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, approximate