Joseph of Arimathea:

Biblical & Legendary Accounts

Written by Robert Jones

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Acworth, Georgia

Copyright 1997 by Robert C. Jones

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"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW
INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by
permission of Zondervan Publishing House."

Sources

Joseph of Arimathea is one of the more mysterious figures in the New Testament. He is mentioned briefly, by all four of the evangelists, and yet we glean little about him from the Gospel accounts.

Yet, while little is written about Joseph in the Gospels themselves, he was a popular figure in both apocryphal (non-canonical ) accounts ("Gospel of Nicodemus", "The Narrative of Joseph"), and in numerous medieval Arthurian epics, including Mallory's "Le Morte D'Arthur", and Robert de Boron's "Joseph d'Arimathie".

In legend, Joseph is a quite remarkable figure - his exploits (in various accounts) include:

• Founder of the first Christian Church in England

• Keeper of the Holy Grail, the Cup from the Last Supper of Christ

• Uncle of Mary, Mother of Jesus

• Merchant involved in the tin trade between the West coast of England, and the Mediterranean - took the boy Jesus to Cornwall and/or Somerset in England sometime between the ages of 12 and 30

• Ancestor of Sir Lancelot & Sir Galahad of Arthurian fame

This booklet will examine the life of Joseph from canonical, non-canonical (apocryphal), and legendary sources. No claims are made as to the authenticity of the latter two, but the mere fact of their existence adds to the mystery of Joseph of Arimathea.

Joseph of Arimathea is mentioned by all four evangelists, in generally consistent accounts. Bible commentator Dwight Moody notes:

By drawing on all four accounts, we can at least discern some basic characteristics regarding Joseph. The key passages are listed below:

As can be seen from the canonical texts, little detail is given regarding Joseph of Arimathea, other than details of his involvement in the burial of Christ. No occupation is given (although we are told that he was a "rich man"), nor is his age or personal description revealed (although Joseph of Arimathea is often depicted as an elderly man by the time of the crucifixion). Even his place of origin is obscure - although the Gospels identify that he was from the "Judean town of Arimathea", there was no town of that exact name at the time of Jesus' earthly life. Many scholars identify Arimathea with the town of "Ramathaim", mentioned in 1 Sam 1:1. Other scholars view that the modern city of Rentis (located about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem) is the ancient Arimathea. However, the reference to "Arimathea" remains obscure.

The table below shows the main characteristics regarding Joseph of Arimathea that can be gleaned from the Gospel accounts.

The most detailed canonical descriptions regarding Joseph have to do with his involvement in the burial of Christ. The table below captures the highlights of this involvement.

Through the ages, a theological debate has raged regarding whether Joseph of Arimathea was a coward, or saint. On the coward side, critics point out that Joseph, while being a disciple of Jesus, was afraid to announce so publicly "because he feared the Jews" (John 19:38). It appears to be just another case of a rich member of a ruling elite who is afraid to proclaim potentially socially unacceptable viewpoints, for fear of disturbing the status quo.

The alternate view of Joseph seems to have a stronger backing. While Joseph may not have revealed his discipleship of Jesus during the earthly ministry of the Savior, two acts would seem to strongly put him in the category of "defender of the faith":

The Roman Catholic Church eventually made Joseph the Patron Saint of Undertakers. His feast day is March 17.

There are at least three non-canonical (apocryphal) references to Joseph of Arimathea which give additional (although not contradictory) information regarding Joseph's actions after the death and resurrection of Christ. Keep in mind that the early church father's did not consider these three sources to be authoritative enough to be included in the New Testament. On the other hand, they were not condemned by the early church fathers, either (they were not Gnostic texts, for example).

Few scholars today view that this account was really written (or inspired) by Joseph's Sanhedrin colleague Nicodemus - some scholars would date it as late as the third century. (Gregory of Tours, writing in the 6th century, references this gospel). It is the major source of early, non-canonical information regarding Joseph of Arimathea.

A summary of the references to Joseph in the Gospel of Nicodemus follows, with certain key passages printed verbatim.

As mentioned before, the account of Joseph in the Gospel of Nicodemus is certainly not canonical, but it is (at least) plausible.

