What Can We Learn from the Symbol of Purchased Tomb?
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And 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. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.
Key Facts
Term Name
Purchased Tomb
Primary Meaning
Symbolizes intentional preparation, divine provision, and covenantal fulfillment through burial and resurrection.
Old Testament Reference
Abraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpelah in Genesis 23:17-20.
New Testament Fulfillment
Jesus' burial in Joseph of Arimathea's purchased tomb (Matthew 27:57-60), fulfilled in His resurrection as the ultimate covenantal victory.
Key Takeaways
- The purchased tomb symbolizes intentional preparation and divine provision in biblical narratives.
- Abraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpelah established a covenantal legacy and sacred land ownership.
- Jesus' burial in a purchased tomb fulfilled Old Testament prophecies and affirmed His divine authority.
The Purchased Tomb in the Old Testament
The practice of purchasing tombs in ancient Israelite culture first appears in Genesis 23, where Abraham secures a burial site for Sarah, establishing a precedent for covenantal land ownership and sacred legacy.
In Genesis 23:17-20, Abraham’s purchase of the Cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite not only secured a burial site for Sarah but also symbolized his commitment to the land as a covenantal promise from God. This transaction, recorded with precise details of silver by Shekels, underscored the permanence of Abraham’s lineage in Canaan. Deuteronomy 21:23 further ties purchased tombs to covenantal holiness, requiring that a person executed by hanging be buried the same day to avoid defiling the land. Together, these texts reveal how purchased tombs reflected Israelite identity as a people bound to God’s laws and the land He promised.
These practices prefigure Jesus’ burial in a purchased tomb (Matthew 27:57-60), where Joseph of Arimathea’s act mirrored Abraham’s faith, securing a sacred space for the Messiah’s resurrection. By fulfilling Deuteronomy’s command to honor the dead, Jesus’ burial also affirmed His covenantal role as the ultimate sacrifice, whose resurrection conquered death itself.
Jesus' Burial in a Purchased Tomb
Jesus’ burial in a purchased tomb, as recounted in Matthew 27:57-60, fulfills ancient covenantal patterns while underscoring his innocence and divine authority.
Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy disciple, requested Jesus’ body from Pilate and provided a new tomb he had hewn into the rock (Matthew 27:57-60). This act reflected Abraham’s faith in Genesis 23 and showed that Isaiah 53:9’s prediction - that the Messiah would be buried with the rich - has been fulfilled in Jesus’ burial. The tomb’s newness - unlike Lazarus’ sealed cave (John 11:38-44) - symbolized Jesus’ sinless identity and the unprecedented nature of his sacrifice. By entrusting Jesus to this purchased tomb, Joseph affirmed that the crucified man was no common criminal but the righteous Servant of the Lord.
The significance of a new tomb lies in its contrast to the corruption of death: Jesus’ body would not remain in decay (Psalm 16:10), and the tomb’s unused state prefigured the empty space he would leave after resurrection. This act also subtly subverted Roman and Jewish expectations, as no executed prisoner had ever been granted such a dignified burial.
Matthew 28:1-7 then reveals the tomb’s ultimate role: as the site of resurrection, it became the location of divine power triumphing over death. The angel’s earthquake and rolling away of the stone (Matthew 28:2-4) transformed Joseph’s purchased tomb into a proclamation of Jesus’ authority. This symbol connects directly to Isaiah 53:9’s promise that the righteous Servant would ‘see his offspring and prolong his days,’ bridging the covenants and pointing to the new creation inaugurated by Christ’s victory.
The Purchased Tomb and Our Hope Today
The empty tomb of Jesus demonstrates God’s power over death and the basis of our hope in eternal life.
The empty tomb symbolizes God’s triumph over death, as Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits of our own (1 Corinthians 15:20-22), assuring believers of their share in this victory. This truth reshapes our understanding of resurrection, shifting it from a distant promise to a present reality rooted in Christ’s completed work. 1 Peter 1:3-5 emphasizes that through Jesus’ resurrection, we inherit an imperishable salvation, a living hope that anchors us amid life’s uncertainties. Practically, this hope compels believers to live with an eternal perspective, trusting that death is not the end but the gateway to eternal life with God.
Exploring Further
Beyond the purchased tomb, other symbols in Jesus’ burial - such as the sealing stone and the linen cloths - offer deeper insight into the theological significance of His resurrection.
The massive stone rolled against the tomb’s entrance (Matthew 28:2-4) symbolized both the finality of death and its subsequent defeat through Christ’s resurrection. Meanwhile, the linen cloths left undisturbed after the resurrection (John 20:5-7) visually confirmed that Jesus’ body had not been stolen but had passed through death itself, reinforcing the miracle of new life.
Further Reading
Key Scripture Mentions
Genesis 23:17-20
Abraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpelah for Sarah's burial, establishing covenantal land ownership.
Matthew 27:57-60
Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus in his own purchased tomb, fulfilling covenantal patterns.
Isaiah 53:9
Prophecy that the Messiah would be buried with the rich, fulfilled in Jesus' burial.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Jesus' resurrection as the firstfruits of believers' resurrection hope.
Related Concepts
Joseph of Arimathea (Figures)
Wealthy disciple who provided his purchased tomb for Jesus' burial, symbolizing faith and provision.
Sealing Stone (Symbols)
Symbol of death's finality and its defeat through Christ's resurrection at the purchased tomb.
Resurrection (Theological Concepts)
Central to the purchased tomb's symbolism, representing victory over death and eternal life.
Canaan (Places)
The promised land tied to purchased tombs as a symbol of covenantal inheritance.
Shekels (Terms)
Unit of currency used in Abraham's tomb purchase, emphasizing the transaction's permanence.