John 19:40 Meaning: A Burial that Prepared for Glory

Three Greek words carry the weight of this verse. The verb edēsan (‘they bound’) comes from deō, meaning to tie or fasten securely. This is the same word used for Lazarus coming out of the tomb wrapped in grave clothes. The body was not just draped, it was wound tightly in strips of linen.

The word for those linen strips is othoniois, small cloths or bandages, not a single sheet. John uses this word again when Peter finds the cloths lying empty in the tomb. The arōmata (spices) were aromatic substances like myrrh and aloes, crushed and sprinkled into the folds. And the phrase enthos estin tois Ioudaiois entaphiazein points to a recognized custom, this was the normal, careful way Jewish families prepared their dead for burial. For Jesus, the custom was followed fully, even in haste before the Sabbath.

Christians across traditions see this burial as deeply meaningful. Many Reformed and Protestant commentators (like Calvin and Matthew Henry) emphasize that God honored His Son with a dignified burial after the shame of the cross, and that this honor points forward to the resurrection. Catholic tradition has long seen the burial as the first step in Christ’s descent to the dead, a moment of silent hope. Eastern Orthodox readers note the lavish spices as a royal anointing, fitting for the King of kings. The Cambridge Bible contrasts Jewish burial (no removal of organs) with Egyptian embalming, highlighting the respect for the whole body. All agree: Jesus was truly dead, and his friends cared for him even then.

A common misreading is that this burial was incomplete or slapdash because the women later came to anoint the body (Mark 16:1). In fact, John emphasizes that Joseph and Nicodemus followed the Jewish custom fully, binding the body with spices. The women likely were not present and wanted to add further honor, or did not know about the men’s actions. The burial was proper and complete; the tomb held a genuinely dead Jesus.

You might not think much about preparing a body for burial. But this verse asks you to consider: what does it look like to honor Jesus when all seems lost? Joseph and Nicodemus came out of hiding to do a humble, practical service. This week, look for a quiet act of devotion that no one will applaud, visiting a grieving friend, helping with funeral arrangements, or simply sitting with someone in their loss. The spices and linen mattered because they showed love for Jesus even in his death. Your small, hidden kindness matters too.