Another apocryphal account of Joseph's interaction in the passion story appears in the "Narrative of Joseph". In basic outline, the story told in "The Narrative of Joseph" coincides with the account in "The Gospel of Nicodemus", with some interesting additions. The account starts with the words:

The narrative then goes on to discuss the fate of the two robbers that were crucified with Jesus on Golgotha. Joseph refers to them as Gestas and Demas. It also gives an alternative version of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas (identified as the son of the brother of Caiaphas), and the trial of Jesus. Also:

• The description of the arrest and imprisonment of Joseph by the Jewish elders is told. As in the Gospel of Nicodemus, Joseph receives a visit in the jail cell from Christ, who saves him from the prison. The saved robber (Demas) is with Jesus.

• Joseph spends three days with Jesus in Galilee

The narrative ends with the words:

A third non-canonical source, entitled "The Passing of Mary" is also attributed to Joseph. Joseph appears as an attendant of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and is present at her ascension (which is described in great detail). Joseph is not identified as the author until the last paragraph:

While Joseph of Arimathea is a fairly minor character in the canonical Gospels (and even in the non-canonical sources), he achieves superstar status in later legendary accounts, most which date to the Middle Ages. In Medieval legend, Joseph is, variously, the founder of the first Christian Church in England, the keeper of the Holy Grail, the uncle of Mary Mother of Jesus, and the ancestor of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Galahad. No Biblical figure (other than Christ) equaled the amount of popular press attention given to Joseph of Arimathea during the Middle Ages. A look at the primary legends follows.

The most enduring legend regarding Joseph of Arimathea regards his foundation of the first Christian Church in England at Glastonbury, in the first century (37 A.D. or 63 A.D., depending on the source). The traditional view of the Christianization of England is that it didn't occur until the missionary efforts of St. Augustine late in the 6th century (other legends discuss a missionary journey to England in the 2nd-century, by Faganus and Deruvianus).

The distinction between the Arimathean legend and the traditional Augustine view is a significant one - if Joseph really did bring Christianity to England as early as 37 A.D., it means that Christianity in England predates Christianity in other Western European nations such as Spain and France - and may even pre-date the establishment of Christianity in Rome itself. Thus, the claims of the papacy to be descended from the first apostolic church could be called into question.

There are two basic types of sources concerning the legends connecting Joseph of Arimathea to England in general, and Glastonbury specifically - histories, and Medieval (and later) literature. We'll examine entries from both types of sources in this discussion.

The basic legend regarding Joseph of Arimathea, and the establishment of the first Christian Church in Glastonbury, Somerset, England goes something like this:

• In the year 63 A.D. (or, possibly, earlier) Joseph is sent by the Apostle Philip from Gaul to England, with 11 (or 12, in some accounts) disciples, one of whom is his son Josephes

• Joseph lands in the British west country (Somerset), and is granted some land on the Island of Yniswitrin ("Isle of Glass") by a local King, Arviragus

• He places his staff in the ground on Weary-All hill, and a hawthorn bush (the "Holy Thorn") grows on the spot

• Joseph & his followers create an ascetic community

• At the bidding of the archangel Gabriel, they build a church of daub and wattle in honor of the Blessed Mary, 31 years after the resurrection of Christ. The church is built on the site that will later become the great Benedictine monastery of Glastonbury (Glastonbury Abbey is also associated with being the burial place of King Arthur).

"We need not believe that the Glastonbury legends are records of facts; but the existence of those legends is a very great fact." - E.A. Freeman ("Avalonian Quest", p. 131)

So, is there any historical evidence to back up the aforementioned legends? There is, but much of it is disputed.

First, is there any early evidence that Britain was evangelized in the Gospel of Jesus Christ as early as the first century? Various Early Church Fathers are quoted to make this claim, including Irenaeus (c. 125 - 189 A.D.), Eusebius (260 - 340 A.D.), St. Hilary of Pottiers (300 - 367 A.D.), and Origin (185 - 254 A.D.). One reference that seems especially relevant is by Tertullian (155 - 222 A.D.):

The above passage would seem to clearly indicate that Britain had been "subjugated to Christ" long before the papal mission of St. Augustine in 597 A.D. (one of the traditional dates for the foundation of Christianity in Britain).

