What You May Not Know About Joseph of Arimathea

Copyright 2020 by Joan Berry

We Christians are familiar with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and how Joseph of
Arimathea secured permission to have Him removed from the cross. With the Sabbath
approaching just a few hours away, Joseph and Nicodemus prepared Jesus for burial in a new
tomb crafted earlier for Joseph. Joseph is mentioned in all four gospels in the Bible and there is
much more to learn about him. This essay is compiled from the Gospels, ancient accounts that
are provable, references to letters and third-party accounts, and the Talmud.

Personal Data

Joseph was born in Arimathea 41 BCE (now Ramallah, Israel) and died 45 CE at age 86
at Glastonbury, England. He also was resident of de Marmore in Egypt probably due to his
trading business around the Mediterranean Sea, South America, and southern England where
there were rich mines of copper and tin. At that time England was the largest producer of tin
mining. Joseph was a very wealthy merchant whom the Romans designated as their Minister of
Mines.

Jesus, as a teenager and young man, sailed with his great-uncle on his merchant voyages
and that would account for those supposed lost years of our Lord. It was also recorded that
Joseph followed the teachings of the Essenes. If so, this would account for some scholars
believing that Jesus had leanings toward this sect. Members lived apart from their spouses and
raised others’ children to maintain their population. This, too, would account for Jesus being
under the tutorage of his great-uncle. There are accounts, at that time, of seeing Jesus in coastal
cities with his great-uncle, especially in southern England and India; all on trade routes.

Family relationship to Jesus

Joseph is the son of Matthat, son of Levi ben Melchi and Esthra/Estha; Joseph is the
husband of Anna bat Simon of Arimathea and Alyuba bat Ekeazar; Joseph is the brother of
Joachim, Heli ben Matat, and Bianca; He is the half-brother of JoAnna of Arimathea. His
stepmother is Rachel of Arimathea. Joseph is the younger brother of Joachim who was Mary’s,
the mother of Jesus, uncle and the great-uncle of Jesus.

Joseph and the Sanhedrin

Joseph is recorded as being an important person in the Sanhedrin with the position of
counselor and a voting member. He was careful to keep secret that he was a disciple of Jesus
because the synagogue leaders held a serious disapproval of Jesus. When he went to Pilate to
secure the body of Jesus, the elders and Romans
were furious with him and Nicodemus, a Pharisee who believed in resurrection. And aided in
getting the body of Jesus ready for burial. Normally, preparing a body for burial was left to the
family women. However, this was an emergency situation because the Sabbath was only a few
hours away. Joseph was family, and took on the responsibility. Most of the disciples had fled for
their lives and the women left could not get the task done in time.

The elders didn’t see it that way and arrested Joseph and imprisoned him. They tortured
Nicodemus and nearly beat him to death. His brother rescued him and kept him safe for the rest
of his life at his country estate. While Joseph was in prison, Jesus appeared to him as He walked
through the cell bars. According to this legend, Jesus told Joseph that because he had taken care
of His body, that now He would take care of Joseph’s. Jesus took his hand and together they
passed through the cell bars into freedom. Joseph fled to Arimathea. The legend continues by
relating that the guards found the cell vacant and the lock untouched. After reporting the incident
to the elders, the elders contacted Joseph to arrange a meeting. After listening to Joseph’s
testimony, they dropped the charges against him. However, that was an exception probably due
to Joseph’s influence and wealth.

The Escape by Sea

Several historical sources tell that about 37 CE and after Stephen was stoned to death on
order of the Sanhedrin, Joseph and the Apostle Phillip and a group of Jesus’ followers escaped
by sea by sailing from Phoenicia. They were fortunate because as they set sail, the Sanhedrin
ordered any followers arrested were to be loaded onto boats without sails and oars and set adrift
on the sea. Many were rescued or drifted to small islands.

Those who accompanied Joseph and Phillip used the event as their initial sea-borne
missionary journey. According to Maurus (CE 766-850), the followers were: Mary, Martha,
Lazarus, and the sisters’ maid, Marcella; Eutopus; Mary Salome (Jesus’ sister) and her maid,
Sara; Mary Cleopos; Saturnus; Mary Magdalene; Maximin, a young ruler; Martral; Traphimus
(or Restitus) and others.

