Category:Joseph of Arimathea (subject)

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Joseph of Arimathea was, according to Christian tradition, a wealthy sympathizer of Jesus of Nazareth, who provided for his burial after his crucifixion.

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Overview

In the gospel narratives, Joseph of Arimathea is introduced as "a respected member of the council," a rich man, a disciple of Jesus, though in secret. After the crucifixion it was him who asked Pilate permission to bury Jesus. According to the Gospel of John, he did it with the assistance of Nicodemus.

Joseph of Arimathea is mentioned only in Christian sources. A 9th-century legend (The Life of Mary Magdalene by Rabanus Maurus) connected Joseph of Arimathea with Lazarus and his sisters, Mary Magdalene, and other early Christian figures, and make them the first missionaries to France and England.

Joseph of Arimathea in ancient sources

Gospel of Mark

Mark 15:43 -- Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the Kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 27:53 -- A rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.

Gospel of Luke

Luke 25:50 -- Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man...

Gospel of John

John 19:38-42 -- [38] ...Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus... [39] Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. [40] They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. [41] Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. [42] And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Joseph of Arimathea, in the performing arts

Year	Performer	Film/play/opera	Notes
1935	Golgotha / Ecce Homo (Behold the Man / 1935 Duvivier), feature film
1939	Brian Oulton (1908–1992), British actor	Caesar's Friend (1939 BBC), TV film	Produced and broadcast in the United Kingdom.
1942	Humberto Rodríguez (1916–1966), Mexican actor	Jesús de Nazareth (Jesus of Nazareth / 1942 Díaz Morales), feature film	Produced and released in Mexico.
1946		María Magdalena, pecadora de Magdala (Mary Magdalene, Sinner of Magdala / 1946 Contreras-Torres), feature film
1947	John Harvey (1911–1982), British actor	Caesar's Friend (1947 BBC), TV film	Produced and broadcast in the United Kingdom.
1948	Good Friday (1948 BBC), TV film
1951	The Living Christ Series (1951 Coyle), film
1951	Family Theatre: Hill Number One (1951 Pierson), TV episode
1952	El mártir del Calvario (The Martyr of Calvary / 1952 Morayta-Martinez), feature film
1952	Studio One: Pontius Pilate (1952 Schaffner), TV episode
1953	Encounter: The Vigil (1953), TV episode
1953	O Mártir do Calvário (The Martyr of the Calvary / 1953 Celestino, Gallon, Gherardi), TV film
1953	Barabbas (1953 Sjöbert), feature film
1954	BBC Sunday-Night Theatre: Caesar's Friend (1954 Amyes), TV episode
1954	The Silver Chalice (1954 Saville), feature film
1958	The Power of the Resurrection (1958 Schuster), film
1961	About Religion: Inquest at Golgotha (1961 ATV), TV episode
1961	Barabbas (1961 Fleischer), feature film
1961	King of Kings (1961 Ray), feature film
1962	Ponzio Pilato (Pontius Pilate / 1962 Callegari, Rapper), feature film
1964	Il vangelo secondo Matteo (The Gospel According to St. Matthew / 1964 Pasolini), feature film
1965	The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965 Stevens), film
1966	Dawn of Victory (1966), film
1970	Der Mann am Strick (The Man on the Rope / 1970 Deickert), TV film
1970	Hallmark Hall of Fame: Neither Are We Enemies (1970 Pressman), TV episode
1972	Les témoins (Witnesses / 1972 Wyn), TV film
1977	Gesù di Nazareth / Jesus of Nazareth (1977 Zeffirelli), TV mini-series
1979	In Search of Historic Jesus (1979 Schellerup), documentary
1980	The Day Christ Died (1980 Cellan-Jones), TV film
1987	Secondo Ponzio Pilato (According to Pontius Pilate / 1987 Magni), feature film
2003	The Gospel of John (2003 Saville), feature film
2004	The Passion of the Christ (2004 Gibson), feature film
2006	Matthäuspassion (2006 Blank), film
2006	Unlocking Ancient Secrets of the Bible (2006 Bouson), documentary
2006	Color of the Cross (2006 LaMarre), feature film
2007	Secrets of the Shroud (2007 Grieg), documentary
2008	Wes Martens, actor	Color of the Cross 2: Resurrection (2008 LaMarre), feature film	Produced and released in the United States.
2008	David Oyelow (b.1976), African-British actor	The Passion (2008 Offer), TV mini-series	Produced and broadcast in the United Kingdom.
2010	The Tear (2010 Billups), film
2014	Noureddine Aberdine, actor	Son of God (2014 Spencer), feature film	Produced and broadcast in the United States.
2015	Kevin Doyle (b.1961), British actor	A.D.: The Bible Continues (2015 Downey, Burnett), TV series	Produced and broadcast in the United States. Joseph of Arimathea appears in 6 of the 12 episodes of the series.
2015	Joseph Long, actor	Killing Jesus (2015 Menaul), TV mini-series	Produced and broadcast in the United States.
2016	Antonio Gil, actor	Risen (2016 Reynolds), feature film