An early British reference to the possibility of 1st century Christianization of Britain comes from a 6th century monk/historian named Gildas the Wise (500? - 572? A.D.), who reportedly spent some years at Glastonbury Abbey:

As Tiberius Caesar died in 37 A.D., this reference places Christianity in Britain even before the typical 63 A.D. date assigned in the Arimathean legends!

So where does Joseph come into the picture? There may be a reference as early as the 6th century, from a "bard" named Melkin (or, variously, Melchinus or Maelgwn). If a source document of this reference existed, it would provide strong evidence linking Joseph to England. Alas, the first existing reference to the Melkin document is in a 14th century document written by monk John of Glastonbury. Here are the relevant parts of Melkin's "Historia de Rebus Brittannicis". Note that Avalon is traditionally connected with Glastonbury:

"Avalon's island...
Amid there Joseph in marble,
Of Arimathea by name,
Hath found perpetual sleep:
He lies in a two-forked [bifurcated] line
Next the south corner of an oratory
Fashioned of wattles
For the adorning of a mighty virgin
By the aforementioned sphere-betokened
Dwellers in that place, thirteen in all.
For Joseph hath with him
In his sarcophagus
Two cruets, white and silver,
Filled with blood and sweat
Of the prophet Jesus." (Matthews, p. 67/68)

If we can be comfortable that this document actually existed (and wasn't a literary creation of John of Glastonbury), it establishes several key points, from a 6th-century source:

• Joseph came to Avalon (Glastonbury) with 12 followers

• An oratory made of wattles was created, and was dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus

• Joseph had with him two cruets, "filled with blood and sweat of the prophet Jesus"

The legend assumes more form by the 12th century writings of historian William of Malmesbury (c. 1095 - 1143 A.D.), who, in two books, wrote much of the history of Glastonbury Abbey. In his "Gesta Regum Anglorum" ("Acts of the Kings of the English"), William comments about the "Old Church" in Glastonbury:

While William stops short of linking the "Old Church" with Joseph of Arimathea, or even the first century, he does verify its antiquity, and the fact that the original church was built of wattle. William goes on to suggest that the Old Church was built in the second century by papal envoys Faganus and Deruvianus, but adds the following comment:

In the above passage, the possibility of 1st century erection of the Old Church by the "disciples of Christ" is mentioned, as well as the possibility that the Apostle Philip sent missionaries from Gaul.

William of Malmesbury came to the great Medieval Abbey of Glastonbury early in the 12th century to research his books "The Acts of the Kings of the English", and "The Antiquity of the Church at Glastonbury"

Several years after William wrote "The Acts of the Kings of the English", he wrote a second book which was dedicated to telling the history of Glastonbury Abbey. The book was called "De Antiquitate Glastoniensis Ecclesiae" ("The Antiquity of the Church at Glastonbury"), and here is yet another blazing controversy - the earliest extant copy of this document (written c. 1130) dates to approximately 1240 A.D. The passages below, which give the first detailed history of Joseph and the establishment of the church at Glastonbury, were added as an introductory chapter written in another hand. So, this is either the definitive history of Joseph of Arimathea in the British Isles, written by the prominent and respected historian William of Malmesbury, or a later interpolation by an unknown author!

As can be seen, most of the basic legend of Joseph in the British Isles is contained in this (possibly interpolated) passage from "De Antiquitate Glastoniensis Ecclesiae". Only the legend of the Grail (see next section), and the Glastonbury Holy Thorn is missing.

The next major chronicler of the Joseph legends was 14th century monk John (Seen) of Glastonbury, who seemingly gathered all of the extant sources regarding Joseph of Arimathea's connection to his Abbey, and published them in one book, entitled "Cronica sive Antiquitates Glastoniensis Ecclesie" ("Chronicle of the Antiquities of the Church of Glastonbury"). A sample:

It was John, you'll recall, that published the 6th century Melkin poem that mentions the two cruets filled with the blood and sweat of Christ. The Grail has not yet made its way into the story.

The last part of the basic legend (sans the Grail, which deserves its own section) regards a hawthorn bush which grows in Glastonbury, now called the Holy Thorn. The bush (or tree, really) has the interesting property of blooming twice a year - in May, and at Christmas time! The type of thorn ("crataegus oxyacantha praecox"), seems to be native to Syria. Like many other things in Glastonbury, the tree is an unexplained anomaly.

