Where Did Jesus Die? Where Was Jesus Buried?

Where did Jesus die? Where was the cross located and where did they bury Jesus?

Buried with the Rich

Isaiah wrote extensively about the coming Messiah, the “suffering servant” Who would bring our spiritual healing by His physical beating. Writing as if it’s already finished, Isaiah wrote “they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (53:9) and “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth” (1st Pet 2:22). What did Isaiah mean by “they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death?” First of all, He died with the wicked. Those who tried Him, those who crucified Him, and those with whom He was crucified with; that being the two thieves on the cross, although one publically professed faith in Christ and was saved so what does it mean that He would also make His grave “with a rich man?”

Joseph of Arimathea

After Jesus’ death, “Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body” (John 19:38). Joseph was “from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God” (Luke 23:50-51). Joseph still was secretive about following Jesus which was why Matthew wrote, “it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus” (Matt 27:57). Joseph of Arimathea found a tomb for Jesus so easily because he already had one of his own. Joseph, being a member of the Jewish council, must have had more money than most of the Jews in general and so he apparently bought a grave ahead of time. Was this because he was an older man? Perhaps, but “Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid” (John 19:39-41). Nicodemus was a chief ruler of the Jews and a Pharisee (John 3:1) and he too was likely richer than most, so Jesus was buried with the rich men’s help and indeed, “made his grave” “with a rich man in his death” (Isaiah 53:9).

Where did Jesus Die?

The exact location is impossible to prove today since so many hundreds of generations have come and gone and Jerusalem has changed so much. The Bible calls Jesus’ crucifixion location as “Golgotha,” meaning “skull” or “place of the skull.” The Bible says “they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them” (John 19:16c-18). Where exactly Golgotha is today cannot be known with absolute certainty. We know it was just outside the city walls of Jerusalem but that was the Old City of Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago and way to much has changed since then to be sure where it’s located.

Where was Jesus Buried?

Many places in and around Jerusalem claim to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, the site of His crucifixion but they also claim to be the gravesite of Christ but we know that they can’t all be right. Jesus’ grave must not have been far outside of Jerusalem because it says “it was the day of Preparation” (John 19:31) and so “Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock” (Matt 27:59-60) so we know it was Joseph’s own tomb that he gave to Christ. This was not likely very far from Jerusalem so they were able to bury His body before the day of Preparation, which would have begun at sunset. It is impossible to be precise and I can only speculate so I won’t. Some are certain that the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is built over the traditional site of Christ’s tomb but this has never been conclusively proven.

Conclusion

Where Jesus was crucified and where He was buried is not important but the fact that He was crucified for our sins and was buried and rose on the third day so that we can be (1 Cor 15). Paul wrote as fact that “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1st Cor 15:20) and at Jesus’ return “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Dan 12:2-3). In what state will you be in for eternity (John 3:36)?

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.