Visit to Jesus Tomb

[Child of a New Day]

I was reading that when Mary Magdalene went with two other woman to visit Jesus tomb, they were on their way to annoint the corpse with spices. I was wondering what the significance of this was? What spices did they use and why? I have very little knowledge in this area.

 

[lunamoth]

I think the spices were used to cover up the smell of the decaying body.

Others here may have more info.

lunamoth

 

[Quahom1]

I think the spices were used to cover up the smell of the decaying body.

Others here may have more info.

lunamoth

Frankensense and Myrrh. Besides hiding the smell, it was a tradition of respect for the dead, particularly of a loved one.

It also leads one directly back to the birth of Jesus, and what gifts were brought to the toddler by the Magi...

v/r

Q

 

[Child of a New Day]

Frankensense and Myrrh wow. I guess you would have to use a lot. I have frankensense and myrrh in the purest form I could find and it does not really give off much of a smell unless you burn it. Maybe it was different (more potent) back then? I think that is interesting. Something like bringing flowers to a grave site I guess. How they must have mourned him!

 

[didymus]

I think that there may have been burial rituals that involved the use of frankencense and myrrh. Let's do some research and find out.

 

[Quahom1]

Frankensense and Myrrh wow. I guess you would have to use a lot. I have frankensense and myrrh in the purest form I could find and it does not really give off much of a smell unless you burn it. Maybe it was different (more potent) back then? I think that is interesting. Something like bringing flowers to a grave site I guess. How they must have mourned him!

Well, when a body begins to decay, something called oxydation also occurs (slow burning if you will). Chemical reactions within the body actually raise the temperature (not alot, but significant enough to be noticed, and measured). One also must consider the geographical area (and weather, or climate) where the body was buried...up to 120 degrees F in the desert sun, that tomb would turn into an oven after awhile...

Try heating your spices there just a little bit, without actually burning them (float a small bowl in a pot of heated water, with the spice sitting in the bowl). Of course you won't get the maximum effect (no body in the bowl), but I think you'll be surprised at the increase of the scent.

v/r

Q

 

[lunamoth]

John 19: 39

38Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventyfive pounds.[d] 40Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

My NIV Study Bible says that this was a very large amount, as was used for royal burials.

In Luke 24:55-56 there is no mention of the spices with the wrapping, but the women later go home to prepare spices and perfumes. But they did not go directly to Jesus' body, "they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment." The next day they went to the tomb.

Mark agrees with Luke. Matthew does not mention the spices, just that the women went to look at the tomb.

lunamoth

 

[lunamoth]

more about anointment for burial:

Jesus Anointed at Bethany
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3Then Mary took about a pint[a] of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5“Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages.” 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

7“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “ It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

(John 12:1-8)

From NIV Study Bible: Nard. The name of both a plant and the fragrant oil it yielded. Since it was very expensive, Mary's act of devotion was costly.

lunamoth

 

[Child of a New Day]

Thank you. I am going to look at Jeweish Burial rituals as well.

 

[Quahom1]

more about anointment for burial:



From NIV Study Bible: Nard. The name of both a plant and the fragrant oil it yielded. Since it was very expensive, Mary's act of devotion was costly.

lunamoth

And note that Mary used it on Jesus before the day of His burial, because the government would not let anyone near Him the day of His burial. Even when the women were going on the first day of the week to annoint the body of Jesus, they weren't sure the Roman Guards whould let them get near the tomb, let alone roll the stone back (ironic, that the Romans and Jewish High counsil feared Jesus more in death than in life...posting two Roman Guards at the grave sight of a Jewish man?...

v/r

Q