Lecture 6 — The burial of Christ

^19:38^ And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (because he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews) asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. [n. 2464]

^19:39^ And Nicodemus also came, he who at first came to Jesus by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight. [n. 2466]

^19:40^ They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths, with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. [n. 2467]

^19:41^ Now there was in the place where he was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, in which no man had yet been laid. [n. 2468]

^19:42^ Therefore, because of the parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus there, because the sepulchre was close at hand. [n. 2469]

2463. After the Evangelist has told us about the crucifixion and death of Christ, he now turns to his burial:

first, the permission for his burial;

second, the care in preparing his body: they took the body of Jesus;

third, the place where Christ was buried: now there was in the place where he was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre;

and, the burial itself: therefore . . . they laid Jesus there.

2464. He says, after these things the passion and death of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, this is the same city as Ramatha (1 Sam 1:1), because he was a disciple of Jesus, not one of the twelve, but one of the many other believers, for at first all those who believed were called disciples, asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Joseph was a disciple, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, like many others were before Christ’s passion: **many of the chief men also believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, that they might not be cast out of the synagogue **(John 12:42). We can see from this that while the other disciples, who went into hiding after the passion, lost their confidence, this man gained in confidence and openly tended to Jesus.

This man asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, take the body from the cross and bury it. He did this because the human laws required permission to bury the bodies of those who had been condemned. And Pilate gave him permission, because Joseph was an important person and known to Pilate; Mark refers to Joseph as a respected member of the council (Mark 15:42).

2465. In regard to the second he says, he came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. Here we see Joseph’s concern to prepare the body:

first, the things used in the preparation;

second, the preparation itself: they took the body of Jesus.

2466. The body of Jesus was prepared with a mixture of myrrh and aloes, which Nicodemus had purchased in large quantity. So the Evangelist mentions both of them: Joseph, who claimed the body, and Nicodemus, who brought the spices.

This is the same Nicodemus who came to Jesus at night, but this was before the passion (John 3:2). The Evangelist commemorates Nicodemus here to show that even though he had been a secret disciple, now he became a public one; he had already mentioned that Joseph had been a secret disciple because he feared the Jews. But Nicodemus did not yet have true faith in the resurrection because he brought myrrh and aloes, thinking that the body of Christ would soon corrupt without them: you will not give your holy one to corruption (Ps 16:10).

As for the mystical sense, we understand from this that we should bury the crucified Christ in our hearts, with the sadness of contrition and compassion: my hands dripped with myrrh (Song 5:5).

2467. With the spices ready, they prepared the body of Jesus, they took the body of Jesus.

There is a question here, for John says that they bound it in linen cloths, while Matthew says that they wrapped it in a linen cloth (Matt 27:59).

One can answer, according to Augustine, that Matthew speaks of one linen cloth because he only mentioned Joseph, and he brought this one cloth. John alone mentions Nicodemus, and so he says linen cloths, because Nicodemus brought the other cloth.

Or, again, the body of Christ was also wrapped in winding bands, as we read in the case of Lazarus, because this is the way the Jews buried their dead. A small cloth was also placed over his head. John includes all these in his words linen cloths.

From the fact that they anointed the body of Jesus with spices, we are taught that in the performance of such humane duties, we should follow the customs of each country.

2468. The place where Christ was buried is then mentioned, now there was in the place where he was crucified, a garden. Christ was arrested in a garden, underwent his agony in a garden, and was buried in a garden. This indicates to us that by the power of Christ’s passion we are freed from the sin which Adam committed in the garden of delights, and that through Christ the Church is made holy, the Church, which itself is like a garden enclosed.

And in the garden a new sepulchre, in which no man had yet been laid. There are two reasons why Christ wanted to be buried in a new tomb. The first is literal, and was so that no one would think that some other body which had been buried there had risen, and not Christ, or think that all bodies were of equal power. The other reason was that it was appropriate that he who was born of a Virgin should be buried in a new tomb, so that just as there was no one before or after him in the womb of Mary, so also in this tomb. This also indicates to us that by faith Christ is hidden in the newborn soul: that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith (Eph 3:17).

2469. Now follows the burial. So **because of the parasceve of the Jews **. . . they laid Jesus and placed him in the tomb.

Because the sepulchre, the new tomb, was close at hand, they laid Jesus there, because of the parasceve of the Jews. Christ died about the ninth hour, but because his body had to be prepared for burial and other things had to be done, the day had grown into evening. Because the sepulchre was close at hand, to the place where he was crucified, they laid Jesus there.