So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This wasn't just a quick wrap-up; the use of "bound it in linen cloths with the spices" highlights the thoroughness of Jewish burial customs. It suggests a deliberate, respectful process, a stark contrast to the hurried and ignominious crucifixion, preparing Jesus for a dignified rest after his suffering.
So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In the immediate aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion, as the Sabbath drew near, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower, boldly requested Pilate for Jesus' body. Together with Nicodemus, another secret disciple, they carefully prepared Jesus for burial according to Jewish custom, wrapping Him in clean linen cloths with spices before placing Him in a new tomb. This hurried yet respectful burial, occurring on the eve of a high Sabbath, highlights the secrecy of their discipleship and the unique circumstances surrounding Jesus' death and entombment, setting the stage for the profound events that would follow.
In the darkest hour, who stepped forward to care for Jesus' body? It wasn't the crowds who followed Him or even His closest disciples who had fled. It was men who had followed Him 'in secret.'
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, though fearful during Jesus' ministry, showed incredible courage in His death.
From Shadow to Service
Their actions demonstrate that even those who are hesitant or fearful can rise to the occasion when called by God. God can use anyone, and sometimes it’s those who seem least likely who become the most courageous.
Jesus' burial wasn't a rushed, unceremonious event. The care taken, the spices used, and the new tomb chosen all carry profound significance.
The burial of Jesus was conducted with great care and respect, reflecting the custom of the Jews and carrying symbolic weight.
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The Jewish Custom
Significance for Believers
Understand the original words
othonion · Greek Noun
Fine fabric made from the flax plant. In biblical burial, it was used to wrap the body of the deceased as a mark of respect and cultural observance.
arōma · Greek Noun
Aromatic vegetable substances used in the ancient world for cooking, medicine, and particularly for honoring the dead. The use of large amounts signifies great reverence and wealth offered to the person being buried.
This verse highlights the urgency of the burial due to the approaching Sabbath and the specific customs of Jewish burial, contrasting with Egyptian or Roman practices and emphasizing the physical reality of Jesus' death and burial.
c. 30 AD
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is crucified by Roman authorities under Pontius Pilate. This event is the central focus of Christian theology.
c. 30 AD
Request to Pilate
Jewish leaders, concerned about bodies remaining on the crosses during the Sabbath and Passover, ask Pilate to hasten the deaths and remove the bodies.
c. 30 AD
Joseph of Arimathea's Request
Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus, asks Pilate for Jesus' body to ensure a proper burial.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Body Taken for Burial
Joseph and Nicodemus take Jesus' body from the cross. They prepare it for burial according to Jewish custom, wrapping it in linen cloths with spices.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Placed in a New Tomb
Jesus' body, wrapped and spiced, is laid in a borrowed tomb in a nearby garden owned by Joseph of Arimathea. This tomb had not been used before.
c. 30 AD
The Sabbath Begins
The Jewish Sabbath commences at sunset on Friday. This means the burial had to be completed quickly before the holy day began.
This passage prophesies the Suffering Servant would be 'assigned a grave with the wicked, but with the rich at his death.' John 19:40 highlights the 'rich' aspect through Joseph of Arimathea's action, fulfilling this prophetic detail.
Luke 23:53This verse describes Jesus being laid 'in a tomb cut into the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.' This detail, also present in John 19:41, emphasizes the significance and purity of Jesus' burial place.
1 Corinthians 15:4Paul states that Christ 'was buried, according to the Scriptures.' John 19:40 shows the actual burial practices of the Jews, demonstrating how this event fulfilled Old Testament anticipation.
John 11:44In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus declares, 'The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen.' This earlier account of a Jewish burial custom parallels the description of Jesus' own burial in John 19:40.
henryJohn 19:38-42: "And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus."
19:38-42 Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Christ in secret. Disciples should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser trials have been fearful, in greater have been courageous. When God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to…
meyerJohn 19:40: "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."
John 19:40-42 . ʼΕν ὀθονίοις ] In bandages , so that He was enveloped therein, Plato, Legg . ix. p. 882 B; Pol . viii. p. 567 C; Jdt 16:8 . καθὼς ἔθος , κ . τ . λ .] The custom of the Egyptians (Herod. ii. 86 ff.), e.g ., was different; amongst them the practice was to take out the brain and the intestines, or at least to deposit the body in nitre for seventy days…
This wasn't just a quick wrap-up; the use of "bound it in linen cloths with the spices" highlights the thoroughness of Jewish burial customs. It suggests a deliberate, respectful process, a stark contrast to the hurried and ignominious crucifixion, preparing Jesus for a dignified rest after his suffering.
In the immediate aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion, as the Sabbath drew near, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower, boldly requested Pilate for Jesus' body. Together with Nicodemus, another secret disciple, they carefully prepared Jesus for burial according to Jewish custom, wrapping Him in clean linen cloths with spices before placing Him in a new tomb. This hurried yet respectful burial, occurring on the eve of a high Sabbath, highlights the secrecy of their discipleship and the unique circumstances surrounding Jesus' death and entombment, setting the stage for the profound events that would follow.
In the immediate aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion, as the Sabbath drew near, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower, boldly requested Pilate for Jesus' body. Together with Nicodemus, another secret disciple, they carefully prepared Jesus for burial according to Jewish custom, wrapping Him in clean linen cloths with spices before placing Him in a new tomb. This hurried yet respectful burial, occurring on the eve of a high Sabbath, highlights the secrecy of their discipleship and the unique circumstances surrounding Jesus' death and entombment, setting the stage for the profound events that would follow.
"So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews." — This wasn't just a quick wrap-up; the use of "bound it in linen cloths with the spices" highlights the thoroughness of Jewish burial customs. It suggests a deliberate, respectful process, a stark con…
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Last reviewed October 2026