Luke 23:55

23:55-56 The women took special note of the tomb’s location because they would return with spices and ointments to anoint his body. The spices were to mask the stench of a rotting corpse. A body would be placed on a stone bench in the side of the tomb until the flesh decomposed. The bones would then be collected and placed in a small ossuary, or bone box, and placed on a shelf in the tomb. In this way, a tomb could be used for many family members over an extended period of time.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 23:55. Ἐθεάσαντο, looked at [beheld]) so as that with the greater ease they might anoint Him the day but one following (on the day after the morrow).—τὸ μνημεῖον, the sepulchre) Luk 23:53.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 23:55 . αἵτινες : possibly = αἵ , but possibly meant to suggest the idea of distinction: Galilean women, and such in character as you would expect them to be: leal-hearted, passionately devoted to their dead Friend. ἀρώματα , spices, dry. μύρα , ointments, liquid.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 55, 56. The embalming of Jesus having been done in haste, the women proposed to complete it. This same evening, therefore, they prepared the odoriferous herbs (ἀρώματα) and the perfumed oils (μύρα) necessary for the purpose; and the hour of the Sabbath being come, they rested.

Once more, what would be the meaning of this conduct if that very day had been Sabbatic, the 15th Nisan? Evidently it was yet the 14th; and the 15th, which was about to begin, was at once the weekly Sabbath and the first Passover day, and so invested with double sacredness, as John remarks (Luk 19:31).

Mark says, somewhat differently (Luk 16:1), that they made their preparations when the Sabbath was past, that is to say, on the morrow in the evening. No doubt they had not been able to finish them completely on the Friday before 6 o’clock afternoon.

The καί of the T. R. before γυναῖκες, Luk 23:55, is evidently a corruption of αἱ.

It has been asked how, if Jesus predicted His resurrection, the women could have prepared to embalm His body. But we have seen the answer in the case of the converted thief: they expected a glorious reappearance of Jesus from heaven after His death, but not the reviving of His body laid in the tomb.

A feeling of pious and humble fidelity is expressed in the conduct of the women, as it is described by Luke in the touching words: “And they rested according to the commandment.” It was the last Sabbath of the old covenant. It was scrupulously respected.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Christ, being set upon by the devil and all his instruments, and being even, in death’s mouth, setteth weak women in his foreward, minding straightways to triumph over those terrible enemies without any great endeavor.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 55. The women also, which came] These were Mary of Magdala, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, Lu 24:10. To these three, Mark, in Mr 16:1, adds, Salome; but some think that this was only a surname of one of these Marys.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(55) And the women also.—Here again we come upon traces of St. Luke’s informants. The other Gospels speak of one or two by name. He knows that others belonging to the company of women who came with Jesus from Galilee (note the recurrence of the same description as in Luk_23:49) had taken part in the work. They had stood within view of the cross. They saw the body taken down. They followed (it was not far) to the garden owned by Nicodemus.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

55. the women also] The two other Synoptists mention specially Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of James and Joses.

followed after] Literally, “following closely.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

Ver. 55. See Mat 27:61.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See Poole on "Mat 27:61". It is Beza’s observation upon these verses, that Christ, being opposed by the devil and all his instruments, being now dead, leaveth two or three poor women, as it were, in the front of the battle, intending within a very short time, without much ado, to triumph over all these terrible adversaries.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 55. 56. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. The real process of embalming, the women who were of the company of Jesus the Maries, Salome, and others proposed to undertake as soon as the sabbath was passed, that is, on the first day of the coming week the Sunday. How little even his nearest and dearest friends dreamed of a resurrection of the body! It seems probable that they expected, at least some of them, a glorious reappearance of Jesus, but when, but how, they had evidently formed no definite conception. None, however, seemed to have thought of the bodily resurrection which took place on the first day of the week- on that Sunday morning. St. Matthew (Mat_27:62-66) relates how, after the entombment, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate and asked that the sepulchre might, "until the third day," be made sure; and how the Roman governor bade them take such precautions as seemed good to them. These his bitter opponents were more clear-sighted than his friends. They had some dim fears of something which might still follow, while his disciples, in their hopeless sorrow, thought nil was over. And rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. "It was the last sabbath of the old covenant. It was scrupulously respected" (Godet).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

55. κατακολουθήσασαι. Literally, “following closely.”

γυναῖκες. The two other Synoptists mention specially Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of James and Joses.

αἵτινες. Needlessly precise for αἵ as often in later Greek.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

55.] Only Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses (‘the other Mary,’ Matt.),—Mark.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

55. Κατακουθήσασαι. In N. T. here and Act 16:17 only: in LXX Jer 17:16; Jer_1 Est 7:1; Judith 11:6; Dan 9:10; Dan_1 Mac. 6:23. Their following from the Crucifixion (ver. 49) to Joseph’s garden is meant, and the κατα- does not mean “down into the grave” but “after Joseph and his assistants.” Syr-Sin. and Syr-Cur.. have “And the women, who came with Him from Galilee, went to the sepulchre in their footsteps, and saw the body when they [had] brought it in there.” The fact of the women beholding the tomb in which the body was laid is in all three Synoptic Gospels. It is part of the evidence for the Resurrection.

For αἰ γυναῖκες (B L P X, Boh Sab.) D 29, a b e ff2 q r have δύο γυναῖκες while TR. follows certain cursives in reading καὶ γυναῖκες. א A C Γ etc. have γυναῖκες without αἰ or δύο or καί, and this Tisch. adopts.

ὡς ἐτέθη. We Might have expected πῶς comp. 6:4, 8:47, 24:35.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.