Mark 15:40-47

⁴⁰ There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,

⁴¹ who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

⁴² Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,

⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

⁴⁴ Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.

⁴⁵ So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

⁴⁶ Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

⁴⁷ And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

Also found in Matthew 27:55-60, Luke 23:48-54, and John 19:38-42.

looking on from afar (v.40) — There were also women — many women (Matthew 27:55) — looking on at a long distance, where they could be safe from the ribaldry of the crowd, and yet watch the Figure on the Cross — not the “daughters of Jerusalem” who had bewailed Jesus on the way to Golgotha, but followers from Galilee.” The words “looking on” [mean] “to view attentively and with interest and for a purpose, carefully observing details.” — Wuest, page 285.

Mary Magdalene (who had been demon-possessed — Luke 8:2), Mary the mother of James the Less (one of the twelve disciples), Salome (the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John — Matthew 27:56). Mark doesn’t mention it, but Jesus’ mother was also there (John 19:26).

Joseph as a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin. He was from Arimathea (location uncertain) but was probably a resident of Jerusalem. He had opposed the decision to crucify Christ (Luke 23:51).

Preparation Day (v.42) — It was already the afternoon of the day before the Sabbath, called parpskeue (a making ready, a preparation). It must therefore be done at once or it could not be done till Sabbath was past. … The Jews had already taken steps to provide for the removal of the bodies before the Sabbath … had they not been anticipated, the Lord’s body would have been committed to the common grave provided for criminals who had been hanged. — Wuest, page 286.

Joseph had to act quickly. The next day, the Sabbath, would begin at 6:00 PM, according to Jewish time, and it was already past 3:00 PM.

Death by crucifixion usually came two or three days afterwards. In come cases the victims died of starvation rather than of their wounds. Pilate wondered that Jesus was already dead. … The word “gave” [means] “to freely give.” After satisfying himself officially that Jesus was dead, Pilate freely gave His body to Joseph, not out of any feeling of generosity, but because he would be rid of this most inconvenient and troublesome affair. — Wuest, pages 286-287.

Joseph asked for Jesus’ body, using a general word (v.43) for body that would also be used for a living body. Pilate used a word (v.45) that means “dead body, carcass, corpse.”

fine linen (v.46) = in the piece, not a garment, so it was fresh and unused.

Nicodemus (John 3:1) was also a member of the Sanhedrin. He helped Joseph remove and prepare Jesus’ body for burial (John 19:39-42).

The body was then taken by the two men, bathed perhaps, and wrapped in the linen between the folds of which the spices were freely crumbed, and finally bound with strips of cloth after the Jewish manner of burying. The picture may be completed by comparing what is said of Lazarus in John 11:44,and the account of the grave clothes in John 20:7; the hands and feet were bound with strips of linen, and the face covered with a face cloth. … The tomb in which the body of Jesus was laid, was a new one, and had been prepared by Joseph for his own burial. It was in a garden adjacent to the place of crucifixion, presumably the property of Joseph. The opening was usually closed with a stone if the tomb contained a body. Regarding the two women who “beheld where He was laid,” … apparently these remained after the other women had left and were watching the actions of Joseph and Nicodemus. — Wuest, page 287.