As a rule, sepulchres were whitened once a year, after the rains and before the Passover, that passers- by might be warned of their presence, and thus escape defilement (Mt 23='; cf. Nu 19i'=). And though it was not customary to erect anything in the nature of our gravestones, in NT times it was regarded as a religious duty to restore or rebuild the tombs of the prophets (Mt23='). In addition to family sepulchres of which we hear in the earliest Hebrew records ((.;n 23-", Jg 8'^ 2 S 2^=), and sucli private tombs as the tomb of Joseph of Arimatha?a (Mt 27""), special provision was made for the interment of strangers (Mt 27'-^; cf. Jer 2(j-'3, 2 Mac 9^). See art. Tomb.
It will have been observed how many of the foregoing particulars are illustrated in the Gospel narrative of the burial of Jesus ; but it may be well to summarize briefly what then took place. No sooner had it been placed beyond doubt that Jesus was really de.ad, than Joseph of Arimathoea obtained permission to take possession of His body (Mt27"'f- ; cf. the merciful provision of the Jewish law, Dt 2P2). Haste was required, as the Jews' Preparation was close at hand, and the body, after being, perhaps, bathed (so Gospel of Peter, 6), was at once wrapped ' in a clean linen cloth ' (Mt 27="), the 'roll of myrrli and aloes,' of which Nicodemus had brought about a hundred pound weight (Jn 19'"), being apparently crumbled between the folds of the linen {dddv^). It was then borne to the ' new tomb wherein was never man yet laid,' and reverently laid on the rocky ledge prepared for the purpose, while the whole was secured by a 'great stone' placed across the entrance, which was after- wards at the desire of the Jews sealed and guarded (Mt 27''-f- ; cf. Gosprl of P Her, 8). There the liody remained undisturbed over the Je^^■ish Saljbatli ; but when on the morning of tlie first day of the week the women visited the tomb, bringing with them an additional supply of ' spices and oint- ments' to complete the anointing which want of time had jjreviously prevented, it was only to find the tomb empty, and to receive the first assurance of their Lord's resurrection (Lk 24"^-). In eon- ne.xion with this visit, Edersheim has drawn atten- tion to the interesting fact tliat the Law expressly allowed the opening of the grave on the third day to look after the dead (Bible Educator, iv. p. 332). In entire harmony, too, with what has already been said of the general structure of Jewish tombs, is the account which St. John has preserved for us of his own and St. Peter's visit to the tomb of Jesus (Jn 20"'-). He himself, when he reached the door- way, was at first content with stooping down (7rapaKi5^as) and looking in, and thus got only a general view (^Xkwei) of the linen cloths lying in their place. But St. Peter on his arrival entered into the tomb, and beheld— the word used (Bcupet) points to a careful searching gaze, the eye passing from point to point— not only the linen cloths, but the napkin that was about Christ's head ' rolled up in a place by itself.' These particulars have sometimes been used as evidence of the care and order with which the Risen Lord folded up and deposited in two separate places His grave- clothes before He left the tomb. But it has recently been shown with great cogency that what probably is meant is that the grave-clothes were found undisturbed on the very spot where Jesus
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liad lain, the linen cloths on the lower ledge which had upheld tlie body, tlie napkin 'by itself on the slightly raised part of the ledge wlxieh formed a kind of pillow for the head. The empty grave-clothes, out of wliich the Risen Lord had passed, became thus a sign not only that no violence had lieen ofl'ered to His body by liuman hands, but also a parable of the true meaning of His Resurrection : ' all that was of Jesus of Naza- reth has suffered its change and is gone. We— grave-clothes, and spices, and napkin— belong to the earth and remain' (H. Latham, The JHncn Master, p. 11 : see the whole interesting discussion in chapters i.-iii.).
Apart from tliese more special considerations, it is sufficient to notice that the very particularity of the description of the burial of Jesus is in itself of importance as emphasizing His true humanity and the reality of His death. From nothing in our lot, even the sad accompaniments of the grave, did He shrink. On the other hand, the empty grave on the morning of the third day has always been regarded as one of the most convincing proofs that 'the Lord is risen indeed.' Had it not been so, then His body must have been stolen either by friends or by foes. But if by the latter, why in tlie days that followed did they not ])roduee it, and so silence the disciples' claims ? If by the former, then we have no escape from the conclusion that the Church of Christ was founded 'not so much upon delusion as upon fraud— upon fraud spring- ing from motives perfectly inexplicable, and leading to results totally difierent from any that could have been either intended or looked for' (W. Blilli- gaii, T/w Ecsurrcction of our Lmd*, p. 73).