The Holy Thorn isn't connected to the Joseph legend until the publishing of a 1520 anonymous poem (published by Richard Pynson, the royal printer), entitled "The Lyfe of Joseph of Armathia". While the poem discusses the hawthorn and its properties, the story of it growing from Joseph's staff is missing. (Note: this poem also refers to Joseph bringing two cruets with him, containing the blood of Christ - "Thys blode in two cruettes/Joseph dyd take". No Cup from the Last Supper, yet).

In 1677, a Dr. Plot refers to the thorn, and ascribes its planting to Joseph of Arimathea. Finally, in 1716, the full story of Joseph placing his staff on a hill at Glastonbury ("Wirral Hill", because Joseph and his companions were "Weary-All"), and having the thorn grow on the spot is published.

The original thorn was destroyed by Puritan fanatics during the English Civil War, but cuttings from the original have grown into trees in both Glastonbury, and other parts of England. And they continue to bloom at approximately Christmas each year.

One of the surviving cuttings from the original Holy Thorn - at Glastonbury Abbey

The claim of England as the first Christianized Western country was taken quite seriously in the middle ages. The claim was advanced at four church councils: the Council of Pisa (1409), Constance (1417), Sienna (1424) and Basle (1434). Glastonbury was known as "Roma Secunda" in some circles during the Middle Ages.

Queen Elizabeth II, in 1965, erected a wooden cross at Glastonbury with the following inscription:

"The cross. The symbol of our faith. The gift of Queen Elizabeth II marks a Christian sanctuary so ancient that only legend can record its origin."

Perhaps the most enduring legend regarding Joseph of Arimathea - his connection with the Cup from the Last Supper, or the Holy Grail - is even harder to pin down than the other parts of the Joseph-in-England legends. There is no reference connecting Joseph to the Cup from the Last Supper in either the canonical Gospels, the non-canonical sources ("Gospel of Nicodemus", "The Narrative of Joseph"), or the historical sources (William of Malmesbury, Melkin, John of Glastonbury).

If one accepts the validity of the aforementioned 6th-century document by Melkin entitled "Historia de Rebus Brittannicis", as translated by John of Glastonbury in the 14th century, Joseph is early identified, not with the Cup from the Last Supper, but rather:

The references connecting Joseph to the Holy Grail (and the later Arthurian-era quests for said Grail) are all from Medieval and later romances and literature. Thus, from a historical standpoint, they are the most difficult to verify.

The Medieval romances in question all have to do with one basic topic - the stories of King Arthur, and his band of chivalrous knights. Joseph of Arimathea comes into the stories as a key character, because of one of the greatest subplots in the Arthurian epics - the quest for the Holy Grail.

There is great argument over exactly what the Holy Grail is - a cup? a chalice? a stone? There are also learned treatises on the possibility that the model for the Holy Grail predates Christianity. However, many of the Medieval romances squarely associate the Holy Grail with the Cup from the Last Supper of Christ, and further identify that it was Joseph of Arimathea that brought the Cup to England in the first place (otherwise, there wouldn't have been anything in England for Arthur and his knights to search for!)

The first major romance that explicitly links Joseph to the Grail is Robert de Boron's (or Borron) "Joseph d'Arimathie" (c. 1190). Robert de Boron seems to start with the account from the Gospel of Nicodemus, and then adds his own slant to the story. Essentially:

• After Jesus is stabbed with the spear on the cross, Joseph captures some of the blood of Jesus in the Cup from the Last Supper (the Holy Grail)

• Joseph is imprisoned, and is taught the mysteries of the Grail by Christ himself

• Joseph spends 42 years in prison, and is released by Vespasian (!)

• Joseph and a group of fellow Christians travel to an unspecified foreign country. Joseph builds a table symbolic of the table used at the Last Supper. The place for Judas is kept empty - it will be filled someday by a descendent of one of the companions of Joseph (Brons). (In later romances, this seat will be called "The Siege Perilous", and will be occupied by Sir Galahad).

