The Burial of Jesus – JSS2 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

The burial of Jesus is the event in which Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took Jesus’ body from the cross, wrapped it with spices and laid it in a new rock-cut tomb before the Sabbath began. All four Gospels record it. It confirms that Jesus truly died and links His crucifixion to His resurrection.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Describe the events of Jesus’ burial as recorded in the Gospels.
2. Identify the people involved in the burial and what each one did.
3. Explain the Jewish burial customs of the first century.
4. State why the burial of Jesus is important in Christian faith.
5. Apply lessons from the burial narrative to their own lives.

What does the Bible record about the burial of Jesus?

The Gospels record four stages: the request for the body, its preparation, the laying in the tomb and the securing of the tomb.

1. The request for Jesus’ body

• Urgency: Jewish law required a body to be buried the same day (Deuteronomy 21:22-23), and the Passover Sabbath was about to begin at sundown.
• Normal fate of criminals: bodies of executed criminals were usually disposed of without honour.
• Joseph’s request: Joseph of Arimathea, “a prominent member of the Council”, took courage and asked Pilate for the body (Mark 15:42-43).
• Pilate’s surprise: he was surprised that Jesus was already dead, so he checked with the centurion (Mark 15:44).
• Permission: Pilate then allowed Joseph to take the body (Mark 15:45).
• References: Matthew 27:57-58, Mark 15:42-45, Luke 23:50-52, John 19:38.

2. The preparation of the body

• Removal from the cross: Joseph took down the body (Mark 15:46), and Nicodemus helped him (John 19:39).
• Linen: Joseph bought a linen cloth (Mark 15:46).
• Spices: Nicodemus brought myrrh and aloes, about 75 pounds in weight (John 19:39).
• Wrapping: the body was wrapped in linen cloths with the spices, as the Jews buried their dead (John 19:40).
• Head cloth: a separate cloth for the head is mentioned in John 20:7.
• Short preparation: the work was quick because the Sabbath was near.
• References: Matthew 27:59, Mark 15:46, Luke 23:53, John 19:38-40.

3. The tomb

• New: no one had been laid in it before (Matthew 27:60, John 19:41).
• Cut out of rock: it was a rock-cut tomb (Matthew 27:60, Mark 15:46).
• Location: it was in a garden near the place of crucifixion (John 19:41-42).
• Owner: it belonged to Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:60).
• Closing: the body was laid inside and a large stone was rolled against the entrance (Matthew 27:60).
• Witnesses: Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where the body was laid (Mark 15:47, Luke 23:55).
• Plan: the women went to prepare spices and rested on the Sabbath (Luke 23:56).

4. Securing the tomb

• The request: the chief priests and Pharisees asked Pilate to guard the tomb (Matthew 27:62-64).
• Their reason: they remembered Jesus’ words about rising after three days and feared the disciples would steal the body.
• Pilate’s reply: he told them to take a guard and make the tomb as secure as they knew how (Matthew 27:65).
• Measures: they sealed the stone and posted a guard (Matthew 27:66).
• Source: only Matthew records this event.

Who were the key figures in the burial narrative?

The key figures were Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, the women, Pilate, the religious leaders and the guards.

Joseph of Arimathea

• Background: a rich man (Matthew 27:57) from the town of Arimathea and a member of the Council (Mark 15:43).
• Character: a good and righteous man who did not agree with the Council’s decision (Luke 23:50-51).
• Faith: a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jewish leaders (John 19:38).
• Action: he asked Pilate for the body, bought linen and gave his own new tomb.
• Prophecy: his rich man’s tomb fits Isaiah 53:9, “with the rich in his death”.
• Lesson: he moved from secret to open discipleship at great risk to himself.

Nicodemus

• Background: a Pharisee and “a ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1).
• Earlier acts: he came to Jesus by night (John 3:1-21) and spoke up for fair treatment of Jesus before the Council (John 7:50-52).
• Action: he brought a large amount of spices and helped Joseph wrap the body (John 19:39-40).
• Lesson: he grew from a night-time enquirer into a public follower, risking his name and position.

The women

• Mary Magdalene: named in all four Gospels as present at the cross, burial or empty tomb.
• Mary the mother of James and Joses: watched the burial (Mark 15:47).
• Others present at the crucifixion: Salome (Mark 15:40) and the mother of Zebedee’s sons (Matthew 27:56).
• Joanna and other Galilean women: named in Luke 23:55-56 and 24:10.
• Contribution: they saw where Jesus was laid and prepared spices to anoint Him after the Sabbath.
• Importance: they became the first witnesses of the empty tomb, which links the burial to the resurrection.

