John 19:38–42

The second consequent following upon Christs death, is his honourable burial, performed by Joseph of Arimathea (who belonged to that place Arimathea, the same with Ramah, or Ramathaim, but dwelt at Jerusalem, as appears by his Garden and grave in it, Matth. 27.59, 60.) and Nicodemus; the first whereof begged his body of Pilate, and, (as the other Evangelist Mark) provided fine linnen, and the second brought fine spices; and they jointly wound and embalmed his body after the Jewish manner, and do bury him in a new grave near the City, where they lay him with some hast because of the Jewes preparation.

In all this procedure, we may consider, first, that it behooved Christ not only to die, but to be buried, and lie a while in the grave, as the lowest state of his humiliation: Whereby, 1. He would have all yet further confirmed of the truth and certainty of his death, which is so necessary to be beleeved; Therefore is all this solemnity used, and Pilates doubting of his death, Mark. 15.44. with other circumstances, are so narrowly marked. 2. He would teach us, that sin doth not only deserve death, but that the sinner also should remain deaths prisoner; As he continued under the power thereof for a season. 3. He would accomplish what was foretold in the type of Jonah, Matth. 12.39, 40. and would point out that by his death and burial he hath appeased the wrath of God which was burning against his people, as upon Jonahs casting into the sea, it was calmed and ceased from raging against others. 4. He would publish his entire conquest over death, in that lie pursued it into its place, and there triumphed over it, by his Resurrection, Act. 2.24. and would assure us that the grave can retain none of his followers longer then he pleaseth, seeing he hath loosed and broken the bands thereof. See 1 Cor. 15.55. 5. He would sanctifie and persume beleevers graves, and make that cold bed sweet unto them, by his lying down there. 6. As his lowest step of his humiliation was his passage toward his glorious resurrection; So he hath purchased unto his people, that their low abasements should tend to their higher exaltation. 7. He would also by this point out that vertue and efficacy which is in his death, extending to the very burial of sinne, as he himselfe was not only dead, but buried. See Rom. 6.4. Col. 2.12.

Secondly, we are to consider the persons employed in this action, the one being described by the other Evangelists to be a rich man, and an honourable counseller, and (as here also) a secret disciple, or one of these, Joh. 12.42. And the other being a Master and Teacher of Israel, and described here rather from that timorous act, ch. 22. then from his more bold (though not yet full) pleading on Christs behalfe, Joh. 7.50, 51. This consideration, and their owning Christ, in the general, may teach us. 1. A suffering Christ is nothing the lesse precious in the eyes of a right discerner; for, here, he is thought worthy to be owned by these eminent men, and they run much hazard, and bestow much cost upon his burial. 2. Such as are taught to live contentedly under want, and are ready to suffer, and to be forsaken of all, when God calls them to it, may expect Gods remarkable care of them when they need it, and to get needful proofes thereof, after their trial is over; for, so is verified in Christs experience, who being content to become poor, and being now in his suffering left, even by his disciples, yet he wants not honourable persons (perfumed with the smell of his death) who bestow expence upon his burial, These who resolve, on these terms, to follow God, may expect all things to be theirs, as they need them. 3. The Lord may have special favours to bring about for his people, not only when they are asleep, (as Adam was when the Lord prepared him a wife) but even when they are dead, and so altogether without them; As here also Christs experience doth teach, who when he died, had neither windingsheet nor a place of burial provided; and yet both are provided for him in an honourable way. And though this was singular in Christ, that he lived still as God, to provide what was needful for him; Yet in this also hath Gods love kithed toward many of his people, in his care of their posterity after they were dead and gone. 4. There may be many friends to Christ, who for a long time may lurk through fear and weaknesse; and yet they may (through Gods mercy to them) become more bold afterward; for, here, Joseph of Arimathea being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jewes, and Nicodemus which at the first came to Jesus by night, do now at last openly avow and own him. 5. Such may be the Lords mercy toward his own, as they may become more couragious in a time of great trial, then they have been in times of lesse hazard; for, they who before were timorous and fearful to own Christ, do now in this great hazard, openly appear for him, the one going to Pilate, (and that boldly, as it is, Mark 15.43) and both of them openly concurring to bury him: Such courage did then spring up out of the ashes of Christs death. And indeed, when God looseth the bonds of faint-hearted friends, how easie will it be for them to come over all their former fears?

