Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly Because he durst not openly profess his faith in him; for fear of the Jews And their rulers, who were so strongly prejudiced against him. This man, acknowledging Christ even when his chosen disciples forsook him, besought Pilate that he might take away the body To preserve it from future insults, and to bury it in a decent and respectful manner. And Pilate gave him leave As soon as he was assured by the centurion who guarded the execution that Jesus was actually dead. He came, therefore Being thus authorized by Pilate; and took the body of Jesus That is, took it down from the cross, with proper assistance. And there came also Nicodemus Another member of the sanhedrim, of whom repeated mention has been made in the preceding narrative; who at the first At the beginning of Christ's public ministry; came to Jesus by night See John 3:1-2; and being now grown more courageous than before, and to testify his great regard for Jesus, he brought with him a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight According to Josephus, great quantities of spices were wont to be used by the Jews for embalming a dead body, when they intended to show marks of respect to the deceased. Eighty pounds of spices were used at the funeral of Gamaliel the elder. See notes on Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:42-46.
Related Commentaries of John 19:38
John 19:38-39
38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.