Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 27:59
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
59. linen cloth ] Sindon, or fine linen.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. John adds that this was done with spices Joh 19:40. The Jews were accustomed to use myrrh, aloes, and other aromatics in large quantities when they buried their dead. When they were not regularly embalmed, which was a long and tedious process, they enclosed the spices in the folds of the linen, or wrapped the body in it. Spices were sometimes used in such quantities as to form a heap or bed, on which the dead body was laid. Thus it is said of Asa 2Ch 16:14, they laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and spices, etc. There not being time properly to embalm the body of Jesus, he was buried in this manner. The women who attended him, either not being aware of this, or desirous of showing a further regard for him, returned from the sepulchre and prepared other spices with which to embalm him on the first day of the week, Luk 23:56; Luk 24:1.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 59. Wrapped it in a clean linen cloth] The Jews, as well as the Egyptians, added spices to keep the body from putrefaction, and the linen was wrapped about every part to keep the aromatics in contact with the flesh. From Joh 19:39-40, we learn that a mixture of myrrh and aloes of one hundred pounds’ weight had been applied to the body of Jesus when he was buried. And that a second embalmment was intended, we learn from Lu 23:56; Lu 24:1, as the hurry to get the body interred before the Sabbath did not permit them to complete, the embalming in the first instance. See an account of the mode of embalming among the Egyptians, in the note on Ge 50:2; Ge 50:26.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And when Joseph had taken the body,…. Down from the cross, with the assistance of others, or from the hands of those who had orders to deliver it to him:
he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth: that is, he wound up the body in it round and round, as was the custom of the Jews; see Ac 5:6
Joh 11:44. Nor was it usual to bury in any thing but linen: so it is said m,
“let the wrappings, or grave clothes, be , “of white linen”; and let not the price of them be dear, for it is forbidden to bury in wrappings of silk, or broidered garments, even to a prince of Israel: for this is pride and destruction, and the work of the Gentiles.”
This clean linen cloth, in which the dead body of Christ was wrapped, may be an emblem of his purity and innocence, who did no sin; nor did he die for any of his own, but for the sins of others; and also of his pure and spotless righteousness, which is compared to fine linen, clean and white, and which he now had wrought out, and brought in; see Re 19:8.
m Juchasin, fol. 54. 2. Vid. Maimon. Hilchot Ebel, c. 4. sect. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Mat 27:59
. And having taken the body. The three Evangelists glance briefly at the burial; and therefore they say nothing about the aromatic ointments which John alone mentions, (Joh 19:39) only they relate that Joseph purchased a clean linen cloth; from which we infer, that Christ was honorably buried. And, indeed, there could be no doubt that a rich man, when he gave up his sepulcher to our Lord, made provision also, in other respects, for suitable magnificence and splendor. And this, too, was brought about by the secret providence of God, rather than by the premeditated design of men, that a new sepulcher, in which no man had ever yet been laid, was obtained by our Lord, who is the first-born from the dead, (Col 1:18,) and the first-fruits of them that rise, (1Co 15:20.) God intended, therefore, by this Mark to distinguish his Son from the remainder of the human race, and to point out by the sepulcher itself his newness of life.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(59) A clean linen cloth.The word for linen cloth, Sindn, points, according to different derivations, to a Sidonian or an Indian fabric. It was probably of the nature of muslin rather than linen, and seems to have been specially used by the Egyptians for folding round their mummies, but sometimes also for the sheet in which a man slept (Herod. ii. 82, 95). In the New Testament it appears only in the account of our Lords burial and in the strange narrative of Mar. 14:51.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
59. A clean linen cloth A large square shroud, or sheet. Nicodemus came also, as John (Joh 19:39) tells us, and brought the liberal amount of a hundred pounds of spices to embalm the sacred body. The sindon, or clean linen winding-sheet, was wrapped several times round him, the spices being placed in the first fold so as to bring them in contact with the body. It is well remarked by Olshausen, that a sacred providence seems to watch over the body of our Lord. Christianity does not contemn the corporeal frame in the which the soul resides. Prophecy also had foretold of his body, that not a bone should be broken; and the victims of sacrifice, which typified his body under the old dispensation, must be without bodily blemish.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Joseph took the body, and 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 tomb, and departed.’
Joseph (no doubt along with his servants) treated the body with all reverence. He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb. Note again the stress on ‘clean’ and ‘new’. His body was being treated as ‘holy’ and as set apart to God. Then once this was done to his satisfaction Joseph had a great stone rolled across the entrance of the tomb, and returned home. He had paid his final respects to the One he had seen as a Prophet. So having died as One Who was ‘numbered with the transgressors’ Jesus’ holiness is now being brought out in his burial. All this would be done fairly rapidly so as not unnecessarily to infringe on the Sabbath. It was a generous gesture on Joseph’s part, for the burial of a criminal in the tomb rendered it unusable by the family.
‘Which he had hewn out in a rock.’ This is an unexpected detail in Matthew who tends rather to abbreviate, and may be intended to look back to ‘the rocks were rent’ (Mat 27:51). The idea might be that this tomb which was hewn out by man would also soon be ‘torn asunder’ by God. It would not be able to hold Him.
The great stone may have been a boulder, but it was more likely a shaped stone in circular form like a wheel, which could be rolled across the entrance, for it would seem that the entrance to the tomb was relatively large (Peter only had to stoop to look in, not go down on his knees – Joh 20:5). Such stones were common in the case of expensive tombs.
It should possibly be noted that official mourning was not allowed for an executed criminal which helps to explain why there is no indication of it.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 27:59 “Jam initia honoris,” Bengel.
