Matthew 27:59

59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen,

Matthew 27:59 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 27:59

And when Joseph had taken the body
Down from the cross, with the assistance of others, or from the hands of those who had orders to deliver it to him:

he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth:
that is, he wound up the body in it round and round, as was the custom of the Jews; see ( Acts 5:6 ) ( John 11:44 ) . Nor was it usual to bury in any thing but linen: so it is said F13,

``let the wrappings, or grave clothes, be (Mynbl Ntvp lv) , "of white linen"; and let not the price of them be dear, for it is forbidden to bury in wrappings of silk, or broidered garments, even to a prince of Israel: for this is pride and destruction, and the work of the Gentiles.''

This clean linen cloth, in which the dead body of Christ was wrapped, may be an emblem of his purity and innocence, who did no sin; nor did he die for any of his own, but for the sins of others; and also of his pure and spotless righteousness, which is compared to fine linen, clean and white, and which he now had wrought out, and brought in; see ( Revelation 19:8 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F13 Juchasin, fol. 54. 2. Vid. Maimon. Hilchot Ebel, c. 4. sect. 2.

Matthew 27:59 In-Context

57 When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
58 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Then Pilate ordered that it be released.
59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen,
60 and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb.
61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.
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