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King James Bible - John 19:38

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SEV Biblia, Chapter 19:38

¶ Pasadas estas cosas, Jos� de Arimatea, el cual era discípulo de Jes�s, mas en secreto por miedo de los judíos, rog� a Pilato que pudiera quitar el cuerpo de Jes�s; lo cual permiti� Pilato. Entonces vino, y quit� el cuerpo de Jes�s.

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Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 19:38

Verse 38. Joseph of Arimathea] See on Matt. xxvii. 57-60; and particularly Mark xv. 42, 43.

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John Gill's Bible Commentary

Ver. 38. And after this , etc.] That is, after Jesus had given up the ghost, when it was a clear case that he was dead; as it was before the soldiers came to break the legs of the crucified, and before one of them pierced the side of Jesus with his spear, though that confirmed it: but it seems to be before these last things were done, and yet after the death of Christ, that Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate, and desired leave to take down the body of Jesus. This Joseph was a counsellor, one of the Jewish sanhedrim; though he did not give his consent to the counsel of the court concerning Jesus: he is here described by the place of his birth, Arimathea. This place has been generally thought to be the same with Ramah or Ramathaim Zophim, the birth place of Samuel the prophet; and so I have taken it to be in the note (see Gill on � Matthew 27:57�) but there seems to be some reason to doubt about it, since Ramathaim Zophim was in Mount Ephraim, or in the mountainous parts of that tribe, ( 1 Samuel 1:1) whereas Arimathea is called a city of the Jews, ( Luke 23:51). But if it was in the tribe of Ephraim, it would rather, as Reland observes, be called a city of the Samaritans, to whom that part of the country belonged; besides, as the same learned writer shows from ( Judges 4:5, 2 Chronicles 19:4) the mountainous parts of Ephraim were about Bethel, to the north of Jerusalem; whereas Arimathea is mentioned along with Lydda, which lay to the west of it, as it is by Jerom, and others: that ancient writer says f766 , that not far from Lydda, now called Diospolis, famous for the raising of Dorcas from the dead, and the healing of Aeneas, is Arimathia, the little village of Joseph, who buried the Lord; though he makes this elsewhere to be the same with Ramathaim Zophim: his words are, Armatha Zophim, the city of Elkanah and Samuel, is in the region of Thamna by Diospolis, (or Lydda,) from whence was Joseph, who, in the Gospels, is said to be of Arimathia; and so in Josephus f768 , and in the Apocrypha: ``Wherefore we have ratified unto them the borders of Judea, with the three governments of Apherema and Lydda and Ramathem, that are added unto Judea from the country of Samaria, and all things appertaining unto them, for all such as do sacrifice in Jerusalem, instead of the payments which the king received of them yearly aforetime out of the fruits of the earth and of trees.� (1 Maccabees 11:34) Lydda and Ramatha, or, as in the latter, Ramathem, are mentioned together, as added unto Judea from the country of Samaria; which last clause, �from the country of Samaria�, seems to bid fair for a reconciliation of this matter, that those two are one and the same place: and as the birth place of Samuel the prophet is called, by the Septuagint, Armathaim, as has been observed see Gill �Matthew 27:57� so it is likewise called, atmr , �Ramatha�, by the Targumist on ( Hosea 5:8) as it is also by Josephus f769 . The city of this name, near Lydda, is now called Ramola, and is about thirty six or thirty seven miles from Jerusalem. The Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render it, �who was of Rama�. Some take this Joseph to be the same with Joseph ben Gorion, the brother of Nicodemus ben Gorion, and who is supposed to be the same Nicodemus mentioned in the next verse. The character the Jews give of Joseph ben Gorion is, that he was a priest, and of the richest and most noble of the priests in Jerusalem; that he was a very wise, just, and upright man; and that three or four years before the destruction of Jerusalem, he was about sixty seven years of age. Being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews ; not one of the twelve, but a private hearer, who had sometimes secretly attended on the ministry of Christ, loved him, and believed in him as the Messiah, but had not courage enough to confess him, and declare for him, for fear of being put out of the synagogue and sanhedrim: but now being inspired with zeal and courage, �went in boldly�, as Mark says, and besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus : from off the cross, that it might not be any more insulted by his enemies, and might not be thrown with the other bodies into the place where the bodies of malefactors were cast, but that it might be decently interred. This Pilate, the Roman governor, had the disposal of, and to him Joseph applies for it; which was a great instance of his affection for Christ, and was a declaring openly for him, and must unavoidably expose him to the malice and resentment of the Jews: and Pilate gave him leave ; having first inquired of the centurion, whether he was dead; of which being satisfied, he readily granted it; not only in complaisance to Joseph, who was a man of note and figure, but on account of the innocence of Jesus, of which he was convinced, and therefore was very willing he should have an honourable burial: he came therefore ; to the cross, with proper servants with him, and took the body of Jesus ; down from the cross, and carried it away. The Alexandrian copy, different from all others, and in language uncommon, reads, �the body of God�.

