And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council and he was a good man, and just:
All Commentaries on Luke 23:50 Go To Luke 23
Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
Now mystically, the just man buries the body of Christ. For the burial of Christis such as to have no guile or wickedness in it. But rightly did Matthew call the man rich, orby carrying Him that was rich he knew not the poverty of faith. The just man covers the body of Christ with linen. Do you also clothe the body of Christ with His own glory, that you maybe yourself just. And if you believe it to be dead, still cover it with the fullness of His own divinity. But the Church also is clothed with the grace of innocence.
Nor without meaning has one Evangelist spoken of a new tomb, another of the tomb of Joseph. For the grave is prepared by those who are under the law of death; the Conqueror of death has no grave of His own. For what fellowship has God with the grave. Heal one is enclosed in this tomb, because the death of Christ, although it was common according to the nature of the body, yet was it peculiar in respect of power. But Christ is rightly buried in the tomb of the just, that He may rest in the habitation of justice. For this monument the just man hews out with the piercing word in the hearts of Gentile hardness, that the power of Christ might extend over the nations. And very rightly is there a stone rolled against the tomb; for whoever has in himself truly buried Christ, must diligently guard, lest helose Him, or lest there be an entrance for unbelief.
