According to the Roman custom, the corpse of Jesus ought to have remained suspended in order to become the prey of birds.[1] According to the Jewish law, it would have been removed in the evening, and deposited in the place of infamy set apart for the burial of those who were executed.[2] If Jesus had had for disciples only his poor Galileans, timid and without influence, the latter course would have been adopted. But we have seen that, in spite of his small success at Jerusalem, Jesus had gained the sympathy of some important persons who expected the kingdom of God, and who, without confessing themselves his disciples, were strongly attached to him. One of these persons, Joseph, of the small town of Arimathea (_Ha-ramathaim_[3]), went in the evening to ask the body from the procurator.[4] Joseph was a rich and honorable man, a member of the Sanhedrim. The Roman law, at this period, commanded, moreover, that the body of the person executed should be delivered to those who claimed it.[5] Pilate, who was ignorant of the circumstance of the _crurifragium_, was astonished that Jesus was so soon dead, and summoned the centurion who had superintended the execution, in order to know how this was. Pilate, after having received the assurances of the centurion, granted to Joseph the object of his request. The body probably had already been removed from the cross. They delivered it to Joseph, that he might do with it as he pleased. [Footnote 1: Horace, _Epistles_, I. xvi. 48; Juvenal, xiv. 77; Lucan., vii. 544; Plautus, _Miles glor._, II. iv. 19; Artemidorus, _Onir._, ii. 53; Pliny, xxxvi. 24; Plutarch, _Life of Cleomenes_, 39; Petronius, _Sat._, cxi.-cxii.] [Footnote 2: Mishnah, _Sanhedrim_, vi. 5.] [Footnote 3: Probably identical with the ancient Rama of Samuel, in the tribe of Ephraim.] [Footnote 4: Matt. xxvii. 57, and following; Mark xv. 42, and following; Luke xxiii. 50, and following; John xix. 38, and following.] [Footnote 5: Dig. XLVIII. xxiv., _De cadaveribus puntorum_.] Another secret friend, Nicodemus,[1] whom we have already seen employing his influence more than once in favor of Jesus, came forward at this moment. He arrived, bearing ample provision of the materials necessary for embalming. Joseph and Nicodemus interred Jesus according to the Jewish custom--that is to say, they wrapped him in a sheet with myrrh and aloes. The Galilean women were present,[2] and no doubt accompanied the scene with piercing cries and tears. [Footnote 1: John xix. 39, and following.] [Footnote 2: Matt. xxvii. 61; Mark xv. 47; Luke xxiii. 55.]