Mark 15:43, commentary and pictures

Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy and honorable member of the Jewish council who was a true disciple waiting for the kingdom of God. He and Nicodemus had kept their faith hidden while Jesus lived in hope of using their influence to protect Him, and though they opposed His arrest their plans were thwarted when He was condemned by a secret council held in their absence, so once He was dead they no longer hid but came forward openly. While the other disciples were too fearful and without influence to act, Joseph went in boldly to Pilate to crave the body of Jesus to save it from the burial ground for criminals and give it an honored burial. Pilate was surprised that Jesus was already dead, since the crucified often lived for days, and only granted the body after the centurion in charge of the crucifixion confirmed His death. Their wealth and honored standing obtained from Pilate what the poorer disciples could not, and secured for Jesus a burial of highest honor with fine linen and about one hundred pounds of costly spices in Joseph's own new tomb near Calvary.

Joseph's Identity and Courage

Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy, influential and honorable Jewish counsellor, a member of the Sanhedrin, and a true disciple who waited for the kingdom of God. He is known as a respected councillor waiting for God's kingdom.

He and Nicodemus had believed but had not openly declared or accepted faith in Jesus while He lived. They held back because open acceptance would have excluded them from the Sanhedrin, and they hoped to retain their place and influence in its councils in order to protect Jesus.

They had opposed the grounds for His condemnation and protested His arrest, and for a time seemed to succeed. Their plans were thwarted when the leaders secured His condemnation in their absence through a secret council that did not summon him or Nicodemus.

Once Jesus was dead they no longer hid their attachment but came forward openly to help Him. Though Joseph approached Pilate privately because of the Jews' hatred and hostility and fear of it, he acted boldly in asking for the body. He did so at a time when the other disciples were too afraid, intimidated and disheartened to show themselves openly as His followers.

Pilate's Grant and Honored Burial

Jesus had been condemned as if for treason and opposition to the Roman government, and those so executed were to be handled by soldiers and laid in a burial ground reserved for criminals. John and the disciples treasured His body and feared such a dishonored burial, yet they had no influence with Pilate and could obtain no help from the Jewish authorities to prevent it. Joseph went in boldly to Pilate and craved the body of Jesus so that it could be taken down and receive burial, an honored burial.

Pilate had not known Jesus was dead and was surprised at the request, since crucified persons often lived for days. He therefore sent for the centurion who had overseen the crucifixion and who was in charge of the soldiers, and confirmed the death from the centurion's testimony, which agreed with Joseph's account and with what had been seen at Calvary. Jesus had died just as the mysterious darkness over the earth ended, and the report of that early death strengthened Pilate's conviction that Jesus was no ordinary man and deepened his regret for having condemned Him. Pilate then officially granted the request and gave Joseph his commission and order, allowing the disciples to take the body down from the cross.

The wealth and honored, influential standing of Joseph and Nicodemus enabled them to do for their dead Master what the poorer disciples could not do, to influence Pilate when the disciples could obtain no help, and largely protected them from blame, protest, censure and the malice of the priests and rulers. The burial they secured was exceptionally honored, for the body was wrapped in fine linen and treated with the honor given to a person of the highest standing. Nicodemus joined Joseph with about one hundred pounds of costly myrrh and aloes for the embalming, to the astonishment of the disciples. The body was laid in Joseph's own new tomb near Calvary that had been reserved for himself, Joseph and the others carefully placing Him there, while the women who had followed Jesus stayed until He was buried and then left Him there at rest.