Church Fathers Commentary John 19:38-42

"And after these things Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave [him] leave. He came therefore, and took away his body. And there came also Nicodemus, he who at the first came to him by night, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid. There then because of the Jews` Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand) they laid Jesus." — John 19:38-42 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Joseph, thinking that the hatred of the Jews would be satisfied by the crucifixion, went with confidence to ask permission to take charge of His burial. This is why the text says: And after this Joseph of Arimathea besought Pilate.

The Venerable Bede: Arimathea is the same as Ramatha, the city of Elkanah and Samuel. It was providentially arranged that he should be rich, so that he might have access to the governor, and just, so that he might be worthy of the charge of our Lord’s body: that he might take the body of Jesus, because he was His disciple.

St. John Chrysostom: He was not one of the twelve, but of the seventy, for none of the twelve came near. It was not that their fear kept them back, for Joseph was a disciple, but secretly, for fear of the Jews. But Joseph was a person of rank and known to Pilate, so he went to him, and the favor was granted. He afterwards believed in Him, not as a condemned man, but as a great and wonderful Person: He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

St. Augustine of Hippo: In performing this final act of service to our Lord, he showed a bold disregard for the Jews, even though he had avoided our Lord’s company when alive for fear of incurring their hatred.

The Venerable Bede: Their ferocity being satisfied for the time by their success, he sought the body of Christ. He did not come as a disciple, but simply to perform a work of mercy, which is due to the evil as well as to the good. Nicodemus joined him: And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

St. Augustine of Hippo: We must not read the words as, at the first bringing a mixture of myrrh, but attach at the first to the previous clause. For Nicodemus at the first came to Jesus by night, as John relates in the earlier part of the Gospel. From these words, then, we are to infer that this was not the only time Nicodemus went to our Lord, but simply the first time, and that he came again afterwards, heard Christ’s teachings, and became a disciple.

St. John Chrysostom: They bring the spices most effective for preserving the body from corruption, treating Him as only a man. Yet this shows great love.

The Venerable Bede: We must observe, however, that it was a simple ointment, for they were not allowed to mix many ingredients together. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

St. Augustine of Hippo: In this, the Evangelist implies that in performing the final rites for the dead, the custom of the nation is to be followed. It was the custom of the Jewish nation to embalm their dead bodies so that they might be preserved longer.

John does not contradict the other Evangelists here. Although they do not mention Nicodemus, they do not state that our Lord was buried by Joseph alone. Likewise, just because they say our Lord was wrapped in a linen cloth by Joseph, this does not mean other linen cloths could not have been brought by Nicodemus. Therefore, John is correct to speak not of a single cloth, but of "linen cloths" in the plural.

Furthermore, even if there were only one large linen cloth, He could still be described as being wrapped in "linen cloths." The napkin around His head and the strips of cloth binding His body were also made of linen. The term can therefore be understood in a general sense to include all the linen wrappings.

The Venerable Bede: From this has come the custom of the Church to consecrate the Lord’s body not on silk or gold cloth, but in a clean linen cloth.

St. John Chrysostom: But as they were pressed for time—for Christ died at the ninth hour, and after they had gone to Pilate and taken away the body, the evening was approaching—they laid Him in the nearest tomb: Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. This was a providential design, to make it certain that it was His resurrection and not that of any other person who might have been laid with Him.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Just as no one before or after Him was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, so in this tomb no one was buried before or after Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: In that it was a new tomb, we are given to understand that we are all renewed by Christ’s death, and that death and corruption are destroyed. Note, too, the extreme poverty He took upon Himself for our sakes. He had no house in His lifetime, and now at His death, He is laid in another’s tomb, His nakedness covered by Joseph. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

St. Augustine of Hippo: This implies that the burial was hurried in order to finish it before evening. On account of the preparation day—which the Jews among us more commonly call in Latin, Coena Pura—it was unlawful to do any such work.

St. John Chrysostom: The tomb was nearby so that the disciples could approach it more easily and be better witnesses of what took place there. It also allowed His enemies, who were placed there as guards, to be witnesses of the burial, so that the story of His body being stolen could be shown to be false.

The Venerable Bede: Mystically, the name Joseph means "fit to receive a good work," by which we are admonished that we should make ourselves worthy of our Lord’s body before we receive it.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Even now, in a certain sense, Christ is put to death by the greedy in the person of the poor who are starving. Be a Joseph, therefore, and cover Christ’s nakedness. Not just once, but continually, embalm Him in your spiritual tomb through contemplation. Cover Him, and mix myrrh and bitter aloes, considering that most bitter sentence of all: Depart, you cursed, into everlasting fire.