Jesus’ burial confirms that he experienced a complete and real death. He did not merely faint, or go into a coma to be revived. Instead, he died and was buried, signifying a genuine separation from life. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus prepared Jesus’ body for burial and placed it in a new tomb where no other body had been laid. Their testimony ensures that there was no life left in the body they buried.

It reads in Luke 23:50-56 Easy-to-Read Version> A man named Joseph was there from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a good man, who lived the way God wanted. He was waiting for God’s kingdom to come. Joseph was a member of the Jewish council. But he did not agree when the other Jewish leaders decided to kill Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in cloth. Then he put it in a tomb that was dug in a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before. It was late on Preparation Day. When the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin. The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph. They saw the tomb. Inside they saw where he put Jesus’ body. Then they left to prepare some sweet-smelling spices to put on the body. On the Sabbath day, they rested, as commanded in the Law of Moses.