John 19:38

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.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
And	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
after	Μετὰ Meta	G3326	properly · preposition
this	ταῦτα taûta	G5023	these things
Joseph	Ἰωσὴφ Iōsēph	G2501	Joseph · noun — nominative singular masculine, a proper name
of	ἀπὸ apo	G575	"off · preposition
Arimathaea	Ἁριμαθαίας Harimathaias	G707	Arimathæa (or Ramah) · noun — genitive singular feminine, a place
being	ὤν ṓn	G5607	being
disciple	μαθητὴς mathētēs	G3101	a learner · noun — nominative singular masculine
Jesus	Ἰησοῦ, Iēsou	G2424	Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua) · noun — genitive singular masculine, a proper name
but	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
secretly	κεκρυμμένος kekrummenos	G2928	to conceal (properly · verb — perfect passive participle, nominative singular masculine
for	διὰ dia	G1223	through (in very wide applications · preposition
fear	φόβον phobon	G5401	alarm or fright · noun — accusative singular masculine
Jews	Ἰουδαίων, Ioudaiōn	G2453	Judæan · noun — genitive plural masculine, a people name
besought	ἠρώτησεν ērōtēsen	G2065	to interrogate · verb — aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
Pilate	Πιλᾶτον Pilaton	G4091	close-pressed · noun — accusative singular masculine, a proper name
that	ἵνα ina	G2443	compare G3588 (ὁ)) · conjunction
away	ἄρῃ arē	G142	to lift up · verb — aorist active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
body	σῶμα sōma	G4983	the body (as a sound whole) · noun — accusative singular neuter
Jesus	Ἰησοῦ. Iēsou	G2424	Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua) · noun — genitive singular masculine, a proper name
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
Pilate	Πιλᾶτος. Pilatos	G4091	close-pressed · noun — nominative singular masculine, a proper name
gave	ἐπέτρεψεν epetrepsen	G2010	to turn over (transfer) · verb — aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
leave	ἐπιτρέπω epitrépō	G2010	to turn over (transfer)
came	ἦλθεν ēlthen	G2064	to come or go (in a great variety of applications · verb — second aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
therefore	οὖν oun	G3767	(adverbially) certainly · conjunction
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
took	ἦρεν ēren	G142	to lift up · verb — aorist active indicative, 3rd person singular
body	σῶμα sōma	G4983	the body (as a sound whole) · noun — accusative singular neuter
Jesus	Ἰησοῦς Iēsoûs	G2424	Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Mark 15:42-47 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Matthew 27:57-61 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
Luke 23:50-56 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
John 7:13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
Philippians 1:14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
John 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ…
John 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be pu…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on John 19:38–end

We have here an account of the burial of the blessed body of our Lord Jesus. The solemn funerals of great men are usually looked at with curiosity; the mournful funerals of dear friends are attended with concern. Come and see an extraordinary funeral; never was the like! Come and see a burial that conquered the grave, and buried it, a burial that beautified the grave and softened it for all believers. Let us turn aside now, and see this great sight. Here is, I. The body begged, Joh 19:38. This was done by the interest of Joseph of Ramah, or Arimathea, of whom no mention is made in all the New Testament story, but only in the narrative which each of the evangelists gives us of Christ's burial…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 19:38

Joseph of Arimathea--"a rich man" (Mat 27:57), thus fulfilling Isa 53:9; "an honorable counsellor," a member of the Sanhedrim, and of good condition, "which also waited for the kingdom of God" (Mar 15:43), a devout expectant of Messiah's kingdom; "a good man and a just, the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them" (Luk 23:50-51 --he had gone the length, perhaps, of dissenting and protesting in open council against the condemnation of our Lord); "who also himself was Jesus' disciple," (Mat 27:57). being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews--"He went in boldly unto Pilate" (Mar 15:43) --literally, "having taken courage went in," or "had the boldness to go in…

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Adam Clarke on John 19:38

Joseph of Arimathea - See on Mat 27:57-60 (note); and particularly Mar 15:42, Mar 15:43 (note).

John Gill on John 19:38

And after this,.... That is, after Jesus had given up the ghost, when it was a clear case that he was dead; as it was before the soldiers came to break the legs of the crucified, and before one of them pierced the side of Jesus with his spear, though that confirmed it: but it seems to be before these last things were done, and yet after the death of Christ, that Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate, and desired leave to take down the body of Jesus. This Joseph was a counsellor, one of the Jewish sanhedrim; though he did not give his consent to the counsel of the court concerning Jesus: he is here described by the place of his birth, Arimathea. This place has been generally thought to be the sa…

The Church Fathers

It was providentially ordered that he should be rich, in order that he might have access to the governor, and righteous, in order that he might merit the charge of our Lord's body.
— Bede, On the Gospel of Mark 4.15

(de Con. Evang. iii. 22) In performing this last office to our Lord, he showed a bold indifference to the Jews, though he had avoided our Lord's company when alive, for fear of incurring their hatred.
— Augustine of Hippo ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)), Catena Aurea by Aquinas

For it was not without design that the prophet Moses, when Hur and Aaron upheld his hands, remained in this form until evening. For indeed the Lord remained upon the tree almost until evening, and they buried Him at eventide; then on the third day He rose again.
— Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Chapter XCVII

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Arimathea — A “city of the Jews” (Luke 23:51), the birth-place of Joseph in whose sepulchre our Lord was laid (Matt. 27:57, 60; John 19:38). It is probably the same place as Ramathaim in Ephraim, and the…
Humiliation of Christ — (Phil. 2:8), seen in (1) his birth (Gal. 4:4; Luke 2:7; John 1:46; Heb. 2:9), (2) his circumstances, (3) his reputation (Isa. 53; Matt. 26:59, 67; Ps. 22:6; Matt. 26:68), (4) his soul (Ps. 22:1;…
Myrrh — Heb. mor. (1.) First mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It formed part of the gifts brought by the wise men from the east, who came to worship the infant Jesus…
Arimathea · A town five miles north of — A town five miles north of
Burial · General references — General references
Judea, Modern · Towns of: Arimathea — Towns of: Arimathea
Opinion, Public · .Joseph of Arimathaea — .Joseph of Arimathaea
Pilate, Pontius · 27:57,58; — 27:57,58;

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

John 19:38

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on John 19:38–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 19:38

Adam Clarke on John 19:38

John Gill on John 19:38

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John 19:38

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on John 19:38–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 19:38

Adam Clarke on John 19:38

John Gill on John 19:38

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on John 19:38–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on John 19:38