Topical Encyclopedia In biblical times, the practice of winding the body in linen for burial was a significant aspect of the burial customs among the Israelites and other ancient Near Eastern cultures. This practice is rooted in the respect and honor given to the deceased, reflecting a belief in the dignity of the human body even after death.The most notable biblical account of this practice is found in the burial of Jesus Christ. According to the Gospel of John, after Jesus' crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus, requested permission from Pilate to take Jesus' body for burial. Nicodemus, who had previously visited Jesus at night, accompanied Joseph. They brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight, to prepare the body for burial. John 19:40 states, "So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom." This act of wrapping the body in linen was not merely a practical measure but also a ceremonial one, signifying care and reverence. The use of linen, a fine and costly fabric, underscores the honor given to the deceased. The inclusion of spices and ointments served both to anoint the body and to mitigate the odor of decay, reflecting a deep respect for the person who had passed. The practice of winding the body in linen is also seen in the account of Lazarus. In John 11:44 , after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, it is noted, "The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth." This indicates that Lazarus had been prepared for burial in a manner consistent with Jewish customs of the time. The use of linen in burial is further illustrated in the Old Testament. In Genesis 50:2-3, Joseph orders the embalming of his father Jacob, a process that likely included wrapping the body in linen, as was customary in Egyptian burial practices, which influenced the Israelites during their time in Egypt. The practice of winding the body in linen for burial reflects a broader theological understanding of the body in Scripture. The human body, created in the image of God, is treated with dignity and care, even in death. This respect for the body is consistent with the biblical view of the resurrection, where the body is not discarded but transformed and renewed. In summary, the biblical practice of winding the body in linen for burial is a testament to the reverence for the deceased and the hope of resurrection. It is a tradition that underscores the sanctity of the human body and the belief in life beyond death, as exemplified in the burial of Jesus Christ and others in Scripture. Torrey's Topical Textbook John 11:44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said to them, Loose him, and let him go. Torrey's Topical Textbook John 19:40 Library Of the Question Whether the First Three Evangelists are Quite in ... Of the Places of Burial. A Description of Some Parts of Ancient Jerusalem. The Crucifixion. John Chapter xix. 31-42, and xx. 1-9. John xix. 16-18 Arrangement and Furniture of the Church The Opening of the Side of Jesus. Synoptical Table In Joseph's Tomb Resources Is burial the only option a Christian can consider? | GotQuestions.orgWhy was a burial place so important in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Is the Shroud of Turin authentic? | GotQuestions.org Burial: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Burial for Criminals, Marked by Heaps Burial of Enemies, Sometimes Performed by the Conquerors Burial of Persons Embalmed, Deferred for Seventy Days Burial of Persons Hanged, Always on the Days of Execution Burial of the Friendless, a Kind Act Burial were Ceremonially Unclean Burial: An Ignominious, Compared to the Burial of an Ass Burial: Antiquity of Coffins For Burial: Antiquity of Purchasing Places For Burial: Attended by Family of the Dead Burial: Attended by Female Friends Burial: Attended by Great Lamentation At Burial: Attended by Hired Mourners Burial: Attended by Numbers of Friends Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends of Jacob Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: Abner Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: Child of Jeroboam Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: Stephen Burial: Attended by Relatives and Friends: The Son of the Widow of Nain Burial: Burial of Gog (Multitude) Requiring Seven Months Burial: Burying Places for Poor and Strangers Burial: Burying Places in Caves Burial: Burying Places in Gardens Burial: Burying Places in Houses Burial: Burying Places in Valleys Burial: Burying Places of Kings Burial: Burying Places with Shelves Burial: Burying Places: A Place of Honor Burial: Burying Places: And Inscriptions Burial: Burying Places: Anyone Who Touched, Were Unclean Burial: Burying Places: Bought by Abraham Burial: Burying Places: Closed With Stones Burial: Burying Places: Demoniacs Lived In Burial: Burying Places: Family Burial: Burying Places: Joseph Burial: Burying Places: King Saul's Burial: Burying Places: Marked With Pillars, Rachel's Burial: Burying Places: On Hills Burial: Burying Places: Painted and Garnished Burial: Burying Places: Refused to the Dead Burial: Burying Places: Robbed Burial: Burying Places: Sealed Burial: Burying Places: Under Trees, Deborah's Burial: Directions Given About, Before Death by Jacob Burial: Directions Given About, Before Death by Joseph Burial: Frequently Prepared and Pointed out During Life Burial: Held in High Veneration Burial: Illustrative of Regeneration Burial: Members of a Family Interred in the Same Burial: Often Desecrated by Idolatry Burial: Often Took Place Immediately After Death Burial: Orations Sometimes Made At Burial: Places Used for Caves Hewn out of Rocks Burial: Places Used for Gardens Burial: Places Used for Houses of the Deceased Burial: Places Used for Natural Caves Burial: Places Used for The City of David for the Kings of Judah Burial: Places Used for Tops of the Hills Burial: Places Used for Under Trees Burial: Privation of, Considered a Calamity Burial: Privation of, Threatened As a Punishment Burial: Provided for Aliens and Strangers Burial: Provided for the Common People Burial: Sometimes had Inscriptions Burial: Sometimes not Apparent Burial: The Body Was: Anointed For Burial: The Body Was: Carried on a Bier To Burial: The Body Was: Preserved With Spices Burial: The Body Was: Sometimes Burned Before Burial: The Body Was: Washed Before Burial: The Body Was: Wound in Linen For Burial: The Jews Anxious to be Interred in Their Family Places of Burial: The Right of all Nations Burial: Visited by Sorrowing Friends Related Terms |
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