Smoodock's Blog

In John 19:38 we are introduced to a man named Joseph. He was from Arimathaea, which some conclude was ancient Ramah in Ephraim, the birthplace of Samuel (1Samuel 1:1, 21). Joseph was a disciple of the Lord, but a secret one, because he feared the Jewish authorities, namely, the Pharisees, would cast him out of the synagogues (cp. John 12:41-43), if his relationship to Jesus had become known.[1] To be cast out of the synagogues probably meant that one was cast out of Jewish society in general, and therefore excommunicated. So, by coming to Pilate and asking for Jesus’ body to bury, Joseph put himself at risk, in that he was a respected ruler, who had gone public in identifying himself with Jesus, whom the council had judged to be a criminal and a blasphemer.

According to Roman law in the third century AD, a Roman jurist, Ulpian, said:

“The bodies of those who are capitally punished cannot be denied to their relatives. At this day, however, the bodies of those who are executed are buried only in case permission is asked and granted; and sometimes permission is not given, especially in the cases of those who are punished for high treason. The bodies of the executed are to be given for burial to anyone who asks for them.”[2]

However, this doesn’t speak of what the law may have been during the first century AD. Cicero, a Roman statesman and skeptic, who lived closer to the time of Jesus (106 BC to 43 BC), had this to say about the bodies of the condemned:

“Yet death is the end. It shall not be. Can cruelty go further? A way shall be found. For the bodies of the beheaded shall be thrown to the beasts. If this is grievous to parents, they may buy the liberty of burial”[3]

Pilate was certainly not a compassionate man. He was cruel and hated the Jewish people, whom he governed. Normally, the bodies of criminals were either left to be eaten by beasts and rot in the field (cp. Matthew 14:12; Acts 8:2), or buried in a common grave for criminals. So, did Pilate sell the right to bury Jesus’ body to Joseph, or did he simply wish to add to his contempt for the Jewish authorities who threatened him earlier (cp. John 19:12)?[4] The text doesn’t say one way or the other, but either could be true.

With Joseph was Nicodemus, also a member of the Sanhedrin, and a Pharisee (John 3:1). He, too, was a disciple of Jesus, and his relationship to Jesus was kept secret (John 19:39). Nicodemus brought about 100 lbs. of a mixture of myrrh and aloes, which seems to be much more than was needed, but it may have been used as a matter of respect due the King (cp. 2Chronicles 16:14).

The men took the body of Jesus from the cross (Luke 23:53) and laid it in a new tomb that was nearby, in a manner according to the tradition of the Jews (John 19:40-42). The tomb was Joseph’s own tomb, which was a cave carved out of limestone (Matthew 27:59-60). Thus, fulfilling the scripture “His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death” (Isaiah 53:9).

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[1] Interestingly, although he is mentioned in all three Synoptics, only John tells us that Joseph was a secret disciple. Peter (Mark’s Gospel) calls him an honorable councilor (a member of the Sanhedrin), saying he went boldly to Pilate to crave the body of Jesus for burial. Luke also mentions Joseph was a councilor, saying he was a good man and just, who had not consented to the verdict of the council. Moreover, one has to wonder exactly when Joseph went public with his faith, since he didn’t agree to the verdict of the council. If he was so bold to go to Pilate, knowing he wouldn’t be able to participate in the ceremonial meal to be held that evening, due to being ceremonially unclean (cp. John 18:28). Did he also go in with Jesus and stand with him during Pilate’s investigation? We aren’t told, but how else would we know the exchanges between them? If, indeed, Joseph went into the governor’s palace to crave Jesus’ body, this would have become known, and repercussions could have occurred. So, when, exactly, did Joseph go public with his relationship to Jesus? I have more to say about this in a previous study: Barnabas, Whom Jesus Loved.

[2] See Vincent’s Word Studies.

[3] Ibid.

[4] According to D.A. Carson in his commentary The Gospel According to John, page 629, the bodies of crucified victims were not normally given to family members for burial.