John 19:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

NIV: Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

NASB: Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

CSB: They placed Jesus there because of the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.

NLT: And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

KJV: There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

NKJV: So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

Jesus' burial is hasty (John 19:31; Luke 23:54). Fortunately, Joseph, one of the Jewish religious leaders (Luke 23:50–51), is a secret follower of Christ (John 19:38) and has gotten permission to bury Jesus. He is helped by another council member, Nicodemus (John 3:3; 7:51). Also fortunate is that Joseph has already had his own crypt prepared (Matthew 27:60), which is relatively close to the site of the crucifixion (John 19:41).

Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9). This is ironic, in that Jesus was notably poor during His active ministry (Matthew 8:20).

The extravagant, secure location of the tomb will also factor into the miracle of Jesus' resurrection. The heavy stone door will be sealed and guarded (Matthew 27:62–68). This will be done, at the request of Jesus' enemies, to make it impossible for grave-robbing disciples to claim He was resurrected (John 2:18–22). Ironically, the fact that the tomb was so well protected against robbery becomes further proof of Jesus' miraculous rise from the dead (John 20:1–9).

John 19:38–42 describes Jesus' hasty burial. A member of the Jewish leadership and secret follower of Jesus, Joseph, gets permission to bury Jesus. He works with Nicodemus, who has also been secretive about his faith. They quickly wrap Jesus in grave cloths and place Him in a borrowed tomb. Parallel passages are Matthew 27:57–61, Mark 15:42–47, and Luke 23:50–56.

Pilate recognizes Jesus' innocence, but fears the mob assembled by Jewish religious leaders. He attempts to satisfy them by having Jesus viciously whipped and mocked. This only results in more cries for Jesus' death. The governor then shifts to protect his own reputation, ordering Jesus to be crucified on a charge of being "King of the Jews." John is directly present as Jesus is executed. He notes the fulfillment of several prophecies as Jesus dies. Once He is confirmed to be dead, Jesus' body is taken by two friendly members of the ruling council. They hastily bury Him in the borrowed crypt of a rich man.

When Jesus was first brought to Pilate, His innocence was obvious (John 18:36–38). However, the mob refuses to be satisfied with anything less than crucifixion. Pilate gives in to these demands. John, who is present for the entire gory spectacle, notes several instances of fulfilled prophecy (Psalm 22:18; Psalm 69:21; Exodus 12:46; Zechariah 12:10). Jesus is then buried in the borrowed tomb of a rich man (Isaiah 53:9) to complete yet another Old Testament prediction. A guard will be posted to ensure no one steals the body (Matthew 27:62–68), which will only serve to confirm that Jesus' eventual resurrection was a true miracle (John 20:1–8).

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/8/2024 12:41:32 PM