Garden of the Gods: The Garden of Burial and Resurrection

Only John of all the Gospel writers mentions that Jesus’ burial site was in a garden.

At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. (John 19:41, NIV)

It seems highly ironic that a garden where mankind was created would also be a place where the Son of Man, the Creator Himself made man, would be put to rest. It was a borrowed tomb, borrowed from Joseph of Arimathea, a pharisee who converted to following Jesus. Though other proofs that Jesus was dead were made, certainly his burial was one, also. It is part of the gospel presentation, that Jesus died. But it isn’t the only part of the gospel:

³ For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3,4, NIV)

The garden was also the place of resurrection. And one of Jesus’ disciples met him there.

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. ¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (John 20:11-16, NIV)

Have you met the resurrected Jesus? He is alive and ascended into heaven, but you can still meet him. He is, in a sense, the true Gardener, who is waiting to till the soil of your soul and plant the seed of salvation. He is Yahweh who will walk in the garden of your soul and have fellowship with you. He is the one who will make you a flourishing garden, a well-watered garden with spiritual fruit.