] with pure (unstained linen) linen , the dative of instrument. Keeping in view the ordinary practice on such occasions, it must not be supposed that the reference here is to a dress (Kuinoel, Fritzsche), but (comp. Herod, ii. 86) to strips or bands (Joh 19:40 ), in which the body was swathed after being washed. Comp. Wetstein. Matthew makes no mention of spices (Joh 19:40 ), but neither does he exclude their use, for he may have meant us to understand that, in conformity with the usual practice, they would be put in, as matter of course, when the body was wrapped up (in opposition to Strauss, de Wette, Keim). Mar 16:1 and Luk 23:56 represent the putting in of the spices as something intended to be done after the burial. This, however, is in no way inconsistent with the statement of John, for there is no reason why the women may not have supplemented with a subsequent and more careful dressing of the body ( , Mar 16:1 ) what had been done imperfectly, because somewhat hurriedly, by Joseph and (see Joh 19:39 ) Nicodemus.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
Ver. 59. He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth ] “Which he had bought new for the purpose,” saith St Mark,Mar 15:46Mar 15:46 , to his no small cost; for linen in those days was precious, so that a handkerchief among even the Roman rioters was a rich token, as appears out of the poet. a Neither did this rich man lose his money; for he is and shall be famous for it to the world’s end; though everybody be not at leisure to do as Paleottus, Archbishop of Bonony, did, who wrote a large book on the shadow of Christ’s body in Joseph’s new syndon; b which was also commented upon by the Professor of Divinity there.
a Nam sudaria setaba ex Iberis miserunt mihi muneri Fabulus et Veranius. Catul.
b A piece of this fabric used for various purposes: As a shroud, spec. that in which the body of Christ was wrapped. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
59. ] John ( Joh 19:39 ) mentions the arrival of Nicodemus with an hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes, in which also the Body was wrapped. The Three are not in possession of this nor Matthew and John of the subsequent design of the women to embalm It. What wonder if, at such a time, one party of disciples should not have been aware of the doings of another? It is possible that the women, who certainly knew what had been done with the Body (see Mat 27:61 ), may have intended to bestow on it more elaborate care, as whatever was done this night was hurried , see Joh 19:41-42 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 27:59 . (little used, found in Aristophanes), wrapped. , in clean, i.e. , never before used linen. is of uncertain derivation and varying sense, being applied to cloths of diverse material, but here generally understood as meaning linen cloth, wrapped in strips round the body as in the case of mummies in Egypt, the body being first washed (Act 9:37 ). As to this way of preparing dead bodies for burial we have no details in O. T. (Benzinger, p. 163).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
59.] John (Joh 19:39) mentions the arrival of Nicodemus with an hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes, in which also the Body was wrapped. The Three are not in possession of this-nor Matthew and John of the subsequent design of the women to embalm It. What wonder if, at such a time, one party of disciples should not have been aware of the doings of another? It is possible that the women, who certainly knew what had been done with the Body (see Mat 27:61), may have intended to bestow on it more elaborate care, as whatever was done this night was hurried,-see Joh 19:41-42.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 27:59. , a very fine linen or muslin cloth) Such as had not hitherto been worn by our Lord. The beginnings of honour[1217] already appear. Joseph is called in Mar 15:43, , an honourable senator) It was not allowable to wrap the dead in anything more costly.
[1217] Cf. 1Co 15:4.-E. B.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Reciprocal: Mar 15:46 – and took Luk 23:53 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
HE DESCENDED INTO HELL
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb.
Mat 27:59-60
I. The descent into Hades.The peace of the grave is only an image of the true, deep, conscious peace of the unseen world into which Christ passed at death. He had fulfilled His dying promise to the penitent robber and He had also fulfilled the prophecy of the Psalmist (Psa 16:10). St. Paul alludes to the same truth (Eph 4:9-10). Finally we have the testimony of St. Peter (1Pe 3:18-19 and 1Pe 4:6). We have then abundant proof of the truth of the Article of the Creed, which declares our Lords descent into hell, i.e. into the unseen world of spirits.
The reasons of this descent
(a) Only by thus visiting the unseen world could he fulfil the conditions of death which are proper to human nature. But being God, He could not be detained.
(b) Further, St. Peter tells us that our Lord descended into Hades to preach to the spirits in prison. We must not understand by this that the place of the departed is a place of gloomy captivity; the word means rather in safe keeping or under guard. Our Lord went to the souls who were in safe keeping in the invisible mansion of the departedkept safe under the Hand of Godand preached to them, i.e. preached the Gospel to them; proclaimed the glad tidings that He had come into the world for their salvation; that He had offered the sacrifice of their redemption, and was about to appear before the Father as their Intercessor, in the merits of His own blood. One generation of men, among the penitents of past ages, St. Peter singles out as a type of all,those who once were disobedient in the days of Noah.
III. A life of growth.If Christs presence is vouchsafed to the faithful departed, then the life beyond the grave is a life of growth in grace. As the knowledge of Christ is more clearly granted to each faithful soul, so each soul rises upwards to perfection. His presence is for ever glorifying the abodes of the faithful departed; and this means that they are ever receiving new graces and advancing to greater heights of holiness. Thus Christs work in the unseen world is an abiding work.
Archdeacon Mackarness.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
7:59
Joseph wrapped the body in a winding sheet of clean linen. In the comments at verse 35 it is shown that a person to be crucified was stripped of all his clothing, hence the immediate need for using this linen cloth, for under the circumstances there was no opportunity for getting a burial shroud.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 27:59. And Joseph took it. The body was taken down by Joseph (Mark, Luke, and John).
Wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. A winding sheet. This would enclose the spices used in the temporary embalming, which now took place, Nicodemus having brought the spices (Joh 19:39-40). There was not time enough to embalm on Friday evening, so the costly gifts of Nicodemus were used to preserve the body, the women preparing in the interval what they thought necessary for the further anointing.