photo © Joe Walker 2009
There are a few examples of rolling stone tombs still to be found in Israel. This one in particular is found in Nazareth, and it comes with an unusual story. Although, to be fair, most things in this part of the world come with an unusual story. It seems that when the owners of this site were first purchasing land for expansion many years ago, the local Muslim landowner wanted a fairly steep price. The land was, according to local legend, the "home of the righteous man." The land was bought, and some time later, while doing work on the property, a first century house and road were uncovered, along with this first century tomb. You can get a sense of what scripture means when it refers to rolling away the stone. The location of this particular tomb is in Nazareth, and local speculation (nothing proven, except piety) ties in with Saint Joseph, whom the Gospel describes as being "a righteous man"...
Mark 15.45-16.8
When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’
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