Why did Jesus get a tomb?

Opti · Apr 27, 2009

divided sky said:
If you start a thread, you should check back frequently until the thread has run its course.

Oh Ok, how frequently?

Don't assume Stroebel speaks for all Christians.

To be fair, he seems to speak for the majority of you, I was given this book by a devoted Christian. Feel free to suggest a better read.

Catherineanne · Apr 27, 2009

Opti said:
Can someone explain why Jesus was put into a tomb rather than being left on the cross or put into a common grave.
The fact that he was crucified and then given a honourable burial is part of my confusion.

I think the answer is much simpler than you realise.

Our Lord died in the afternoon of the Friday; around 3pm. In April this would give perhaps four hours before sundown. As has already been said, Jews are not permitted to work on the Sabbath, and so the burial would have to happen either before sundown on the Friday, or wait until the Saturday evening or Sunday. This does not leave enough time to dig a grave and carry out full burial rituals.

Clearly, the Lord's followers did not want the body lying around unburied, and Joseph of Arimathea, as an influential man, was able to find a solution. He already had a tomb, and he had the right connections with the Romans to get permission to put the body into it.

There is no reason to suppose this tomb had room for only one person; it might have been large enough for several, and Joseph and other family members could still have been placed there in due course of time. We know it was cut from the solid rock, and we know it was covered by a large stone, so it was not small.

Joseph was able to get permission to put the body into the tomb, and was able to ensure it was wrapped appropriately, which implies the body was first washed, and then the tomb was sealed. That was as much as could be done before the Sabbath. We know this because the women returned to the tomb on the Sunday evening, as the Sabbath ended, in order to complete the rituals by annointing the body properly.

In other words, this was the best solution to a very difficult problem at the time. What happened on the Friday was not a complete burial, because part of the ritual remained for the Sunday, but it was the best that could be done.

divided sky · Apr 27, 2009

Opti said:
To be fair, he seems to speak for the majority of you, I was given this book by a devoted Christian. Feel free to suggest a better read.

Why is it being fair that he speaks for a majority of Christians? What do you base that on? Stroebel speaks for a mere percentage of mostly American Evangelical Christians. There's millions more that have never even heard of him, and even if they read him, would consider his stuff crap.

Try On Being A Christian by Hans Kung.

Foreshadow · Apr 27, 2009

Jesus was put in a tomb because he was the King of Jews and because he was a prominent figure in Religion at the time.

DrBubbaLove · Apr 27, 2009

divided sky said:
Why is it being fair that he speaks for a majority of Christians? What do you base that on? Stroebel speaks for a mere percentage of mostly American Evangelical Christians. There's millions more that have never even heard of him, and even if they read him, would consider his stuff crap.

Try On Being A Christian by Hans Kung.

Depends on what you mean by Evangelical. Stroebel's book was supported/distributed for free by Billy Graham Enterprises and many calling themselves Evangelical are further to the right than that organization. I guess I would think of his view being more central.

DrBubbaLove · Apr 27, 2009

Defender Of Reason said:
Jesus was put in a tomb because he was the King of Jews and because he was a prominent figure in Religion at the time.

That is a very good answer Defender and true points.

Opti · Apr 28, 2009

divided sky said:
Why is it being fair that he speaks for a majority of Christians? What do you base that on? Stroebel speaks for a mere percentage of mostly American Evangelical Christians. There's millions more that have never even heard of him, and even if they read him, would consider his stuff crap.

Well I'm in the Uk and I have had it presented to me, have a look on Amazon, the reviews are plentiful and it is described as life changing. It is referred to frequently on this board and many quote from it in their sig.
It would appear to be an important book from an outsider standpoint. It's good to hear that many would find it crap, while it had a lot of interesting info in it, it was (obviously) extremely biased and in parts contradictory.

Try On Being A Christian by Hans Kung.

I will have a look.

Opti · Apr 28, 2009

Defender Of Reason said:
Jesus was put in a tomb because he was the King of Jews and because he was a prominent figure in Religion at the time.

How many followers did he have at the time?
It seems that at the time of his death even his disciples had deserted him.
I appreciate that some years later Christianity had plenty of followers.

ebia · Apr 28, 2009

Just to add, that placing the body in a tomb is only the first part of a two part process. Once the flesh has decayed away the bones would be gathered up and put in an ossuary.

ebia · Apr 28, 2009

Opti said:
Sorry, I hadn't realised that posting here came with an obligation to visit daily

I haven't read the bible, it's on my to do list though I guess the prophecies are in the OT?

I thought that it was prophecised that Jesus got a tomb from what I read in 'Case for Christ', if not I am sorry, though the question is pretty much the same. That said I would be forgiven for thinking there was a tomb, Strobel makes a big thing about the prophecies being carried out so accurately. That is a large part of my problem, where the details are accurate that is why we should believe them, where they aren't it is enough that the core of the story is similar, such as in the gospels desribing the ressuection.

In any case I don't see that a prophecy being 'fulfilled' carries any weight if people are essentially acting it out.

I don't think there is any reason to think that Joseph or the other followers would have any prophesies in mind and be trying to act them out - that's a reflection put on the incidents later. One thing we can be sure of is that when they were burying Jesus they did NOT think he was the Messiah, or anything other than a failure. Crucifixion is the certain proof that someone is not the messiah. Resurrection would change all that, but no-one could know that was going to happen.

That said, an argument based on prophesies does not stand up to critical analysis. Statistically it is garbage unless the prophesies that need to be fulfilled are identified as such before the event. Most of the 'prophesies' fulfilled by Jesus were not pre-indentified as such. Others, as you say, are so vague as to be pretty meaningless.

ebia · Apr 28, 2009

Opti said:
How many followers did he have at the time?

At that moment in time, as a messianic or kingly figure, - zero.

Opti · Apr 28, 2009

ebia said:
At that moment in time, as a messianic or kingly figure, - zero.

Can DrBubbaLove and Defender of Reason please comment on the above?

Thanks.

DrBubbaLove · Apr 29, 2009

as whether it is accurate or how it applies here?

Opti · May 1, 2009

he was a prominent figure in Religion at the time

Because it conflicts with the above.

DrBubbaLove · May 1, 2009

I think children should get encouragement not discouraged from making a stand.

The point has some merit, in that whether one was for or against it was a religious issue and He was prominent in many people's mind. SO in that sense it is not entirely incorrect. But no, that does not explain the tomb. Happy????

Opti · May 3, 2009

DrBubbaLove said:
Happy????

Not entirely, no.

DrBubbaLove · May 4, 2009

You know looking back over what was said I change my mind. While everyone back then did not recognize, a child searhing today does recognize in this thread and certainly Joseph and the ladies helping him recognized that this Man Jesus was a King and was not just a prominent figure in religion but claimed to be God Himself. Joseph saught to honor Him with a proper burial rather than to let Him go to a pauper's grave.

So I take that back, Defender of Reason gave an valid answer.

Why did Jesus get a tomb?

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