Mark 15:42-46

Jesus’ Burial

15:42 Now ¹  when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), ²  15:43 Joseph of Arimathea, a highly regarded member of the council, ³  who was himself looking forward to ⁴  the kingdom of God, ⁵  went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁶  15:44 Pilate was surprised that he was already dead. He ⁷  called the centurion and asked him if he had been dead for some time. 15:45 When Pilate ⁸  was informed by the centurion, ⁹  he gave the body to Joseph. 15:46 After Joseph ¹⁰  bought a linen cloth ¹¹  and took down the body, he wrapped it in the linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of the rock. ¹²  Then ¹³  he rolled a stone across the entrance ¹⁴  of the tomb.

[15:42]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic and introduction of a new character.

[15:42]  ² 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.

[15:43]  ³ tn Grk “a councillor” (as a member of the Sanhedrin, see L&N 11.85). This indicates that some individuals among the leaders did respond to Jesus.

[15:43]  ⁴ tn Or “waiting for.”

[15:43]  ⁵ sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, this remark that he was looking forward to the kingdom of God and his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.

[15:43]  ⁶ sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.

[15:44]  ⁷ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[15:45]  ⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Pilate) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:45]  ⁹ sn See the note on the word centurion in 15:39.

[15:46]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Joseph of Arimathea) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:46]  ¹¹ tn The term σινδών (sindwn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.

[15:46]  ¹² tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).

[15:46]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[15:46]  ¹⁴ tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”