Matthew 27:57

Jesus Is Buried

57 1When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.

Matthew 27:57 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 27:57

When the even was come
The second evening, when it was just at sunset; at which time the Jewish sabbath began, and when the bodies of those that were crucified, must be taken down; and if not dead, their bones must be broken, and they dispatched, in order to be interred in the common burying place of malefactors:

there came a rich man Arimathea:
not from thence now, for he lived at Jerusalem; but this was the place of his nativity, or former abode, and from whence he originally came; and is the same with Ramathaim Zophim, and Ramah, and was the birthplace of Samuel the prophet, ( 1 Samuel 1:1 1 Samuel 1:19 ) , and is by the Septuagint called Armathaim, in ( 1 Samuel 1:1 1 Samuel 1:3 1 Samuel 1:19 ) ( 8:4 ) ( 15:34 ) ( 16:13 ) ( 28:3 ) . His character, as a rich man, is particularly mentioned, not merely to show that such men may be, and sometimes are, instances of the grace of God; much less in a way of boasting, that such a man was attached to Jesus; but rather to point out the reason, how he came to have such easy access to Pilate, and to succeed in his business with him; as well as to observe the accomplishment of a prophecy, in ( Isaiah 53:9 ) ,

named Joseph;
the same name with one of the patriarchs, the sons of Jacob; between whom there was a resemblance, not only as good men, but in their observance of funeral rites and obsequies; the one in those of his father, the other in those of his dear Lord and Master. Some think F11 he is the same with Joseph ben Gorion, the brother of Nicodemus ben Gorion, often spoken of as a priest, and one of the richest of them in Jerusalem:

who also himself was Jesus' disciple;
though he was only a secret one, as Nicodemus was: he had not as yet, or till now publicly professed him, for fear of the Jews, who had made a law, that whoever did, should be cast out of the synagogue; see ( John 19:38 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Alting. Shilo, p. 309.

Matthew 27:57 In-Context

55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him,
56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.
58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud

Cross References 1

  • 1. For ver. 57-61, see Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.