John 19:40

40 The two men took Jesus' body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial.

John 19:40 Meaning and Commentary

John 19:40

Then took they the body of Jesus
It being taken down from the cross, and carried to the designed place of interment; they, Joseph and Nicodemus, either themselves, or by their servants, took the body;

and wound it in linen clothes;
or "swathed", or "wrapped it in linen"; rolled it about the body many times, as was the custom of the eastern nations to do; this was what Joseph prepared:

with the spices;
which they either wrapped up with the linen, or strowed over the body when it was wound up; these Nicodemus brought;

as the manner of the Jews is to bury;
both was usual with them; both to wind up the dead in linen; hence R. Jonathan, alluding to this custom, when R. Isai was taken, and others would have delivered him, said, (wnydob tmh Krky) , "let the dead be wrapped in his own linen F4"; and also to bury them with spices; hence we read of "the spices of the dead" in a Jewish canon F5:

``they do not say a blessing over a lamp, nor over the spices of idolaters; nor over a lamp, nor over (Mytm lv) (Mymvbh) , "the spices of the dead":''

the use of which, Bartenora on the place says, was to drive away an ungrateful smell. The wrapping up the body of Christ in a fine linen cloth, was a token of his purity and innocence; and significative of that pure and spotless righteousness he had now brought in: the strewing it with spices may denote the fragrancy of Christ's death to Jehovah the Father, in whose sight it was precious, and whose sacrifice to him is of a sweet smelling savour; and also to all sensible sinners, to whom a crucified Christ is precious; since by his death sin is expiated, the law fulfilled, justice satisfied, reconciliation made, security from condemnation obtained, and death is abolished.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Hieros. Ternmot, fol. 46. 2.
F5 Misn. Beracot. c. 8. sect. 6.

John 19:40 In-Context

38 After this, Joseph, who was from the town of Arimathea, asked Pilate if he could take Jesus' body. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but in secret, because he was afraid of the Jewish authorities.) Pilate told him he could have the body, so Joseph went and took it away.
39 Nicodemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night, went with Joseph, taking with him about one hundred pounds of spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes.
40 The two men took Jesus' body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial.
41 There was a garden in the place where Jesus had been put to death, and in it there was a new tomb where no one had ever been buried.
42 Since it was the day before the Sabbath and because the tomb was close by, they placed Jesus' body there.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.