822. Preparation for Burial

By: James M. Freeman

• 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.

This was not embalming according to the Egyptian method, as described in the note on Genesis 50:2-3²And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. ³And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. (Genesis 50:2‑3) (#98). The Jews simply anointed the body, and wrapped it in fine linen, putting spices and ointments in the folds. In our Saviour’s case the operation was not completed, owing to the coming of the Sabbath. As soon as the Sabbath was over the pious women came to complete the work. See Mark 16:1¹And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. (Mark 16:1). The use of ointment in burial is referred to in Matthew 26:12¹²For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. (Matthew 26:12); Mark 14:8⁸She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. (Mark 14:8); John 12:7⁷Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. (John 12:7).

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).

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