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◄ Burial: Tombs Erected Over►

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, the practice of burial was deeply significant, reflecting beliefs about death, the afterlife, and respect for the deceased. Tombs, often erected over burial sites, served as lasting memorials and places of honor for the departed. The construction and location of these tombs varied, influenced by cultural, social, and religious factors.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament provides numerous examples of tombs being erected over burial sites. The patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were buried in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham purchased as a family burial site (Genesis 23:19-20). This cave, located in Hebron, became a significant ancestral tomb, marking the importance of family lineage and heritage.

In2 Samuel 2:32, we read about the burial of Asahel, who was laid to rest in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. This indicates the practice of family tombs, where multiple generations were interred together, emphasizing familial bonds even in death.

New Testament Context

The New Testament also references tombs, particularly in the context of Jesus' burial. Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy disciple, provided his own new tomb for Jesus' burial (Matthew 27:59-60). This tomb, hewn out of rock, was located in a garden near the crucifixion site, fulfilling the prophecy ofIsaiah 53:9, which states, "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death."

The Gospels describe the tomb as being sealed with a large stone and guarded by Roman soldiers, highlighting the significance and security of such burial sites (Matthew 27:66). The resurrection of Jesus from this tomb is a cornerstone of Christian faith, symbolizing victory over death and the promise of eternal life.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Tombs in biblical times were often marked by stone monuments or structures, serving as visible reminders of the deceased. These tombs varied in complexity, from simple rock-cut graves to elaborate family mausoleums. The construction of a tomb was a reflection of the deceased's social status and the family's wealth.

The practice of erecting tombs over burial sites also had religious implications. It demonstrated a belief in the afterlife and the hope of resurrection. The care taken in preparing and maintaining these tombs reflected a deep respect for the dead and an acknowledgment of their ongoing presence within the community.

Symbolism and Legacy

Tombs served not only as burial places but also as symbols of legacy and remembrance. They were often located in prominent places, such as near city gates or along main roads, ensuring that the memory of the deceased would endure. The tombs of prophets and patriarchs became sites of pilgrimage and veneration, as seen in the continued reverence for the tomb of Rachel near Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19-20).

In summary, the erection of tombs over burial sites in biblical times was a practice rich in cultural, social, and religious meaning. These tombs served as enduring monuments to the deceased, reflecting beliefs about death, the afterlife, and the importance of family and community.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 23:27-29
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like to white washed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

2 Cor. xii. 1
... in many wars and battles he conquered, anderected trophies... For if here it is so
in theburial [of each... For far greater reverence is paid to thesetombs than to...

ImperialTombs.
... death of Nero."His place ofburial."Ecloge, his... Peter's as imperialtombs."Discoveries
made in them in... many miles of new channels,erected eight hundred...

PapalTombs.
... Thesetombs contain their remains, but their souls are in... obeyed the rule which forbade
burial within the... the royal catechumen, which waserected and inscribed...

Christian Churches.
... of the second bishop of Rome,[76] the fact of hisburial in this... of a booty; they
may have profaned churches and oratorieserected over thetombs of martyrs...

Index.
... 288; his liberality and public spirit, 289; the buildingserected in memory... 42; their
tombs decorated with flowers, 49; theirburial andtombs, 119; scene...

Christian Cemeteries.
... visits were to the basilicaserected over the catacombs... 158] These concessions refer
toburial-plots above... which guaranteed the inviolability of privatetombs....

The Death and the Raising of Lazarus - the Question of Miracles...
... The mourning, which began before theburial, [4848] had... caves, between Jewish and
Phoeniciantombs, see Conder... the second refers to a monumenterected by Herod...

Travel. A Personal Experience.
... Busts of Robespierre, Voltaire, and Rosseau wereerected.... to visiting her halls,
and chapels, andtombs, I think I... A church for the living, aburial-place for...

Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England
... being ready to engage against the barbarians,erected, a certain... a blind woman, praying
in theburial-place of... of our Lord's Ascension, and thetombs of the...

Egypt
... in battle, and that his sepulchre waserected near the... were entombed at Abydos, The
mode ofburial was the same... The objects found in thetombs of Menes and his...