The group sailed from the Levant in the Phoenician homeland. At that time Phoenicia
bordered Judea. The Phoenicians were masters of the seas and trading routes and had trading
posts around the entire Mediterranean Sea, and beyond to South America and British Isles
especially southern England. They established three main trading routes: the shores of the
northern sea; the shores of the southern sea; and a route running across the center of the sea to
trade with the islands. It was the center route that the group took to Gaul (France) and Marseilles.
It was there that Maximinus, Mary Magdalene and Lazarus parted from the group, while Phillip
scouted the area for missionary work.

Lazarus became the Bishop of Marseilles, and Maximinus traveled with Mary Magdalene
throughout southern France as escort and protector as they carried out missionary work.
Maximinus later became the Bishop of Aix-en-Provence. Mary died in 63CE at 72 years of age.
When she knew her time was near, she traveled to Aix where the bishop, her friend, took her
confession. Her remains reside in the Basilica of Mary Magdalene in Sainte- Maximinus-la-
Sainte-Baume. Other countries claim she died in them, but King Charles II found her grave site
and built a new tomb. Due to wars and looting, her remains were eventually moved to the
basilica with King Charles being informed of the move and why.

Glastonbury

From Marseilles, Josepha and Phillip and the remainder of the group sailed to southern
England turning east along the coast toward the English Channel and ran aground in the
Glastonbury marshes where Apostle Phillip sent Joseph ashore with twelve disciples. According
to a legend, that is mostly true, the group climbed a nearby hill to view the surrounding
countryside and being tired rested there. This place became known as “Wearyall Hill.” Joseph
declared the place as sacred and planted his walking staff that was crafted from Jesus’ crown of
thorns. The staff took root and a white thorn bush sprouted and grew. It is reported that this
species only naturally grows in the eastern Mediterranean area including Judea. It is also said
that the bush blooms twice a year – Easter and Christmas.

Joseph built an abbey (Vetresta Ecclesia) from mud wattle on the sacred site and decreed
that twelve monks should always reside there; this church was destroyed by fire in 1184. It was
the first Christian church built after Jesus’ resurrection. Joseph died in 45CE at age 86 and was
buried very near the abbey. Later, after the abbey was destroyed, his remains were moved to a
new grave in the chancel of Glastonbury-abbey where he is honored with an elegant tomb that
bears the following engraving:

HERE LIES THE BODY OF THAT MOST NOBLE DISCIPLE, RECORDED IN SCRIPTURE
BY THE NAME OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, AND NOTED BY THE FOUR
EVANGELISTS, ST. MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN, FOR HIS BEGGING THE
BODY OF OUR BLESSED SAVIOUR WHEN CRUCIFIED TO REDEEM LOST MEN
FROM ETERNAL DESTRUCTION, AND BURYING IT IN A TOMB OF HIS OWN
MAKING. HE DIED A.D. 45, AGED 86.

The Chalice

Another legend concerning Joseph is that he was in possession of the chalice (cup) from
the Last Supper, The legend reports that Joseph collected some of the blood and sweat from
Jesus’ side after it was pierced by the Roman soldier. According to the legend, he hid the cup at
the bottom of a deep well at Glastonbury. The well is called the Chalice Well or Blood Well. The
well water runs red due to its high iron content.

Apostle Phillip

There are no records regarding how or when Phillip and others aboard the grounded ship
continued their voyage by sea. It could be assumed that with Joseph’s influence in that mining
area, help would not be far away; however they did continue. Phillip became an important
missionary in Samaria and what is today Turkey. He preached mainly in Phrygia until he was
martyred in Hierapolis by hanging

Sources

Berry, J. (2019), Historical & Spiritual Views of the Seven Churches of Revelation & Other
Topics of Study.

Britanni. (n.d.) www.britannia/backs/history/abbey.html

Dumond, J. D. (2012). Joseph of Arimathea. www.sightedmoon-archives/josephofarimathea/

Gospel of Nicodemus. (n.d.).

Howell C. & Khler K. (n. d.) Jewish Encyclopedia.

Kraentzler E. F. (1978). History of Richard Plantagenet & Cecily de Neville.

Nag Hammadi Scriptures. (2007), New York, NY: HarperCollins.

New King James Study Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. (2018). Nashville TN. Thomas
Nelson Bibles/

Rabanus Maurus. (CE776-856). Copy of this text exists in Bodleian Library , Oxford University
UK

Talmud

Walker A. (Trans). (n.d.) Gospel of Nicodemus.