see corruption, and His soul was not abandoned to Hades/Sheol (the state of death), yet it is great comfort to know that Jesus experienced the whole measure of human suffering, even tasting the grave for a season. Thus, He fully bore the wages of sin.