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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 27:57 - 27:61
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_27:57-61
57When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.
Mat_27:57 "When it was evening" This phrase means it was close to the beginning of the Passover which began at 6:00 p.m. or twilight. The Jews had two evenings. The first at 3 p.m. and the second at 6 p.m., which started a new day.
▣ "a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph" Several passages describe this man.
1. he was rich and a disciple of Jesus (cf. Mat_27:57)
2. he was a highly honored member of the Sanhedrin (cf. Mar_15:43)
3. he was a good and upright man (cf. Luk_23:50)
4. he was a secret disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews (cf. Joh_19:38)
Mat_27:57-58 This was a brave act on the part of Joseph for the following reasons.
1. he was publicly identifying himself with a man convicted of treason
2. he was willing to be ceremonially unclean for the Passover
3. this would surely ostracize him from the Sanhedrin
Mat_27:59 Joseph hurried to prepare Jesus' body before 6 p.m., which started Passover. The exact time when the stone was rolled into place is uncertain. It was before 6 p.m. However brief the time, it was counted as one day in the three days Jesus was in the grace.
Mat_27:60 "his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock" This is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isa_53:9.
Mat_27:61 "Mary Magdalene" See Mat_27:55-56 for a listing of the three women.