Mark 15:43

43 Joseph of Arimathea, ¹a respected member of the Council, who ²was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Mark 15:43 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 15:43

Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor
A man of a good aspect, well dressed, and that behaved well and honourably in his office, as a counsellor: he seems to have been a priest, and one of the bench of priests that sat in the high priest's chamber, which is called, (yjwwlb tkvl) , "the chamber of the counsellors" ^F4; with whom he advised there, in matters of moment:

which also waited for the kingdom of God;
for the coming and kingdom of the Messiah, for the Gospel dispensation, the world to come, the Jews were so much in expectation of.

Came and went in boldly unto Pilate;
not now ashamed of Christ, or afraid openly to appear in his cause, and declare himself a lover of him, a believer in him, and a disciple of his, though he formerly was:

and craved the body of Jesus;
desired leave to take it down from the cross, and bury it; (See Gill on Matthew 27:58).

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 3. 2. & Hieros. Yoma, fol. 38. 3.

Mark 15:43 In-Context

41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

42 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath,

43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead.

45 And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph.

Cross References

• 1. Acts 13:50; Acts 17:12
• 2. Luke 2:25, 38