• A companion of Joseph (Petrus) travels to the "Vales of Avaron" (which, for the purposes of this discussion, is assumed to refer to Avalon-Glastonbury) to prepare a place for the Grail

• The Grail as the "Ark of the New Covenant"

Other Medieval romances with similar themes include:

• "Grand Saint Grail" (c. 1200)

• "Parzival", by Wolram von Eschenbach (c. 1207)

• "Qeuste del Saint Graal (The Vulgate Cycle)" (c. 1210). In this account, the character of Sir Galahad appears for the first time.
  
  Galahad is identified in various romances as being descendent from Joseph of Arimathea (through his father, Sir Lancelot). Galahad is the only truly pure knight in the world, and is the only knight that can occupy the "Siege Perilous" on Arthur's Round Table. He is the only knight that completely attains the Grail.

• "Perlesvaus" (1225)

• "Le Morte D'Arthur" ("The Death of Arthur"), by Sir Thomas Mallory (published 1485)

As "Le Morte D'Arthur" is the most well-known of the English versions of the Arthurian romances, I've compiled several quotes that refer to Joseph:

"And here followeth the noble tale of the Sangreal, that called is the holy vessel; and the signification of the blessed blood of our Lord Jesu Christ, blessed mote it be, the which was brought in to this land by Joseph of Aramathie." - Introduction to Book 13 (Mallory, p. 370)

"...it befell after the passion of our Lord Jesu Christ thirty-two year that Joseph of Aramathie the gentle knight, the which took down our Lord off the holy Cross, at that time he departed from Jerusalem with a great party of his kindred with him...And so by fortune they came into this land, that at that time was called Great Britian...And after that all the people were turned to the Christian faith." (Mallory, p. 380)

"...ye have heard much of Joseph of Aramathie, how he was sent by Jesu Christ into this land to teach and preach the holy Christian faith...and ever he was busy to be there as the Sangreal was..." (Mallory, p. 393)

"And therewithal beseemed them that there came a man, and four angels from heaven, clothed in likeness of a bishop, and had a cross in his hand; and these four angels bare him in a chair, and set him down before the table of silver whereupon the Sangreal was; and it seemed that he had in middes of his forehead letters the which said, See ye here Joseph the first bishop of Christendom...Then the nights marvelled, for that Bishop was dead more than three hundred year tofore. O knights, said he, marvel not, for I was sometime an earthly man." (Mallory, p. 442)

Note that Mallory is not at all shy about proclaiming that Joseph is "the first bishop of Christendom"!

Another famous literary reference that links Joseph to the Grail is from Alfred Lord Tennyson's 1859 "Idylls of the King" (idylls means "poems" or "songs"):

...What is it?
The phantom of a cup that comes and goes?

Nay, monk! what phantom? answer'd Percivale.
The cup, the cup itself, from which our Lord
Drank at the last sad supper with his own.
This, from the blessed land of Aromat-
After the day of darkness, when the dead
Went wandering o'er Moriah - the good saint,
Arimathean Joseph, journeying brought
To Glastonbury, where the winter thorn
Blossoms at Christmas, mindful of our Lord,
And there awhile it bode; and if a man
Could touch or see it, he was heal'd at once,
By faith, of all his ills. But then the times
Grew to such evil that the holy cup
Was caught away to Heaven, and disappear'd.

To whom the monk: "From our old books I know
That Joseph came of old to Glastonbury,
And there the heathen Prince, Arviragus,
Gave him an isle of marsh whereon to build;
And there he built with wattles from the marsh
A lonely church in the days of yore...

Notice that by the 19th century, not only was the Cup closely associated with Joseph (and Glastonbury), but also the hawthorn bush that blooms at Christmas time. Also of note in Tennyson' poem is the reference to "From our old books I know..." Most Medieval references to Joseph, whether from histories or literature, claim to have received the basis of the story from old or ancient books. Perhaps the most romantic such assignation comes from the anonymous 1225 A.D. epic "Perlesvaus":

There is a well at Glastonbury named "Chalice Well". Some esoteric legends say that Joseph placed the Cup somewhere in the depths of the well. The well is a curious place - 25,000 gallons of red-tinted water pass through the well area per day. The red tint, caused by a high iron content, caused the Well to at one time be called the "Blood Spring", or the "Blood Well", seemingly in reference to the Blood of Christ.

