Mark 15:42-47, Jesus Is Buried

⁴² And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation [Friday], that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea [a village in the hill country of Ephraim 20 miles NW of Jerusalem], a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. [From the four gospels we learn that Joseph is a member of the Sanhedrin (Mark) who had opposed the plot to kill Jesus (Luke) and was a secret disciple (John). There is an urgency to get the body down.] ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. [Crucified men die in 2 to 3 days usually.] And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. ⁴⁵ And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. ⁴⁶ And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. [Mark demonstrates the reverence used by Joseph for Jesus’ body. Matthew tells us the never used tomb belonged to Joseph. John says it was in a garden near the crucifixion site.] And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb [to prevent animals and/or grave robbers from entering]. ⁴⁷ Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses [wife of Clopas] saw where he was laid.