The Garden Tomb

Much has been written about the Garden of Gethsemane, where our Lord Jesus went through the agony of the cross with His Father. It is significant that it is only John’s gospel that calls the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane a garden, and it is only in John that the word “garden” is used in connection with the new tomb where our Lord was buried. John records that “in the place where He was crucified there was a garden” (John 19:41⁴¹Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. (John 19:41)). This was not the Garden of Gethsemane, for our Lord was almost surely crucified outside the Damascus gate, on the north side of Jerusalem, while the Garden of Gethsemane was across the Kidron valley, east of Jerusalem. Many conjectures have been offered as to the exact place where our Lord was crucified, but it is impossible today to be absolutely sure of the site of either the crucifixion or Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. However, we do know from Scripture that the garden to which John refers was near to the place where Jesus was crucified and that it contained a new tomb, owned by Joseph of Arimathea.

While we do not wish to speculate, it is reasonable to assume that the garden surrounding the tomb was privately owned by Joseph as well, for Scripture notes that he was a rich man. He was also a counsellor, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrim, but one who had not agreed to their plot to kill the Lord Jesus. The garden was likely his own place for rest and relaxation, and the place where he had already provided for his own burial. A godly sister in Christ, more than 150 years ago, perhaps with a touch of the imagination, described the Lord’s burial this way:

“There olives grew and palm trees waved, and there in that garden was a cave hewn out of the solid rock. I saw, far back through the ages, a few men and women who, with tearstained eyes, and tender touch, and silent haste, laid a form to rest — a Form wrapped closely in snow-white grave clothes ...

“But this funeral, done in such secrecy, with so much haste ... this funeral was the grandest that had ever been on earth. Creation held its breath in silent awe; angels wondered, as the Creator was laid by that handful of His trembling creatures in that rocky grave” (J.J.J., Clay and Stone, pp. 86-87).

While Joseph’s tomb is mentioned in all four of the Gospels’ records, we have already noted that only in John is it mentioned that the tomb was in a garden. Also, it is the only gospel in which Gethsemane is specifically referred to as a garden. Third, it is of significance that although John uses the word “garden” in connection with Gethsemane, he does not record the agony and prayer of the Lord Jesus, although he was the only one of the four Gospel writers who was present there.

In speaking of the reason for this last omission, we tread on holy ground, but with reverence I would suggest that all this is in keeping with the way John presents the Lord Jesus; He presents Him as the eternal Son of God. As the Son of God, He was superior to all His circumstances, and thus the only incidents recorded in Gethsemane are the displays of His power. First, there was the reference to Himself as the “I am,” which caused His would-be captors to fall backwards to the ground. Second, there was a display of His power in grace: He healed the ear of Malchus, which Peter had cut off.

Again speaking with reverence, God had not forgotten what was due to His beloved Son as man — the one who always did His will. He first provided a garden on the Mount of Olives, and now He provides a garden for His beloved Son in death. Once the work of redemption was complete, God never allowed wicked hands to touch the Person of His Son again. The last act man was allowed to do was the soldier’s piercing the side of the Lord Jesus. After that, only those with faith handled His body.

Back in Isaiah 53:9⁹And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah 53:9) JND we read, “Men appointed His grave with the wicked, but He was with the rich in His death.” God had ordained that His Son should have a rich man’s burial, and in a garden, which speaks of peace and rest. Even today men often try to make cemeteries as beautiful as possible, with trees, grass and flowers, and those whose loved ones rest there often place flowers and other ornaments on tombstones. God also was going to honor His Son, even if man had crucified Him.

However, even though man may beautify a graveyard, it remains a place of graves and death. But with our Lord Jesus, that grave into which He was placed would soon be empty, for He had said clearly that He would rise again. So too will those who have died, having put their trust in Him.

There is something very special to notice too about the spices that Nicodemus brought to embalm the Lord. It is recorded in John 19:39³⁹And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. (John 19:39) that Nicodemus “brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.” Together Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus buried our blessed Lord, the one providing the new tomb and the other the spices.

But in Psalm 45:8⁸All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. (Psalm 45:8) we read that “all Thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made Thee glad.” Myrrh is obtained from a small thorny tree, but it is necessary continually to “wound” the tree by cutting deeply into the bark in order to have the sap “bleed” out. It then forms a gummy, fragrant resin which has been considered very valuable throughout the world’s history. It speaks of fragrance through suffering — that which ascended up to God in the perfect obedience of His beloved Son. It has the character of the sweet savor of the burnt offering.

Aloes is also extracted from the wood of a tree. It has the unusual characteristic of being bitter in taste, yet yielding a beautiful fragrance. It speaks to us of the sin offering, for the suffering for sin yielded the most beautiful fragrance. The result of all that bitterness and suffering was to settle the whole matter of sin before a holy God and provide a way for the removal of sin, not only from those who believe, but eventually from the entire universe.

Finally, the Lord’s garments were permeated with cassia, a spice that is extracted from the twigs and bark of the cinnamon tree. While it has a strong and pleasant aroma, it was also well recognized for thousands of years as having medicinal and healing properties. I would suggest that it speaks of healing and comfort. Some may ask, Why then was it not present in the spices brought by Nicodemus? The answer is beautiful. Without the resurrection, there could be no salvation and no healing and comfort. Precious as was His work on the cross, it would not have sufficed to take away sin, had He remained in the grave. It is in resurrection that we have the cassia, perhaps best described in John 20:17¹⁷Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17): “I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” The cassia is not specifically named, but the result is clear. We are brought into favor and into relationship, not only with God, but with God as our Father. Never had this relationship existed before, for while God was always, in one sense, “one God and Father of all” (Eph. 4:6⁶One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:6)), yet He had never before been known to man as Father, in the intimate sense of that relationship. It is indeed a relationship from which healing and comfort flow.

That tomb is empty now, for as He had said, our blessed Lord rose triumphant from among the dead, and then later ascended to His Father. Soon all the redeemed will join Him there, forever to celebrate His victory over death and the grave.

W. J. Prost