Mark 15:43

Joseph of Arimathæa i. e. either of Rama in Benjamin (Matthew 2:18) or Ramathaim in Ephraim (1 Samuel 1:1). Probably the latter. The place is called in the LXX. "Armathaim," and by Josephus "Armathia." Joseph was a man of wealth (Matthew 27:57), a member of the Sanhedrim (Luke 23:50), and a secret disciple of Jesus (John 19:38), who had not consented to the resolution of the rest to put Him to death (Luke 23:51).

waited for the kingdom like Simeon (Luke 2:25) and Anna (Luke 2:38).

went in boldly He is no longer a secret disciple. He casts away all fear. The Cross transfigures cowards into heroes. "It was no light matter Joseph had undertaken: for to take part in a burial, at any time, would defile him for seven days, and make everything unclean which he touched (Numbers 19:11; Haggai 2:13); and to do so now involved his seclusion through the whole Passover week with all its holy observances and rejoicings." Geikie, ii. 576.

craved the body of Jesus It was not the Roman custom to remove the bodies of the crucified from the cross. Instead of shortening their agonies the Roman law left them to die a lingering death, and suffered their bodies to moulder under the action of sun and rain (comp. Cic. Tusc. Quæst. i. 43, "Theodori nihil interest humine an sublimeputrescat"), or be devoured by wild beasts (comp. Hor. Epist. xvi. 48, "Non hominem occidi: non pasces in cruce corvos"). The more merciful Jewish Law, however, did not allow such barbarities, and the Roman rulers had made an express exception in their favour. In accordance, therefore, with the request of the Jewish authorities, the legs of the malefactors had been broken to put them out of their misery (John 19:31), but our Lord was found to be dead already(John 19:33), and the soldier had pierced His side with a spear, the point of which was a handbreadth in width, thus causing a wound which would of itself have been sufficient to cause death, whereupon there had issued forth blood and water (John 19:34). Thus the Holy Body was now ready for its entombment.