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Matthew Henry Commentary

Verses 38-42 - Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Christ in secret. Disciple should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser trials have bee fearful, in greater have been courageous. When God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to do it. The embalming was done by Nicodemus, a secret friend to Christ, though not his constant follower That grace which at first is like a bruised reed, may afterwar resemble a strong cedar. Hereby these two rich men showed the valu they had for Christ's person and doctrine, and that it was not lessene by the reproach of the cross. We must do our duty as the present da and opportunity are, and leave it to God to fulfil his promises in his own way and his own time. The grave of Jesus was appointed with the wicked, as was the case of those who suffered as criminals; but he wa with the rich in his death, as prophesied, Isa 53:9; these tw circumstances it was very unlikely should ever be united in the sam person. He was buried in a new sepulchre; therefore it could not be said that it was not he, but some other that rose. We also are her taught not to be particular as to the place of our burial. He wa buried in the sepulchre next at hand. Here is the Sun of Righteousnes set for a while, to rise again in greater glory, and then to set n more __________________________________________________________________

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Greek Textus Receptus

μετα 3326 PREP δε 1161 CONJ ταυτα 5023 D-APN ηρωτησεν 2065 5656 V-AAI-3S τον 3588 T-ASM πιλατον 4091 N-ASM ο 3588 T-NSM ιωσηφ 2501 N-PRI ο 3588 T-NSM απο 575 PREP αριμαθαιας 707 N-GSF ων 5607 5752 V-PXP-NSM μαθητης 3101 N-NSM του 3588 T-GSM ιησου 2424 N-GSM κεκρυμμενος 2928 5772 V-RPP-NSM δε 1161 CONJ δια 1223 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM φοβον 5401 N-ASM των 3588 T-GPM ιουδαιων 2453 A-GPM ινα 2443 CONJ αρη 142 5661 V-AAS-3S το 3588 T-ASN σωμα 4983 N-ASN του 3588 T-GSM ιησου 2424 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ επετρεψεν 2010 5656 V-AAI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM πιλατος 4091 N-NSM ηλθεν 2064 5627 V-2AAI-3S ουν 3767 CONJ και 2532 CONJ ηρεν 142 5656 V-AAI-3S το 3588 T-ASN σωμα 4983 N-ASN του 3588 T-GSM ιησου 2424 N-GSM

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Vincent's NT Word Studies

38. A disciple of Jesus. Matt. calls him a rich man; Mark, an honorable counselor, i.e., a member of the Sanhedrim; and Luke, a counselor, good and just.

Besought (hrwthse). Better, as Rev., asked. See on xi. 22; xvi. 23. Mark adds that he went in boldly, which is suggestive in view of John's statement of his secret discipleship, a fact which is passed over by the Synoptists.

Gave him leave. According to Roman law. Ulpian, a Roman jurist of the third century, says: "The bodies of those who are capitally punished cannot be denied to their relatives. At this day, however, the bodies of those who are executed are buried only in case permission is asked and granted; and sometimes permission is not given, especially in the cases of those who are punished for high treason. The bodies of the executed are to be given for burial to any one who asks for them." Avaricious governors sometimes sold this privilege. Cicero, in one of his orations against Verres, has a terribly graphic passage describing such extortions. After dwelling upon the tortures inflicted upon the condemned, he says: "Yet death is the end. It shall not be. Can cruelty go further? A way shall be found. For the bodies of the beheaded shall be thrown to the beasts. If this is grievous to parents, they may buy the liberty of burial" (v. 45). Compare Matthew xiv. 12; Acts viii. 2.