The authorities and the guards

• Pilate: allowed Joseph to bury Jesus and agreed to the guard.
• Chief priests and Pharisees: sealed the tomb and posted guards.
• Effect of their action: the guard and seal make it harder to claim that the disciples stole the body.
• The guards: they saw the events at the tomb on the resurrection morning (Matthew 28:4, 11-15).

What were the Jewish burial customs in the first century?

Jewish burial customs were the practices of washing, anointing, wrapping and burying a body quickly, followed by a period of mourning.

Timing of burial

• Same day: a body was buried on the day of death (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).
• Before the Sabbath: burial before a Sabbath or festival was especially urgent.
• Sacred duty: burying the dead was seen as an act of mercy.

Preparation of the body

• Washing: the body was washed.
• Anointing: oils and spices showed respect and reduced odour.
• Wrapping: the body was wrapped in linen cloths, often with spices.
• Head cloth: a separate cloth covered the head.

Types of tomb

• Rock-cut tombs: used by wealthy and prominent families, cut into limestone hillsides.
• Trench graves: simple graves for ordinary people.
• Burial niches or benches: a tomb could hold several bodies.
• Ossuaries: after the flesh had decayed, the bones were sometimes collected in stone boxes.
• Stone door: a large stone, sometimes round and rolled in a groove, covered the entrance.

Mourning

• Professional mourners: they were often hired.
• Mourning period: it usually lasted about seven days.
• Visits to the tomb: relatives came to the tomb during the mourning period.

How were crucified people buried?

Roman and Jewish customs treated the bodies of crucified people very differently, and Jesus’ burial followed the Jewish custom.

• Roman practice: bodies were often left on the crosses as a warning or thrown into common graves.
• Permission: families needed the governor’s permission to bury a body.
• Jewish practice: even a criminal had to be buried before sundown.

How was a rock-cut tomb sealed?

A rock-cut tomb was closed with a large stone, and a seal could be added to show whether anyone had interfered with it.

• Stone: it was rolled or set against the entrance.
• Seal: an official mark was placed on the stone (Matthew 27:66).
• Purpose: a broken seal showed that someone had tampered with the tomb.
• Jesus’ burial place: He was probably laid on a stone shelf or bench inside.

Why is the burial of Jesus important in Christian faith?

The burial is important because it proves that Jesus really died, fulfils prophecy and prepares the way for the resurrection.

It confirms that Jesus truly died

• Proof of death: a body was taken down, wrapped and buried.
• Against doubt: it answers the idea that Jesus only fainted.
• Humanity: it shows that Jesus shared in real human death.
• Basis for the resurrection: a real death was followed by a real rising.

It fulfils prophecy

• Isaiah 53:9: “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death”. Jesus died with criminals and was buried in a rich man’s tomb.
• Psalm 16:10: God would not let His Holy One see decay, which points to the resurrection.
• Sign of Jonah: Jesus spoke of “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40).
• Jesus’ own predictions: Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23 and 20:18-19.

It is part of the gospel

• Apostles’ Creed: it states that Jesus was “crucified, died, and was buried”.
• Paul’s teaching: Christ died, was buried and was raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
• Link: the burial joins the death of Jesus to His resurrection.

It gives meaning to baptism

• Romans 6:3-4: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death”.
• Colossians 2:12: believers are “buried with him in baptism”.
• Meaning: going under the water stands for burial with Christ.
• Rising from the water: it stands for new life with Christ.

What is the “Harrowing of Hell”?

The Harrowing of Hell is the traditional belief that Christ went to the place of the dead between His death and resurrection.

• Text used: 1 Peter 3:19, “He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits”.
• Different views: some churches teach that it was a proclamation of victory over evil powers.
• Other views: some teach that it freed the Old Testament saints.

How can students apply the burial narrative to life?

Students apply the burial narrative by trusting God in dark times, standing for their faith and honouring those who die.

• Hope in dark times: the burial looked like defeat, yet the resurrection followed, so we trust God when all seems lost.
• Courage: Joseph and Nicodemus stepped forward when other disciples hid, so we can stand for our faith when it costs us.
• Honouring the dead: the care shown to Jesus’ body teaches respect and dignity in funerals.
• Community in grief: the women stayed near the tomb, showing the value of support in times of loss.
• New life: being “buried with Christ” means leaving sin behind to live a new life.
• Patience: the Sabbath of waiting teaches patience in God’s timing.

Evaluation

1. Why did Jewish law require Jesus to be buried before sundown?
2. Who was Joseph of Arimathea, and what did he do for Jesus’ body?
3. What did Nicodemus bring for the burial, and what had he done earlier in the Gospels?
4. Describe the tomb in which Jesus was buried.
5. Give two reasons why the burial of Jesus is important in Christian faith.

Assignment

Choose Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus. In one short paragraph, state who he was, what he did at the burial of Jesus, and one lesson we can learn from his courage.