Chalice Well, Glastonbury

The legends associating Joseph with the Grail seem weaker, and harder to grasp hold of, than the legends regarding his establishment of the first Christian church in England, at Glastonbury. The Joseph/Grail connection are not mentioned in any early histories, and first appear in 12th century romances. However, if the 6th-century Melkin account is accepted as legitimate, Joseph is, at least, early-on associated with bringing some kind of container ("two cruets") containing the blood of Christ with him to Glastonbury.

So could Joseph have ended up with the Cup from the Last Supper? Could he have had in his possession drops of the blood of Christ? Certainly, the Gospels identify Joseph as a disciple (although not apostle) of Christ, and he is also identified as having taken down the body of Christ from the cross, and preparing it for burial. Assumedly, Joseph would have come in contact with Christ's blood - remember, Christ was speared on the cross, and bled:

Thus, while the idea that Joseph could have had in his possession the Cup and/or a container with Christ's blood is not implausible, there is no early source to verify this legend.

The table below traces the sources of the various legends regarding Joseph and his connection with England. Romances and other literary works are indicated in red.

There is one more legend associated with Joseph of Arimathea that should be briefly explored, if for no other reason than its popularity. This is the legend that Joseph brought the boy Jesus to Cornwall and/or Somerset one or more times. This legend can't be directly traced to early histories or Medieval romances, although it appears that William Blake refers to it in his famous poem "Jerusalem" (see below).

The Bible is, of course, rather mysterious about the events that happened in the life of Jesus between the ages of 12 and 30 (when he began his ministry). As a result, many people have attempted on their own to define what happened in those lost years. India, North America, and England have all been posited as possibilities for where Jesus might have traveled as a youth/young adult. The Biblical references usually quoted to set the stage for theories regarding the travels of Jesus between the ages of 12 and 30 include:

The legends connecting Jesus and Joseph with Cornwall/Somerset go something like this:

• There is an Eastern tradition that Joseph was the Uncle of Mary, Mother of Jesus

• Further tradition states that Joseph was a merchant in the tin trade that flourished between the west coast of England, and Europe and the Mediterranean

• On one or more occasions, the legends state that Joseph brought his grandnephew Jesus with him on business trips to the mines in Cornwall/Somerset

• On one of those trips, Jesus and Joseph built the church in Glastonbury (later to be used by Joseph and his followers after the death and resurrection of Jesus). Jesus dedicated the church to his Mother (the niece of Joseph of Arimathea).

As stated earlier, there are no direct early historical, or even literary references to these legends. The earliest reference of any kind may be in William Blake's famous poem, "Jerusalem", which is now a much-loved hymn in England (watch the last 10 minutes of the movie "Chariots of Fire" to hear it sung):

There is some background and indirect evidence that just prevent the legend from being totally implausible:

Proponents of the legend also point to the mysterious stone on the south side of the Old Church (St. Mary's Chapel), which says "Jesus Maria".

Joseph of Arimathea remains an enigmatic character. While he appears to be a fairly minor player in the canonical Gospels, he, not Mary, Mother of Jesus, not Mary Magdalen, and not any of the apostles, is entrusted with the act of taking Jesus down from the cross, respectfully preparing him for burial, and donating a tomb for the body. These facts would seem to speak of some special significance accorded to Joseph's role as a disciple of Christ.

That being said, Joseph seems an unlikely character to have become one of the centerpieces of the Medieval literary craze which became the Arthurian legends. Likewise, he seems an unlikely character to create a story around as the founder of the Christian church in England. Why not pick Paul, or Philip, or another better known disciple than Joseph of Arimathea, if one was going to make up the story?

So, are the stories and legends true? In my personal opinion - The idea that Joseph brought a small band of followers to Britain in the 1st century, and started a church at Glastonbury seems reasonably credible (although not absolutely provable). The idea that, as the undertaker of Jesus, he might have saved some drops of blood also seems, at least plausible (but again, not provable). The legends regarding Joseph's connection with the Cup from the Last Supper, the hawthorn bush at Glastonbury, and bringing the boy Jesus to Cornwall/Glastonbury seem (in decreasing order) less credible.

However, I can speak quite personally that Glastonbury is a very eerie place, and if miracles could occur anywhere in the world, I could believe that they could occur there.

All photos by Robert Jones