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Descent from the Cross
Joseph of Arimathea was a rich and respected member of the Sanhedrin. He was secretly a disciple of Christ's, and obtained permission from Pontius Pilate to remove Jesus from the cross after he had died. Joseph brought a linen sheet, and with Nicodemus, who brought myrrh and aloes to preserve the body, wrapped them around Christ's body. In the scene, found to the right of the Crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea takes the upper portion of Christ's body, Nicodemus the lower. Artists often show Joseph with pliers and nails in his hands. In this section |
