John Calvin Commentary John 19:38

"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." — John 19:38 (ASV)

Joseph of Arimathea besought Pilate. John now relates by whom, in what place, and with what magnificence Christ was buried. He mentions two persons who buried Christ: namely, Joseph and Nicodemus. Joseph requested Pilate to give him the dead body, which otherwise would have been exposed to the lawless violence of the soldiers. Matthew (Matthew 27:57) says that he was a rich man, and Luke (Luke 23:50) says that he was a counsellor; that is, he held the rank of a senator. As for Nicodemus, we have seen in John 3 that he held an honorable rank among his own countrymen; and that he was also rich may be easily inferred from the great expense he spent on procuring this mixture.

Until now, therefore, riches had prevented them from professing to be the disciples of Christ, and might afterwards have no less influence in keeping them from making a profession so much hated and abhorred. The Evangelist expressly says that Joseph had formerly been kept back by this fear from venturing to declare openly that he was a disciple of Christ. As for Nicodemus, he repeats what we have already seen: that he came to Jesus secretly and by night (John 3:2 and John 7:50). From where, therefore, do they derive such heroic magnanimity that, when affairs are at the lowest ebb, they fearlessly come forth to public view?

I say nothing of the great and evident danger which they must have incurred; but the most important point is that they did not scruple to place themselves in a state of perpetual warfare with their own nation. It is therefore certain that this was brought about by a heavenly impulse, so that they who, through fear, did not render the honor due to him while he was alive, now run to his dead body, as if they had become new men.

They bring their spices to embalm the body of Christ; but they would never have done so if they had been perfumed with the sweet savor of his death. This shows the truth of what Christ had said:

Unless a grain of corn die, it remaineth alone;
but when it is dead, it bringeth forth much fruit,
(John 12:24).

For here we have a striking proof that his death was more life-giving than his life. So great was the efficacy of that sweet savor which the death of Christ conveyed to the minds of those two men, that it quickly extinguished all the passions belonging to the flesh. So long as ambition and the love of money reigned in them, the grace of Christ had no charms for them; but now they begin to disrelish the whole world.

Besides, let us learn that their example points out to us what we owe to Christ. Those two men, as a testimony of their faith, not only took down Christ from the cross with great hazard, but boldly carried him to the grave. Our slothfulness will be base and shameful if, now that he reigns in the heavenly glory, we withhold from him the confession of our faith.

So much the less excusable is the wickedness of those who, though they now deny Christ by base hypocrisy, plead in their behalf the example of Nicodemus. In one thing, I admit, they resemble him: that they endeavor, as far as lies in their power, to bury Christ. But the time for burying is past, since he has ascended to the right hand of the Father, that he may reign gloriously over angels and men, and that every tongue may proclaim his dominion (Philippians 2:9–10).

Secretly, through fear of the Jews. As this fear is contrasted with the holy boldness which the Spirit of the Lord worked in the heart of Joseph, there is reason to believe that it was not free from blame. This does not mean that all fear by which believers guard against tyrants and enemies of the Church is faulty, but rather that the weakness of faith is manifested whenever the confession of faith is withheld through fear.

We ought always to consider what the Lord commands and how far he tells us to advance. He who stops in the middle of the course shows that he does not trust in God, and he who sets a higher value on his own life than on the command of God is without excuse.

Who was a disciple of Jesus. When we perceive that the Evangelist bestows on Joseph the honorable designation of a disciple, at a time when he was excessively timid and did not venture to profess his faith before the world, we learn from it how graciously God acts towards his people and with what fatherly kindness he forgives their offenses. And yet the false Nicodemites have no right to flatter themselves, who not only keep their faith concealed within their own breast but, by pretending to give their consent to wicked superstitions, do all that is in their power to deny that they are disciples of Christ.