The Garden Tomb

"After this 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 leave. So he came and took away His body. Nicodemus also, who had at first come to Him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight. 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 where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there." (John 19:38-42 RSV)

The Garden Tomb

The Garden Tomb is one of the two strongest possibilities for the burial place of Jesus Christ after He was crucified at Calvary (see How Did Jesus Christ Die?). It was discovered by Christian Gordon in 1881.

The interior of the tomb measures 14 feet / 4.3 meters wide, 10 feet / 3.0 meters deep and 7½ feet / 2.3 meters high. Only one of the two graves inside appear to have been used, yet it does not appear as though the body had been left there for very long - there are no bones or other signs of natural decomposition.

The interior meets all of the requirements for the account in The Bible - there is room for Peter and John to enter (John 20:3-9), and a place for the two angels to sit when they spoke with Mary of Magdala (John 20:10-18).

Fact Finder: What was the only sign that Jesus Christ said would prove that He was the Messiah?
Matthew 12:38-40

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