Jesus was Buried
Aug 19th, 2008 by John
Men crucified for treason against Rome forfeited the honor of burial. While Pilate suspected Jewish treachery in the Sanhedrin’s charges against Jesus, Pilate nonetheless had Jesus crucified as “King of the Jews.” Roman law prohibited the burial of those crucified and the bodies were normally left on the crosses to rot and be eaten by birds. Exceptions to this were in the hands of the Roman magistrate. In Jesus’ case, in the hands of Pilate.
Normally, family members and friends asked for the body. Where were Mary and Jesus’ brothers? How historically accurate is Michelangelo’s Pieta? Where were Jesus’ disciples? When John the Baptist was murdered, his disciples came to claim and bury the body. Why did a distinguished member of the Sanhedrin step forward and ask Pilate for Jesus’ body? What prompted Joseph of Arimathea, in the face of Pilate, to risk the charge of sympathizing with the crucified renegade from Nazareth?
Pilate seemed obsessed with Jesus actually being dead. He summoned the centurion responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion to verify that Jesus was, in fact, deceased. Why? It usually took two to three days for victims of crucifixion to die. Pilate was startled that Jesus was so quickly dead.
Jesus was not murdered, nor did anyone take his life from him. Jesus took his last breath, exhaled with a loud cry, bowed his head and gave up his spirit. He laid down his life of his own volition. Then, he hung lifeless on the cross. Abandoned by family. Abandoned by friends. Abandoned, it seemed, by his God. Jesus is severely alone.
An unlikely friend from a pack of foes steps forward to request the body. Pilate, against all reason, grants the release while taking measures to protect the body from (friendly) thieves. Joseph of Arimathea wraps Jesus in linen cloth and buries Jesus in his own rock tomb. Two Marys watch in silent grief, no loud mourning allowed for the crucified, marking the place Jesus was buried. In the tomb of an influential, wealthy man.
Of the Suffering Servant it was written, “…and with the rich in his death…” Isaiah 53:9.
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Interesting post, though I should take issue with a few points. However unusual it may have been, archaeologists have discovered the bones of crucified men within the bone boxes of their families, meaning they must have been buried too. That’s my archaeological issue.
I have a theological issue too… if Jesus wasn’t murdered and he gave his life on his own volition then we can’t consider him to have been killed by the system. Jesus came to subvert and to do away with the system of violence by being killed under it and then being vindicated over against it. If he wasn’t murdered then what was he vindicated from? His own act of suicide? No. We must consider Jesus to have been murdered under an oppressive system, not only so that we might understand him as being victorious over it (think of the victory through martyrdom motif in II Maccabees and in the book of Revelation) but so that we can understand him as standing in solidarity with all oppressed and crucified peoples. He does lay down his life in one sense, that is that he doesn’t resist violently, but I think he was indeed murdered.
It’s so rude of me to, after having been gone from the conversations f this blog for so long, come on here with a bunch of argumentative critiques. It’s been too long since I’ve commented on this blog for me to be so confrontational. I enjoyed the post, I enjoy this blog, I will be back more often.
Wes Ellis,
Bones of crucified victims in their family bone boxes does not nullify the Roman law, but illustrates the exceptions that were granted by the magistrate at the time.
Theologically and anatomically, Jesus was not murdered. The Gospel accounts emphasize that Jesus’ final acts were under his complete control, contrary to the way most victims of crucifixion died. In many ways Jesus can be viewed as a victim of the powers who is subverting their ways except in his final moments. Unless he was horribly mistaken, I take Jesus’ words in John 10:18 as his deep conviction, “No one takes it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” In your favor is Paul’s statement in 1 Thess 2:15 that the “…Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus…” yet we know that Jesus was “killed” by the Romans.
I personally think Pilate was a superstitious politician who had dealt with scores of crimnals. In doing so, I believe he recognized that when interrogated, Jesus’ character did not betray His well known reputation. Shadows of doubt form. Then his wife warns him not to get involved with this Rabbi because of a dream she had. Creeping fear begins to move him to release this prisoner. But his political aspirations (to please the Jewish leaders and maintain a carefully managed peace) gave in and he turned Jesus over to the executioners on behalf fo the Jews who accepted the proposition that Jesus’ blood would be on their heads. Pilate washed his hands of the bloody verdict, but not his conscience. Perhaps when some officials from the Sanhedrin asked to remove the body, Pilate agreed in order to ease his conscience.
I believe that Joseph and Nicodemus were indeed disciples of Jesus, but were not acting covertly when they took His body off the cross and buried Him. The Sanhedrin was aware of all that was taking place, as they requested the posting of the Roman guard. They also assured the guards they would appease Pilate when the guards were asked to lie about the missing body.
There is also historical evidence of a custom that might give context to Joseph and Nicodemus’ action. There were times when the Sanhedrin would oversee the decomposition of the flesh of an executed Jewish criminal for the period of one year (putrification rites), after which the bones would be returned to the family for family burial (ossilegium). Perhaps these two disciples collaborated with the Sanhedran to oversee the organization of this task.
At any rate, I deeply appreciate your cultural insights into this amazing passage. We miss so much when we interpret with our own Western cultural ideosyncracies.
Ken,
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. I found your comments very informative. One scholar thought that Joseph of Arimethea acted simply to keep the curse of God off of the land according to Deut 21:23, though that flies in the face of John 19:38.
John,
Powerful post.
Thank you for sharing these words with us all.
Wonderful.
Preacherman,
Thanks back at you for your encouraging words.
John
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Well written and most importantly biblical.