John 19:31-42 — The Burial

31Οι ουν Ιουδαιοι, επει Παρασκευη ην, ινα μη μεινη επι του σταυρου τα σωματα εν τω σαββατω, ην γαρ μεγαλη η ημερα εκεινου του σαββατου, ηρωτησαν τον Πειλατον ινα κατεαγωσιν αυτων τα σκελη και αρθωσιν. (Oi oyn Ioydaioi, epei Paraskeyē ēn, ina mē meinē epi toy stayroy ta sōmata en tō sabbatō, ēn gar megalē ē ēmera ekeinoy toy sabbatoy, ērōtēsan ton Peilaton ina kateagōsin aytōn ta skelē kai arthōsin.)32ηλθον ουν οι στρατιωται, και του μεν πρωτου κατεαξαν τα σκελη και του αλλου του συνσταυρωθεντος αυτω· (ēlthon oyn oi stratiōtai, kai toy men prōtoy kateaxan ta skelē kai toy alloy toy synstayrōthentos aytō·)33επι δε τον Ιησουν ελθοντες, ως ειδον ηδη αυτον τεθνηκοτα, ου κατεαξαν αυτου τα σκελη, (epi de ton Iēsoyn elthontes, ōs eidon ēdē ayton tethnēkota, oy kateaxan aytoy ta skelē,)34αλλ εις των στρατιωτων λογχη αυτου την πλευραν ενυξεν, και εξηλθεν ευθυς αιμα και υδωρ. (all eis tōn stratiōtōn logchē aytoy tēn pleyran enyxen, kai exēlthen eythys aima kai ydōr.)35και ο εωρακως μεμαρτυρηκεν, και αληθινη αυτου εστιν η μαρτυρια, και εκεινος οιδεν οτι αληθη λεγει, ινα και υμεις πιστευητε. (kai o eōrakōs memartyrēken, kai alēthinē aytoy estin ē martyria, kai ekeinos oiden oti alēthē legei, ina kai ymeis pisteyēte.)36εγενετο γαρ ταυτα ινα η γραφη πληρωθη Οστουν ου συντριβησεται αυτου. (egeneto gar tayta ina ē graphē plērōthē Ostoyn oy syntribēsetai aytoy.)37και παλιν ετερα γραφη λεγει Οψονται εις ον εξεκεντησαν. (kai palin etera graphē legei Opsontai eis on exekentēsan.)38Μετα δε ταυτα ηρωτησεν τον Πειλατον Ιωσηφ απο Αριμαθαιας, ων μαθητης του Ιησου κεκρυμμενος δε δια τον φοβον των Ιουδαιων, ινα αρη το σωμα του Ιησου· και επετρεψεν ο Πειλατος. ηλθεν ουν και ηρεν το σωμα αυτου. (Meta de tayta ērōtēsen ton Peilaton Iōsēph apo Arimathaias, ōn mathētēs toy Iēsoy kekrymmenos de dia ton phobon tōn Ioydaiōn, ina arē to sōma toy Iēsoy· kai epetrepsen o Peilatos. ēlthen oyn kai ēren to sōma aytoy.)39ηλθεν δε και Νικοδημος, ο ελθων προς αυτον νυκτος το πρωτον, φερων μιγμα σμυρνης και αλοης ως λιτρας εκατον. (ēlthen de kai Nikodēmos, o elthōn pros ayton nyktos to prōton, pherōn migma smyrnēs kai aloēs ōs litras ekaton.)40ελαβον ουν το σωμα του Ιησου και εδησαν αυτο οθονιοις μετα των αρωματων, καθως εθος εστιν τοις Ιουδαιοις ενταφιαζειν. (elabon oyn to sōma toy Iēsoy kai edēsan ayto othoniois meta tōn arōmatōn, kathōs ethos estin tois Ioydaiois entaphiazein.)41ην δε εν τω τοπω οπου εσταυρωθη κηπος, και εν τω κηπω μνημειον καινον, εν ω ουδεπω ουδεις ην τεθειμενος· (ēn de en tō topō opoy estayrōthē kēpos, kai en tō kēpō mnēmeion kainon, en ō oydepō oydeis ēn tetheimenos·)42εκει ουν δια την Παρασκευην των Ιουδαιων, οτι εγγυς ην το μνημειον, εθηκαν τον Ιησουν. (ekei oyn dia tēn Paraskeyēn tōn Ioydaiōn, oti eggys ēn to mnēmeion, ethēkan ton Iēsoyn.)

31Therefore the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day, so that the bodies wouldn’t remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a special one), asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.32Therefore the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with him;33but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs.34However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.35He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe.36For these things happened that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “A bone of him will not be broken.”37Again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they pierced.”38After these things, Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away Jesus’ body. Pilate gave him permission. He came therefore and took away his body.39Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred Roman pounds.40So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.41Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb in which no man had ever yet been laid.42Then, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day (for the tomb was near at hand), they laid Jesus there.

Not a bone broken (v. 36). The Passover Lamb, without blemish, without a broken bone. Blood and water from his side. The new covenant sealed in the death of the Lamb.

Greek: Nestle 1904 · English: World English Bible (Public Domain)

“There was a garden. In the garden was a new tomb.”

BECAUSE it was the Preparation Day, the Jewish authorities asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies taken away. The Sabbath was approaching, and the law of Moses required that the bodies of executed criminals not remain on the trees overnight (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). Even in their cruelty, they maintained concern for ceremonial correctness.

The soldiers broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead. They did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. John testifies to this with particular emphasis: he saw it, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth so that you may believe.

The refusal to break Jesus’ legs fulfills the Passover type: “Not a bone of him shall be broken” (Exodus 12:46, Psalm 34:20). The paschal lamb was to be without blemish, and its bones were not to be broken. Jesus is the true Passover Lamb, the one whose blood marks the doorposts of the new covenant. The blood and water flowing from his side have been seen by the church as a double witness to the sacraments of Eucharist and baptism — flowing from the side of the new Adam as the church was born from his pierced side.

John reaches for a second Scripture the spear-thrust fulfills: "They will look on him whom they pierced" (Zechariah 12:10). In its own setting, that verse belongs to one of the strangest promises in the prophets — a day when God pours out a spirit of grace on the house of David, and the people, looking on the one they themselves pierced, mourn for him as for an only child. Zechariah does not explain who this pierced figure is or how the LORD who speaks in that oracle can also be the one struck through. John does not explain it either. He simply points at the moment on Golgotha where the prophecy stops being cryptic.

Joseph of Arimathea — a secret disciple for fear of the Jews — asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Nicodemus, who first came to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. These two men, who had been afraid to identify themselves with Jesus during his life, came forward boldly in his death. The cross has a way of revealing who we truly are. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, as the burial custom of the Jews was. In the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden, a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. There they laid Jesus, because the tomb was nearby and the Sabbath was about to begin.

Primary Sources

Clarke, on John 19:39: “Some have objected that a hundred pounds' weight of myrrh and aloes was enough to embalm two hundred dead bodies... but it may be observed that great quantities of spices were used for embalming dead bodies, when they intended to show peculiar marks of respect.”

Calvin, on John 19:34: “Christ brought the true atonement and the true washing; for, on the one hand, forgiveness of sins and justification, and, on the other hand, the sanctification of the soul, were prefigured in the Law by those two symbols, sacrifices and washings.”

Written for the Grace Memorial devotional series · July 2026

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