Joseph of Arimathaea
Israelite / Jew Jewish, of Arimathaea; a rich man and honourable counsellor · Life of Christ · New Testament
- Also called
- Joseph, Joseph of Arimathea
- Name means
- 'he will add'
- Role
- Secret disciple who buried Jesus in his own tomb
- When
- c. AD 30
What they did
A good and just man who had not consented to the council's decision, he boldly asked Pilate for Jesus' body, wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his own new tomb hewn out of the rock.
Why it matters: the purpose of their role
His act fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be with the rich in his death, and gave clear witness that Jesus truly died and was buried before he rose.
Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. Mark 15:43 (KJV)
Bible references
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Matthew 27:57-60 (KJV)
Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. Mark 15:43 (KJV)
And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. Luke 23:50-53 (KJV)
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. John 19:38 (KJV)
Family
Scripture records little about this person's family.