QUESTION: If it was customary for women to go to the tomb and put perfumes on the body how did they normally roll the stone away? I know that the tomb of Jesus had guards so no one could steal the body but normally their were no guards. Right? Did the Mary’s have a plan to roll the stone away? Were they going to ask the guards to roll it away? If a son of a ordinary family past away and the women were going to the tomb how did they roll away the stone for minister to the body?
BURIAL OF JESUS IN THE GOSPELS
| Matthew 27:57-61 (ESV) | Mark 15:42-47 (ESV) | Luke 23:50-56 (ESV) | John 19:38-42 (ESV) |
| 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. | 42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. 45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. | 50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. | 38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. |
FACTS:
When: On the Day of Preparation (Friday, the day before High Sabbath during Passover). After 3PM when Jesus died, but before 6PM, when Sabbath begins.
Who: Joseph of Arimathea, rich man, respected member of the Jewish council (Sanhedrin), a good and righteous man, who had not consented to the council’s decision to crucify Jesus, a seeker of God’s kingdom, secret disciple of Jesus, courageously asked Pilate for His body for burial, wrapped in linen and laid Jesus’ body in his own new, unused tomb.
Nicodemus, came to Jesus at night, brought 75 pounds of spices (In John 3, he is identified as a Jewish ruler and Pharisee. In John 7, he defended Jesus before his fellow Pharisees and the chief priests.) Both Joseph and Nicodemus would’ve been ceremonially unclean for seven days after (Num. 19:11).
Pilate. Pontius Pilate, Roman Governor of Judea.
Mary Magdalene. The woman whom Jesus had set free of “seven demons” (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). She was also at the cross (John 19:25).
Mary, the “other Mary,” the mother of Joses.
What: Burial of Jesus.
Tomb. In a new tomb, cut in the rock, with a great stone to the entrance, where no one had ever yet been laid, the tomb was in a garden near the place where He was crucified.
Linen shroud. Joseph wrapped Christ’s body in a clean linen shroud, Joseph bought the linen shroud. He and Nicodemus bound Jesus’ body with the linen cloths with the spices, as was the burial custom of the Jews.
Spices. Nicodemus brought 75 pounds of a mixture of spices made up of myrrh and aloe to anoint the body. The women who went to see where they lay His body, returned and prepared spices and ointment, but had to wait until the Sabbath ended.
Stone. Joseph rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb. “it was very large” (Mk. 16:4).
Luke 7:11-17 (ESV)
11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Mark16:1-4 (ESV)
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.