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. (Mark 15: 46-47)

Most scholars identify this "Mary the mother of Joses", as the wife of Cleophas, an aunt of Jesus, the sister-in-law of Mary the mother of Jesus. But the gospel accounts do not all agree and it is easy to confuse one Mary with another, there are so many. If this is the wife of Cleophas, it is her first appearance in the gospels.

The Gospel of John adds, "Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing a hundred pounds." (John 19:39) Nicodemus appears three times in the Gospel of John. He was a wealthy Pharisee who had sought out Jesus in secret. Some associate him with Nicodemus ben Gurion, a teacher and leader mentioned in the Talmud and other near-contemporary sources.

There must have been others involved. It would have been a difficult job to remove the nails, bring the body off the cross, and carry it to a tomb. Jesus had died at three. Even if Joseph of Arimathea had received Pilate's permission as early as four, that left barely three hours to sundown. Strong arms and careful hands would have been needed to avoid further violence to the body.

None of the twelve are present. Tradition has them all in hiding. At his death Jesus depended on the courage of two surprisingly prominent men, two women of uncertain relationship, and some others absolutely unknown. There is no in-group, the twelve patriarchs of the church are all out of sight. There is no out-group, wealthy Jews, women, and - probably - slaves are the ones left to care for Jesus.

Mark is thought to be re-telling what Peter told him thirty years later. If so, we can perceive in these details Peter's mature self-criticism. We might also perceive the need and opportunity for all to serve. The cause of Jesus often depends on the courage and compassion of those on the periphery. We are often surprised by those who unexpectedly step forward to embrace and advance God's will.

Above is a detailed close-up of a portion of a linen cloth known as the Shroud of Turin.