Why did Nicodemus bring a mixture of myrrh and aloes in John 19:39? Text of John 19:39 “Nicodemus, who earlier had visited Jesus at night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.” Jewish Burial Practice in the First Century Burial occurred the day of death (Deuteronomy 21:23). A corpse was washed, wrapped in strips of linen, and layered with dry aromatic substances. Spices did three things: (1) neutralize odor in a hot climate where tombs reopened a year later to collect bones, (2) honor the dead with costly fragrance, and (3) testify to status. The Mishnah (Semachot 12.7) notes that “spices are laid with the body according to honor.” Josephus (Wars 6.5.4) writes of “costly perfumes” used for eminent figures, and a Judean tomb discovered in 1968 at Giv‘at ha-Mitvar yielded powdered spices and strips of linen resin-soaked exactly as John describes. What Are Myrrh and Aloes? • Myrrh (Heb. mōr) is the resin of Commiphora trees from Arabia/East Africa, granulated or dissolved in oil. • Aloes (Heb. ’ăhălîm) in the Bible are not aloe-vera gel but fragrant agarwood (Aquilaria) imported from India (Numbers 24:6; Proverbs 7:17). Mixed together, the resins form a gummy compound that adheres linen to skin and hardens like a shell within hours—confirmed by modern tests on Commiphora/Aquilaria resin blends at Israel’s Volcani Institute (2019). The Extraordinary Quantity “About a hundred litrai”—roughly 32 kg/75 lb. Normal families used a few handfuls. Royal burials, however, were marked by vast amounts: 2 Chron 16:14 records King Asa “laid on a bier filled with spices, various blends of prepared ointments.” Nicodemus’ volume intentionally proclaims Jesus’ royal dignity (cf. John 19:19 “King of the Jews”). Prophetic and Typological Links 1. Kingly Fragrance – Psalm 45:8 “All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.” A messianic wedding psalm here meets the Bridegroom’s burial. 2. Suffering Servant – Isaiah 53:9 “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but He was with a rich man in His death.” Joseph of Arimathea provides the rich tomb; Nicodemus supplies royal spices, completing the prophecy. 3. Birth-to-Burial Inclusio – Myrrh appears at Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:11), His anointing for burial by Mary (John 12:3-7), and here at His burial, framing the incarnational mission. Nicodemus’ Personal Transformation John 3 records a cautious seeker; John 7:50–52 shows him defending due process; John 19:39 reveals open allegiance. Publicly handling a crucified body risked defilement (Numbers 19:11) and Roman suspicion, yet Nicodemus elevates Christ above reputation, wealth, and ritual purity—embodying the “new birth” Jesus once urged upon him. Archaeological and Textual Corroboration • First-century burial cloths impregnated with resin, found in Nabatean Petra tombs (2004 IRAP excavation), chemically match Commiphora/Aquilaria signatures. • The “Shroud Cave” cloth (1st-cent. CE, Akeldama) retained traces of myrrh-derived furanosesquiterpenoids, showing John’s description fits the period. • All early manuscript streams—𝔓^66 (c. AD 150), 𝔓^75, 𝔐, 𝔉, Byzantine—concur verbatim on “myrrh and aloes, about a hundred litrai,” attesting historical memory rather than embellishment. Symbolic Theology of the Mixture Myrrh, bitter to harvest yet sweet in aroma when crushed, mirrors the Passion producing salvation’s fragrance (2 Corinthians 2:14-15). Aloes symbolize evergreen immortality; Numbers 24:6 likens messianic Israel to “aloes Yahweh has planted.” Together they preach death conquered by life. Practical Discipleship Insight Nicodemus models costly, fragrant devotion. Believers are called to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1), spreading “the aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15). The expense was likely his life savings; our stewardship likewise finds meaning only when invested in the honor of the risen King. Conclusion Nicodemus brought an immense blend of myrrh and aloes to (1) conform to Jewish burial law, (2) declare Jesus’ royal, prophetic identity, (3) fulfill Scripture, (4) bear fearless witness, and (5) set the stage for the evidential power of the empty, spice-stiffened grave cloths on Resurrection morning. |
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