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 —  James Oakley
A cave in a grassy hillside

I've never noticed this before, and it’s a bit of fun.

Whose tomb was Jesus buried in? Joseph of Arimathea, you’d reply, and you’d be correct.

As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. (Matthew 27:57-60)

Now look at John’s account:

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about thirty-five kilograms. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was near by, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38-42)

Now, just read that last sentence again:

Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was near by, they laid Jesus there.

We know, from Matthew, that it was Joseph’s own tomb. But John’s account doesn't read like that, more like: “Here lads, this’ll do, we’ll come back and sort this properly after the weekend. Hope the guy who owns this one doesn’t mind; I’m sure he’ll understand.”

Not sure what to do with that, besides chuckle, but do share in the comments if you have any further thoughts.

 

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