The burial of Jesus.

Matthew 27.57-61 = Mark 15.42-47 = Luke 23.50-56  (John 19.38-42).

Current mode: View.

Notes and quotes.

§ I note the following agreements between Matthew and Luke against Mark:

  1. Matthew 27.57 has τουνομα Ιωσηφ (by the name of Joseph). Luke 23.50 has ονοματι Ιωσηφ (Joseph by name). Mark 15.42 has only Ιωσηφ (Joseph).
  2. Matthew 27.58 and Luke 23.52 both have ουτος προσελθων τω Πιλατω (this man, having come to Pilate) where Mark 15.43 has εισηλθεν προς τον Πιλατον (he came in toward Pilate).
  3. Matthew 27.59 and Luke 23.53 both have ενετυλιξεν αυτο (he wrapped it) where Mark 15.46 has αυτον ενειλησεν (he wound him).
  4. Matthew 27.61 has του ταφου (the sepulcher) and Luke 23.55 has το μνημειον (the tomb) where Mark 15.47 has no parallel.

§ Paul in 1 Corinthians 15.3-4:

Παρεδωκα γαρ υμιν εν πρωτοις ο και παρελαβον, οτι Χριστος απεθανεν υπερ των αμαρτιων ημων κατα τας γραφας, και οτι εταφη, και οτι εγηγερται τη ημερα τη τριτη κατα τας γραφας....

For I delivered to you among the very foremost things what I also received, that Christ died for the sake of our sins, according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures....

§ Acts 13.29, Paul speaking:

Ως δε ετελεσαν παντα τα περι αυτου γεγραμμενα, καθελοντες απο του ξυλου εθηκαν εις μνημειον.

And, when they had fulfilled all the things that had been written concerning him, they brought him down from the cross and placed him into a tomb.

§ It is possible that Papias of Hierapolis commented on the aloe mentioned in John 19.39, according to the following comment by Vardan Vardapet (originally in Armenian):

But, concerning the aloe which people brought, some say that it was a mixture of oil and honey, but aloe is certainly a kind of incense. The geographer and Papias report that there are fifteen kinds of aloe in India.

But this reference may be to a medieval lexicographer named Papias.

§ Peter 2.3-5:

Εσηκει δε εκει Ιωσηφ ο φιλος Πειλατου και του κυριου, και ειδως οτι σταυρισκειν αυτον μελλουσιν ηλθεν προς τον Πειλατον και ητησε το σωμα του κυριου προς ταφην. και ο Πειλατος πεμψας προς Ηρωδην ητησεν αυτου το σωμα. και ο Ηρωδης εφη· Αδελφε Πειλατε, ει και μη τις αυτον ητηκει, ημεις αυτον εθαπτομεν, επει και σαββατον επιφωσκει. γεγραπται γαρ εν τω νομω ηλιον μη δυναι επι πεφονευμενω. και παρεδωκεν αυτον τω λαω προ μιας των αζυμων, της εορτης αυτων.

But there was Joseph the friend of Pilate and of the Lord there, and knowing that they were about to crucify him he came to Pilate and asked for the body of the Lord for burial. And Pilate, having sent to Herod, asked for his body. And Herod said: Brother Pilate, even if no one had asked for him, we ourselves would have buried him, since also the sabbath is dawning. For it is written in the law that the sun is not to set upon one who has been executed. And he delivered him to the people before day one of unleavened bread, their feast.

Peter 6.23-24:

Εχαρησαν δε οι Ιουδαιοι και δεδωκασι τω Ιωσηφ το σωμα αυτου ινα αυτο θαψη, επειδη θεασαμενος ην οσα αγαθα εποιησεν. λαβων δε τον κυριον ελουσε και ειλησε σινδονι και εισηγαγεν εις ιδιον ταφον καλουμενον κηπον Ιωσηφ.

But the Jews rejoiced and gave his body to Joseph so that he might bury it, since he had seen as many good things as he had done. And having taken the Lord he bathed him and wound him in a shroud and bore him unto his own sepulcher, called the garden of Joseph.

§ The Dura-Europos fragment, possibly from the Diatessaron of Tatian:

  1. [Ζεβεδ]αιου και Σαλωμη κ[αι] αι γυναικες
  2. [εκ τω]ν ακολουθησαντων α[υ]τω [...] απο της
  3. [Γαλιλαι]ας ορωσαι τον στα[....] ην δε
  4. [η ημερ]α παρασκευη [....] σαββατον επεφω
  5. [σκεν. ο]ψιας δε γενομενης επι τ[η π]αρ[α
  6. [σκευη,] ο εστιν προσαββατον, προσ-
  7. [ηλθεν] ανθρωπος βουλευτη[ς υ]παρ-
  8. [χων α]πο Ερινμαθαια[ς], π[ο]λεως της
  9. [Ιουδαι]ας, ονομα Ιω[σηφ], α[γ]αθος δι-
  10. [καιος], ων μαθητης τ[ο]υ Ιη{σου}, κε-
  11. [κρυμ]μενος δε δια τον φοβον των
  12. [Ιουδαιω]ν, και ουτος προσεδεχετο
  13. [την] β[ασιλειαν] του θ{εο}υ· ουτος ουκ
  14. [ην συνκατατ]ιθεμεν[ο]ς τη β[ουλη....]
  1. [...of Zebed]ee and Salome a[nd] the women
  2. [from among] those who followed him from
  3. [Galil]ee to see the cr{....} And it was
  4. [the da]y of preparation [....] Sabbath was dawn-
  5. [ing.] And as it was becoming [l]ate on the prep-
  6. [aration,] which is before the sabbath, there came
  7. [up] a councilman [who]
  8. [came] from Erinmathaia, a city of
  9. [Jude]a, Jo[seph] by name, good, right-
  10. [eous,] who was a disciple of Je(sus), but in
  11. [hid]ing on account of fear of the
  12. [Jew]s, and this man was awaiting
  13. [the] k[ingdom] of G{o}d. This man was
  14. not [consent]ing to the c[ounsel....]

§ Byron McCane has a good article on the burial of Jesus.