Burial of Jesus

Caravaggio - La Deposizione di Cristo

The burial of Jesus refers to the interment of Jesus' body after his crucifixion and death. According to the New Testament, Jesus was buried by Joseph of Arimathea in a tomb hewn out of rock. This event is a significant part of the Passion of Jesus and is commemorated by Christians during Holy Saturday.

Biblical Accounts

The burial of Jesus is described in all four canonical gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. According to these accounts, after Jesus' crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin and a secret follower of Jesus, requested Pontius Pilate for the body of Jesus. Pilate granted his request, and Joseph, along with Nicodemus, took Jesus' body down from the cross.

Gospel of Matthew

In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph of Arimathea wrapped Jesus' body in a clean linen cloth and placed it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out of the rock. He then rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting opposite the tomb.

Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark provides a similar account, noting that Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of rock. He then rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of James saw where he was laid.

Gospel of Luke

In the Gospel of Luke, Joseph of Arimathea is described as a good and righteous man who had not consented to the Sanhedrin's decision and action. He wrapped Jesus' body in a linen cloth and laid it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.

Gospel of John

The Gospel of John adds that Nicodemus, who had earlier visited Jesus at night, brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Significance

The burial of Jesus is a crucial event in Christian theology as it precedes the Resurrection of Jesus, which is celebrated on Easter Sunday. The burial fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9 that the Messiah would be buried with the rich. It also demonstrates the fulfillment of Jewish burial customs and the care taken by Jesus' followers to honor him even in death.

Related Sites

The traditional site of Jesus' burial is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which has been a major pilgrimage destination for Christians since the 4th century. Another proposed site is the Garden Tomb, which some believe to be the actual location of Jesus' burial.

See Also

• Crucifixion of Jesus
• Resurrection of Jesus
• Passion of Jesus
• Holy Saturday
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre
• Garden Tomb