822. Preparation for Burial

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
John 19:4040Then 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). 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 and Luke are the only evangelists who speak of the ointment and spices at the burial of Christ. See text and Luke 23:5656And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. (Luke 23:56). All four of them, however, mention the linen clothes. See Matthew 27:5959And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, (Matthew 27:59); Mark 15:4646And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. (Mark 15:46); Luke 23:5353And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. (Luke 23:53); text; and John 20:5-75And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (John 20:5‑7). These are also named in connection with the burial of Lazarus. See John 11:4444And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (John 11:44). It is there said that he was “bound hand and foot with grave-clothes,” and skeptics have made themselves merry with the absurdity of the story that a man having both feet bound together should be able to “come forth.” That the feet were bound together is, however, a gratuitous assumption. If each leg and each arm were separately swathed in linen bandages the assertion of the evangelist would still be strictly true, for Lazarus would then have been “bound hand and foot,” while at the same time able, at the command of Christ, to move, though not to walk easily.
A “napkin” is also mentioned in connection with the burial of Lazarus. It was bound about his face. See John 11:4444And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (John 11:44). One was also used at the burial of Jesus. See John 20:77And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (John 20:7). This was a handkerchief which was employed to tie up the chin of a corpse.
Reference to the use of linen bandages in burial is also seen in the account of the burial of Ananias, wherein it is said that “they wound him up.” See Acts 5:66And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. (Acts 5:6).