And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and honored ruler and true disciple, boldly begged Pilate for the body of Jesus and received permission to take it when the poor disciples could not for sorrow, fear and lack of influence. By securing the body in this way he saved it from dishonored handling by soldiers and burial in a criminals' ground as one executed for treason against Rome. Joined by Nicodemus, he reverently took down the bruised and torn body, cleansed it, wrapped it in clean fine linen with about a hundred pounds of costly myrrh and aloes, and laid it in his own new rock-hewn tomb near Calvary wherein no man had lain. Though neither Joseph nor Nicodemus had openly confessed Christ in life for fear of the Sanhedrin, the scenes of His death convinced them He was the Messiah, and they now no longer hid their faith but courageously gave their dead Master an exceptionally honored burial. That tomb where the women lingered and the angels watched became the place of triumph, for Christ rose from it as conqueror and the resurrection and the life, while many rose with Him to testify He was risen.
Honorable Burial Accomplished
Matthew 27:59 belongs to the history of professedly pious Jews given in Matthew 27 and 28, to be read with Christ's commission to His disciples in Matthew 28. Joseph of Arimathea was a rich and honored ruler, an honorable counsellor with influence and a true disciple, who went privately yet boldly to Pilate to beg for Jesus' body and returned with Pilate's order granting it. This was a task the poor disciples could not do, for though they loved, respected and honored Jesus they did not know how to obtain His body, were overwhelmed with sorrow, had forgotten His words, were without hope and feared to show themselves openly, and John had no influence with Pilate to prevent dishonor. Securing the body in this way saved Jesus from a dishonored burial, for as one executed as an alleged traitor and for treason against the Roman government He would otherwise have been handled by unfeeling soldiers and taken to a burial ground set apart for such criminals.
Joseph, joined by Nicodemus, with his own hands gently and reverently took down the bruised, torn and lacerated body from the cross with tears of sympathy, bathed and cleansed it from the stain of blood, and wrapped it in a clean, fine linen sheet or cloth together with the spices Nicodemus had brought. The linen wrapping was the customary way of preparing the dead, done here with precious ointments and spices. The preparation used about a hundred pounds' weight of costly myrrh and aloes for embalming, and Jesus was given in death respect equal to the most honored in Jerusalem, an exceptionally honored burial. He was borne with two others to Joseph's own new tomb hewn from rock near Calvary, built and reserved for Joseph's own use and wherein no man had ever lain. There His mangled limbs were straightened and His bruised hands folded upon His pulseless breast, and then a stone of great weight was rolled against the entrance.
The Galilean women who had humbly followed Jesus in life, including Mary Magdalene and the other Marys, stayed near after His death, drew near to see that all was done, would not leave until they saw His sacred body laid there, and lingered about the tomb shedding tears into the gathering evening shades as those last at the cross and last at the tomb, fearing lest enemies should seek to obtain His body. The body was hastily placed in Joseph's tomb as the Sabbath approached so the disciples could keep the Sabbath according to the commandment. His death and burial fulfilled the Passover symbolism, for the antitypical Lamb had been slain and lay in the tomb.
Sorrow, Faith, and Victory
After His agonizing death on Calvary as a criminal and His laying in the tomb, the disciples renewed their sorrow and mourned in deep anguish with terrible grief because their hopes had died with Him and they had lost their Lord, while seeking to give Him an honored resting-place. Their anguish after the burial was terrible, for with the crucifixion the hopes of His followers died. The burial belongs to the account of His laying in the tomb after that agonizing death, when grief followed because hope had died with Him.
Neither Joseph nor Nicodemus had openly accepted the Saviour while He lived, knowing it would exclude them from the Sanhedrin and hoping to protect Him by influence in its councils. They had listened to His teachings and remembered His foretelling of His death, and were proved by the scenes of His death that He was the true Messiah. So now that He was dead they no longer concealed their attachment, to the astonishment of the disciples, and Joseph's previously quiet belief was acted on with courage and firm faith as they took their stand firmly as believers. While the disciples feared to show themselves openly, these men came forward openly for their dead Master.
As rich and honored men their wealth and influence enabled them to do for their dead Master what the poor disciples could not do and in great measure protected them from the malice of the priests and rulers. Fear for the body was needless, for the angelic host watched the resting place with untold interest and guarded the sepulchre, earnestly waiting the command to act their part in liberating the King of glory. Angels watched the tomb while Roman guards also kept careful watch over it. The body lying in Joseph's tomb became a source of fear for the priests and rulers because they knew Jesus had raised the dead and feared He would rise Himself.
The tomb in Joseph's sepulchre became the place over which He rose from the dead. The angel of God rolled back the stone, a voice from heaven woke the Sleeper, and Christ walked forth a triumphant conqueror while the guards fell to the ground as dead men. His burial after suffering and death was followed by triumphant resurrection, which shows His power as the resurrection and the life. When the disciples came and found the tomb empty they were amazed and could hardly believe the testimony that He had indeed risen, and at His rising a multitude arose with Him and went into the city testifying that Christ was risen and they were risen with Him, so the lying report bribed from the guards that the disciples had stolen Him had little effect. While His body lay in Joseph's tomb after His execution, the sick who had hoped for His healing now had no access to Him.
Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and honored ruler and true disciple, boldly begged Pilate for the body of Jesus and received permission to take it when the poor disciples could not for sorrow, fear and lack of influence. By securing the body in this way he saved it from dishonored handling by soldiers and burial in a criminals' ground as one executed for treason against Rome. Joined by Nicodemus, he reverently took down the bruised and torn body, cleansed it, wrapped it in clean fine linen with about a hundred pounds of costly myrrh and aloes, and laid it in his own new rock-hewn tomb near Calvary wherein no man had lain. Though neither Joseph nor Nicodemus had openly confessed Christ in life for fear of the Sanhedrin, the scenes of His death convinced them He was the Messiah, and they now no longer hid their faith but courageously gave their dead Master an exceptionally honored burial. That tomb where the women lingered and the angels watched became the place of triumph, for Christ rose from it as conqueror and the resurrection and the life, while many rose with Him to testify He was risen.
Honorable Burial Accomplished
Matthew 27:59 belongs to the history of professedly pious Jews given in Matthew 27 and 28, to be read with Christ's commission to His disciples in Matthew 28.
Joseph of Arimathea was a rich and honored ruler, an honorable counsellor with influence and a true disciple, who went privately yet boldly to Pilate to beg for Jesus' body and returned with Pilate's order granting it.
This was a task the poor disciples could not do, for though they loved, respected and honored Jesus they did not know how to obtain His body, were overwhelmed with sorrow, had forgotten His words, were without hope and feared to show themselves openly, and John had no influence with Pilate to prevent dishonor.
Securing the body in this way saved Jesus from a dishonored burial, for as one executed as an alleged traitor and for treason against the Roman government He would otherwise have been handled by unfeeling soldiers and taken to a burial ground set apart for such criminals.
Joseph, joined by Nicodemus, with his own hands gently and reverently took down the bruised, torn and lacerated body from the cross with tears of sympathy, bathed and cleansed it from the stain of blood, and wrapped it in a clean, fine linen sheet or cloth together with the spices Nicodemus had brought.
The linen wrapping was the customary way of preparing the dead, done here with precious ointments and spices.
The preparation used about a hundred pounds' weight of costly myrrh and aloes for embalming, and Jesus was given in death respect equal to the most honored in Jerusalem, an exceptionally honored burial.
He was borne with two others to Joseph's own new tomb hewn from rock near Calvary, built and reserved for Joseph's own use and wherein no man had ever lain.
There His mangled limbs were straightened and His bruised hands folded upon His pulseless breast, and then a stone of great weight was rolled against the entrance.
The Galilean women who had humbly followed Jesus in life, including Mary Magdalene and the other Marys, stayed near after His death, drew near to see that all was done, would not leave until they saw His sacred body laid there, and lingered about the tomb shedding tears into the gathering evening shades as those last at the cross and last at the tomb, fearing lest enemies should seek to obtain His body.
The body was hastily placed in Joseph's tomb as the Sabbath approached so the disciples could keep the Sabbath according to the commandment.
His death and burial fulfilled the Passover symbolism, for the antitypical Lamb had been slain and lay in the tomb.
Sorrow, Faith, and Victory
After His agonizing death on Calvary as a criminal and His laying in the tomb, the disciples renewed their sorrow and mourned in deep anguish with terrible grief because their hopes had died with Him and they had lost their Lord, while seeking to give Him an honored resting-place. Their anguish after the burial was terrible, for with the crucifixion the hopes of His followers died. The burial belongs to the account of His laying in the tomb after that agonizing death, when grief followed because hope had died with Him.
Neither Joseph nor Nicodemus had openly accepted the Saviour while He lived, knowing it would exclude them from the Sanhedrin and hoping to protect Him by influence in its councils. They had listened to His teachings and remembered His foretelling of His death, and were proved by the scenes of His death that He was the true Messiah. So now that He was dead they no longer concealed their attachment, to the astonishment of the disciples, and Joseph's previously quiet belief was acted on with courage and firm faith as they took their stand firmly as believers. While the disciples feared to show themselves openly, these men came forward openly for their dead Master.
As rich and honored men their wealth and influence enabled them to do for their dead Master what the poor disciples could not do and in great measure protected them from the malice of the priests and rulers. Fear for the body was needless, for the angelic host watched the resting place with untold interest and guarded the sepulchre, earnestly waiting the command to act their part in liberating the King of glory. Angels watched the tomb while Roman guards also kept careful watch over it. The body lying in Joseph's tomb became a source of fear for the priests and rulers because they knew Jesus had raised the dead and feared He would rise Himself.
The tomb in Joseph's sepulchre became the place over which He rose from the dead. The angel of God rolled back the stone, a voice from heaven woke the Sleeper, and Christ walked forth a triumphant conqueror while the guards fell to the ground as dead men. His burial after suffering and death was followed by triumphant resurrection, which shows His power as the resurrection and the life. When the disciples came and found the tomb empty they were amazed and could hardly believe the testimony that He had indeed risen, and at His rising a multitude arose with Him and went into the city testifying that Christ was risen and they were risen with Him, so the lying report bribed from the guards that the disciples had stolen Him had little effect. While His body lay in Joseph's tomb after His execution, the sick who had hoped for His healing now had no access to Him.