Thirdly, we are to consider the particulars of their preparation before his burial, here mentioned, Namely, That Joseph craves liberty of Pilate to take away his body, and obtains it, and takes down his body; That Nicodemus brought abundance of fine spices; and, That both together wound his body in linnen cloath, applying the spices after the Jewish custome, which was not to unbowed the dead, and then to enbalme them, but only to apply the spices outwardly, and it is like that being in hast here, they took not such leisure as otherwise was usual. These particulars may teach us, 1. It is the will of God that zeal and affection run in a right channel, and keep his way, being (as pure, so) peaceable and orderly; for, Joseph goeth first and sought Pilates leave, who had power of the dead bodies, v. 31. and obtains it, before he do any thing. 2. It is the will of God, and very commendable, that the living do performe due honour to the dead bodies of Saints; And such as have received mercy from Christ, will think no expence too much, were it even bestowed on his dead body; for, a mixture of mirrhe and aloes, about an hundred pound weight, is employed this way, together also with fine linnen, as it is Mark 15.46. See 2 Chron. 16.14. Jer. 22.18, 19. Psal. 79.2. 3. It was beleeved, even in the Church of the Jewes, that there should be a resurrection of the same bodies which were dead; for, so much also did this practice of embalming among the Jewes, point at, (though the Heathen also borrowed it from the Patriarchs, albeit they were ignorant of the resurrection) they wound his body with linnen cloaths, with the spices, in expectation of the resurrection thereof, though, it may be, not beleeving that he should rise on the third day. Only seeing Christ hath now given a clear pledge of our Resurrection, by his own rising from the dead, there is no cause why that custome should be continued for that end.

Fourthly, Their burying of him in a new grave in a garden, (which was Josephs own, Matth. 27.60.) may teach, Not only that he would be buried in a garden, to expiate Adams sinne in the garden, and that he was buried in another mans grave, who suffered for the sins of others. But further. 1. It is mens duty to acquaint themselves with the thoughts of mortality in time, that so they may be the more ready when death comes; Therefore had Joseph his sepulchre ready in the garden, daily before his eyes. 2. Selfe-denying affection unto Christ, will quit any thing to him, that he calls for or needs; for, Joseph quits his grave to Christ. 3. All suspition of any others rising in stead of Christ, or of his rising by the vertue of any other, was prevented by his being buried in a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid: And so none could rise out of it, but he, nor could be raised by any vertue from any other buried there before him, as a man was raised at the touch of Elisha’s bones, 2 Kings 13.21.

Fifthly, a reason is given why he was buried there; Namely, That being the preparation day, wherein they could not attend long, therefore they hastily laid him there, as being near at hand, and, belike also, they did not, by reason of this, attend upon all the particular circumstances required in embalming of him. This may teach, 1. Albeit ceremonial performances give place unto moral duties, and men may lawfully omit the one, when they come in competition with the other; Yet men ought so to follow the one, as they strive (so far as is possible) to overtake all: Therefore, they so go about the burying of Christ, as they make all the hast they can, to observe the Jewes preparation day. 2. When the Lord doth not let things frame with his people as they would, it doth oft-times prove to be so, because they shall not need what he is not pleased to give; for, they got not leasure to wait upon this businesse, but hastily laid him in that sepulchre, for it was nigh at hand, because he was not to need a grave long, nor to need that way of embalming which they would have used toward him. 3. The Lord also did so order, that every passage about Christs burial, and even these which his friends would have had done otherwise, did contribute to his great scope of glorifying Christ; for, therefore also was it ordered, that they being hastened, laid him in the sepulchre, which was nigh at hand, that so he might rise in the view of all his enemies, where they had the stone sealed, and a guard to keep him in; whereas, had he been carried further off, the matter had been more obscure, and might have seemed more doubtful. And thus also doth he bring about his glory, by that wherein his people could little expect it should be so.