His Burial
WHAT THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES SAY…
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgement, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked -- but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:7-9)
WHAT THE RABBINIC WRITINGS SAY…
Jonathan ben Uzziel interprets it in the Targum of the future Messiah; and this is also the opinion of our own learned men in the majority of their Midrashim. (Rabbi don Yitzehak Abarbanel, circa 1500 CE)
Forthwith the Holy One began to make a covenant with the Messiah: O Messiah, my righteousness, said he, the iniquities of those who are hidden beside thee will cause thee to enter into a hard yoke ... said the Messiah, Lord of the world I accept it joyfully, and will endure these chastisements ... Messiah accepted the chastisement of love, as it is written; He was oppressed, and he was afflicted. (Rabbi Moshe Ha-Darshan, 10th, 11th century CE, Midrash on Bereshith)
The prophet here declares, how the Messiah resigns himself to die, and be buried in their tomb. (Japheth ben Ali ha-Levi, c. 920 CE)
WHAT THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS…
Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" So Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marvelled greatly. (Matthew 27:11-14)
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. (Matthew 27:57-60)
