Do Christians, Muslims or Jews massage dead bodies after 3 days? Is Crucifixion a merely myth?

Question

It was Sunday morning, the FIRST day of the week, according to Hebrew calculations, with Saturday the Sabbath as the seventh, when Mary Magdalene alone (Mark 16:9 and John 20:1) visited the tomb of Jesus. The question arises: "Why did she go there?" "TO ANOINT HIM", Mark 16:1 tells us. The Hebrew word for anoint is "masaha", which means to rub, to massage, to anoint. The second question is: "Do Jews massage dead bodies after 3 days?" The answer is "No!" "Do the Christians massage dead bodies after 3 days?" The answer is again, "No!" Do the Muslims (who are the nearest to the Jews in their ceremonial laws) massage dead bodies after 3 days? And the answer is again, "No!" Then why should a Jewess want to massage a dead, decaying body after 3 days? We know that within 3 hours rigor mortis sets in — the stiffening of the body after death. In 3 days time, the body would be fermenting from within — the body cells would be breaking up and decomposing. If anyone rubs such a decaying body,

after 3 days? We know that within 3 hours rigor mortis sets in — the stiffening of the body after death. In 3 days time, the body would be fermenting from within — the body cells would be breaking up and decomposing. If anyone rubs such a decaying body, it will fall to pieces. Does the rubbing make sense? No!

Answer 1

Actually, the Hebrew word for anoint is 'mashach', it means 'to smear with oil' and the Hebrew word for Messiah is 'Mashiach' and means Anointed One. Messiah is the Anointed One.

The Hebrew word is 'taharah' -- the cleaning and bathing of the dead -- dressing the body in shrouds, and resting it in the wooden box with prayers woven throughout the process.

Burial represents a connection between the individual and God. The custom of burial is recorded in the Torah. The burial of Sarah is the first to be mentioned in the Torah. (Genesis 23:1-4). There is also reference to the burial of her husband Abraham (Genesis 25:8-10), as well as to the burial of David (1 Kings 2:10) and Moses (Deut. 34: 5, 6, 8). To not be buried was considered a curse, as well as a dishonor and tragedy. For instance, God’s curse on the Israelites was that they not be buried (Jeremiah 16:6). According to Jewish law, burial of the deceased had to occur within 24 hours of the individual’s death (Deuteronomy 21:23), because of climate factors, in order to maintain ritual purity.

Soon after death, family members of the deceased mourn and prepare the body for burial. The deceased’s body is washed and anointed with various oils and spices. The body is then wrapped in unique linen clothing that contained spices. After the body is prepared, it is carried to the cemetery in a procession of lamentation and grief. The body is to be buried soon after death and the burial is required to take place outside of the village where the individual lived, according to a Jewish law still in practice today (Baba Bathra 2, 9). The grieving period lasts from three to seven days.

Cremation is not allowed in Jewish law because the body was given to us as a gift from G-d who expects us to take care of ourselves and return in the best condition possible.

Answer 2

I was told the women went to the tomb early on the day following the sabbath -- that's why Christians celebrate on Sunday (Resurrection day) instead of Saturday.

Jews do have a beautiful custom of washing the body (not with oil) and remaining with the body until burial, but burial takes place as soon as possible -- seldom taking as long as three days.

The Hebrew word for annointed one is messiah. Perhaps that's where the mistaken idea comes from that Jesus was an annointed king.
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Answer 3

You looked up the wrong form of the word. The New Testament is written in Greek, not Hebrew. The Greek word for anoint...which is used in this passage is aleipho which means - "to rub oil on". Thus, by looking at the true meaning of the passage in the context it is in, it clearly makes sense that she would go anoint his body with oil so that it would cover up the smell of a decaying body which she was obviously expecting...yet to her surprise, it was gone.

Answer 4

they did not yet use embalming fluids like we do, so yes they used spices to put all over the body to try to preserve it as was their custom 2000 years ago in that part of the world. We don't do it anymore because we use modern means! A body is pretty stinky in 3 days but not yet falling apart. After rigor mortis, the body loosens again.

Answer 5

Not massage, rub oil on the body. Part of the anointing of the corpse. The preparations for burial were not complete because the Sabbath was beginning. Therefore she returned to complete the process after the Sabbath was over. Try getting your facts straight before you go off half-******.

Answer 6

The reason for the return to anoint was to complete the burial preparation because he had been placed in the tomb hurriedly without being fully prepared for burial because the Sabbath was beginning.

Answer 7

There are two sabbaths involved here. The first one did not allow time for proper preparation of the body.

That should have been a Wednesday

Answer 8

Your problem is twofold.#1 you simply CAN NOT use a modern dictionary to define a 2,000 yr old word.For instance...the definitions of 'blink' and 'wink' are exactly opposite today of what they mean in the bible.
Your second problem is this...WHO CARES ??? Your question is totally irrelevant regardless of the answer you get.Find something USEFUL to do with your time.

Answer 9

Theres the uncooked documents, and then there are those evaluations which we kind based on the uncooked documents. The evaluations characterize our thought of actuality, and define how we can behave. Our skill to generalize, helps us create a international-view, and complements our descision making skill.

Answer 10

The crucifixion is not a myth. The facts of Jesus' crucifixion--and His resurrection--are at the first link below.