John 19:41, commentary and pictures

In the place where He was crucified there was a garden holding a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid, Joseph's own tomb near Calvary reserved for himself, where His followers laid His body after burial preparations and closed it. That burial secured Him an honorable burial instead of being taken down by soldiers and cast into the dishonored ground reserved for executed criminals and traitors against Rome. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus obtained the body, brought myrrh and aloes and wrapped it with spices, and rulers whose sympathy had been secret now openly mourned over Him and stood by Him in danger. The unused tomb made His burial distinct and certain, fulfilling that He would be with the rich in His death though His body would not see corruption. Angelic hosts watched and waited at that tomb where He lay dead beyond the reach of the sick, but He is not still dead there, for He has risen and lives as the resurrection and the life in victory over Satan to reclaim the kingdom.

Garden Tomb Near Calvary

At the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in that garden a new sepulchre in which no man had yet been laid. His body was laid in that unused tomb as an honored burial, honorable rather than in the dishonored burial place reserved for executed criminals. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus performed the final burial rites and laid him there, with Nicodemus bringing myrrh and aloes and the body wrapped with spices, and both men mourning together over his body.

The tomb belonged to Joseph, lay near Calvary, and had been prepared and reserved for his own burial before he prepared it for Jesus. He had made it ready for himself, then made it ready for Jesus, so that Jesus was laid in Joseph's own unused tomb close to the cross.

After Jesus was taken down from the cross, his followers laid his body in that tomb after the burial preparations were completed. The women stayed until the tomb was closed.

Honorable Burial by Disciples

John 19:41 belongs to the securing of an honorable burial for Jesus, rather than consigning His body to the burial ground reserved for executed criminals, for Joseph and Nicodemus were determined to provide that honorable burial. The tomb is identified as a garden tomb near the place of crucifixion, new with no one previously buried in it, and Jesus' body laid in Joseph's new sepulcher was an honored burial. Those executed for treason against Rome were ordinarily taken down by soldiers and buried in that criminals' burial ground. The burial was at risk of dishonor because Jesus had been condemned for opposing the Roman government, with fear that soldiers would handle His body and bury Him in the place set apart for criminals.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus secured the body so it could receive that honorable burial rather than be placed in the dishonored burial ground used for executed criminals. They performed the final burial rites and placed Him in the tomb, with Nicodemus bringing myrrh and aloes and the body wrapped with spices. In doing so the rulers whose sympathy had been secret now openly cared for Jesus and mourned together over His body. Their care made these formerly cautious, secret disciples publicly stand by Him at a time of danger.

Prophecy and Resurrection Victory

The tomb was new and set in a garden near the place of crucifixion, where no one had ever been buried. That unused state made His burial distinct and gave the clearest evidence that He had truly been laid there. His body was wrapped with spices, yet it was not to see corruption, and in being laid there He fulfilled the prophetic detail that He would be with the rich in His death. The tomb where His followers placed Him after taking Him down from the cross became the place where the angelic host watched and waited to act in freeing Him from death.

He lay dead in Joseph's tomb, beyond the reach of the sick who had come hoping for His healing. That tomb of Joseph is identified as the place where Christ was laid after His crucifixion, but Christ is not still dead in that tomb. He has risen and lives as the resurrection and the life. His resurrection marks His victory over Satan and His work of reclaiming the kingdom.