The Burial by Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56; John 19:38–42)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 88 (on Matthew 27:57–61) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110

On the courage of Joseph, who begged the body when the disciples had fled:

This was Joseph, who was concealing his discipleship of late; now however he had become very bold after the death of Christ. For neither was he an obscure person, nor of the unnoticed; but one of the council, and highly distinguished; from which circumstance especially one may see his courage. For he exposed himself to death, taking upon him enmity with all, by his affection to Jesus, both having dared to beg the body, and not having desisted until he obtained it.

On the new tomb, that none might suspect another had risen in His place:

But not by taking it only, nor by burying it in a costly manner, but also by laying it in his own new tomb, he showeth his love, and his courage. And this was not so ordered without purpose, but so there should not be any bare suspicion, that one had risen instead of another.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:57–61) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On why the Evangelist notes the clean linen, the new tomb, and the great stone:

This is no casual mention of the circumstances that the body was wrapped in clean linen, and laid in a new tomb, ... but that every thing touching the body of Jesus is clean, and new, and very great.

On the women who kept watch over against the sepulchre:

The mother of the sons of Zebedee is not mentioned as having sat over against the sepulchre. And perhaps she was able to endure as far as the cross only, but these as stronger in love were not absent even from the things that were afterwards done.

Theophylact of Ohrid (c. 1055–1107)

Explanation of the Gospel of John (on John 19:38–42) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John, trans. J. H. Newman, 1841. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On the new sepulchre, and the poverty the Lord took up for our sakes:

In that it was a new sepulchre, we are given to understand, that we are all renewed by Christ's death, and death and corruption destroyed. Mark too the exceeding poverty that He took up for our sakes. He had no house in His lifetime, and now He is laid in another's sepulchre at His death, and His nakedness covered by Joseph.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 121 (on John 19:38–42) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107

On Nicodemus, who came to Jesus by night and now comes openly to His burial:

By the statement given us here, therefore, we are to understand that Nicodemus came to Jesus, not then only, but then for the first time; and that he was a regular comer afterwards, in order by hearing to become a disciple

On the new sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid:

As in the womb of the Virgin Mary no one was conceived before Him, and no one after Him, so in this sepulchre there was no one buried before Him, and no one after Him.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 27:57–61) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xxvii.html

On why the Evangelist calls Joseph rich, that he might obtain the body from Pilate:

He is described as rich, not out of any ambition on the part of the writer to represent so noble and rich a man as Jesus' disciple, but to shew how he was able to obtain the body of Jesus from Pilate. For poor and unknown individuals would not have dared to approach Pilate, the representative of Roman power, and ask the body of a crucified malefactor.

On the clean linen, and the pure heart that wraps the Lord:

By this simple burial of the Lord is condemned the ostentation of the rich, who cannot dispense with lavish expense even in their tombs. But we may also consider in a spiritual sense, that the Lord's body was wrapped not in gold, jewels, or silk, but in clean linen; and that he who wrapped it, is he who embraces Jesus with a pure heart.

On the new tomb, which signifies also the virgin womb of Mary:

He is laid in a new tomb, lest after His resurrection it should be pretended that it was some other who had risen when they saw the other bodies there remaining. The new tomb may also signify the virgin womb of Mary.

St. Ambrose of Milan (c. 339–397)

Exposition of the Gospel of Luke (on Luke 23:50–56) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CALuke.htm

On the new tomb, for the Conqueror of death has no grave of His own:

Nor without meaning has one Evangelist spoken of a new tomb, another of the tomb of Joseph. For the grave is prepared by those who are under the law of death; the Conqueror of death has no grave of His own. ... But Christ is rightly buried in the tomb of the just, that He may rest in the habitation of justice.

St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735)

Commentary on Luke (on Luke 23:50–56) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CALuke.htm

On the tomb hewn in the rock, that none might say the body was stolen:

That is, hewn out of a rock, lest if it had been built of many stones, and the foundations of the tomb being dug up after the resurrection, the body should be said to have been stolen away. It is laid also in a new tomb, wherein never man before was laid, lest when the rest of the bodies remained after the resurrection, it might be suspected that some other had risen again.

On the sabbath rest of the Lord in the tomb:

But because man was created on the sixth day, rightly being crucified on the sixth day our Lord fulfilled the secret of man's restitution. ... But because on the seventh day the Creator rested from His work, the Lord on the Sabbath rested in the grave.