John 19:40-42

19:40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, ¹  in strips of linen cloth ²  according to Jewish burial customs. ³  19:41 Now at the place where Jesus ⁴  was crucified ⁵  there was a garden, ⁶  and in the garden ⁷  was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried. ⁸  19:42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of preparation ⁹  and the tomb was nearby, ¹⁰  they placed Jesus’ body there.

¹ tn On this term see BDAG 140-41 s.v. ἄρωμα. The Jews did not practice embalming, so these materials were used to cover the stench of decay and slow decomposition.

² tn The Fourth Gospel uses ὀθονίοις (oqonioi") to describe the wrappings, and this has caused a good deal of debate, since it appears to contradict the synoptic accounts which mention a σινδών (sindwn), a large single piece of linen cloth. If one understands ὀθονίοις to refer to smaller strips of cloth, like bandages, there would be a difference, but diminutive forms have often lost their diminutive force in Koine Greek (BDF §111.3), so there may not be any difference.

³ tn Grk “cloth as is the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial.”

⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁵ sn See the note on Crucify in 19:6.

⁶ tn Or “an orchard.”

⁷ tn Or “orchard.”

⁸ tn Grk “been placed.”

⁹ sn The day of preparation was the day before the Sabbath when everything had to be prepared for it, as no work could be done on the Sabbath.

¹⁰ sn The tomb was nearby. The Passover and the Sabbath would begin at 6 p.m., so those who had come to prepare and bury the body could not afford to waste time.