Question about burial according to God (for Christians or Jews)?

Question

Now I know that the old ways of Jewish burial are no longer possible, especially in america, (wrapping the body in cloth and anointed with oils and herbs) but I wanted to know if there was any where in the Bible where it is written to or not to do certain burials? For instance cremation, is that forbiden by God? and is there an actual possible way we are to be burried or it doesn't matter at all how we are to be burried?

I ask this because someone once said that when we are to resurect we are going to have our same body (but glorified) and if one is cremated then they would have no body at all. As Jesus came back with His wounds! Does anyone know anything about this or is it a wrong belief?

Thank you, this question is very serious to me!

Answer 1

No. there are no rules like that. Different areas have different customs and ways may not be possible depending on circumstances. Cremation does not matter as resurrection does not depend on the old body. Think of the old prophets. By now, the bodies have dissolved. Or of Christians killed in Nazi death camps whose bodies were burned. Jesus was not recognized by his apostles who knew him well. He did not have the same face as they would have instantly known him. He showed them holes in his body so they would understand. To take back his old body would have meant the whole point of his sacrifice of his perfect body would have been useless. We would still be under Adam's sin.

What is important is to remain in the memory of God or Jesus as they can give us a new body.

Answer 2

The Bible gives no guidelines for burial. It does say that Christians should not sorrow over death the way those without hope do. But that is "funeral", not burial. So since there are no guidelines, it does not appear to be an issue with God.

As for the real question, how is the body resurrected? The Jews buried their bodies with spices, etc. But those were intended to combat the oder, not the decay. The body would decay until only the bones were left. Those would be collected and either placed in a mass grave with the bones of family members, or interned separated in their own "bone box".

If a person is cremated, everything burns except the bones. Those are ground to produce the "ashes" the family receives.

Even if a body is embalmed, it will eventually turn to nothing but bones.

So regardless of how the body is treated, to have a resurrection God would have to recreate or restore the body. So the method of "burial" does not matter since given a few years the body will be gone in any method.

The Bible give no specific details about burial versus cremation, but it does say in the book of Revelation that God will resurrect even those who have drown at sea or were eaten by sharks. So aparrently whatever happens to your body, God can put it back together.

Read 1 Corinthians 15 sometime. It talks about the resurrection and what the bodies will be like when it happens. Apparently while they will still be "your body", they will be of a very different nature and substance then they are today.

Answer 3

From the Jewish POV:
We still wrap the body in a burial shroud- in Israelit is buried like that, outside of Israel it is put into a plain wooden coffin (most often pine) and buried like that. Aside fromt he shroud no other clothing or acroutements are on the body. Oils and herbs are generally not used- in the old days they were there to prevent the body from smelling (you are not allowed to preserve the body or prevent it from decay by embalming). Nowadays, if there is going to be a delay (the general rule is- you bury on the day the person died if possible, the next day is next best- you do not wait more than three days most cases- even if family has to come from overseas, though specific Rabbis may vary on this rule- it will be in that region generally), the body would be refrigerated to prevent decay before the funeral.

The body must be buried as whole as possible. It is taught in the Kaballah that for a period of time after death, the soul is still attached to the body and hovers nearby- damage to the body is painful to the soul in this period. As scuh, cremation is completely forbidden. The intentio is that once the body is buried, it should decay naturally and quickly.

Note: The above is the Orthodox POV, Conservative/Reform/Reconstructionist/Progressive vary from this.

Answer 4

I asked this question to a priest and a Pastor and a Rabbi all gave me different answers.
The priest said it is now acceptable at one church another said it is not
The Pastor said absolutely from a Lutheran Church were I worship even though I am a Catholic
The Rabbi said the body is still anointed and wrapped in cloth after Shiva for Orthodox Jews and then buried.
Science wants you to be a donor.
I do not know any scripture in the bible that recognizes cremation.
But I am a Christian I do believe in Jesus Christ and I do believe in helping others. So I have concluded on my own that I will be a donor and I will want a burial and a religious ceremony with a sermon and all the blessing. In hopes that God will see my intentions were that of my giving nature to help others and save lives.
God Bless you and guide you and grant you peace.

Answer 5

There is nothing in the bible against cremation. There are instances of bodies being burned in the bible and then their bones buried. Typically people were buried in caves or tombs. Like they would have a family cave.

The Jews and Catholics placed emphasis on burial in early times. I don't know if they still do. But, either way, bodies should be handled in a respectful way. I personally would not like to have my ashes scattered, but buried. Often cremation is a more modest way of handling funeral arrangements. A burial can cost over 10,000 dollars these days.

1 Sam 31:12-13 all the valiant men arose and traveled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh and fasted seven days. NKJV

Answer 6

You're right that the Church teaches that we'll have a body when we're ressurected, but they don't say it'll be the same body.

When Jesus was ressurected, he had a body. You could touch it and see it, but he could walk through solid doors/walls and for some reason wasn't as easily recognizable as he was before.

But the thing against cremation doesn't hold up to logical thinking: if you're preventing your same body from being ressurected by cremation, what about all the bodies lost at sea and eaten by fishes? What about all the people who died a million years ago whose bodies are not part of the soil of the planet? What about a person who accidentally gets burnt up? Are they just all out of luck?

When we're going to be ressurected our new bodies won't be exactly the same as our earthly bodies. Maybe they'll have more to do with who we are on the inside than outward beauty, for example.

Answer 7

Fist of all we will recieve a new healthy body. Even those who have been burned or decayed.

1 Corinthians 15:49-55 (King James Version)
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?


Creamation-
This was something that the heathen nations done that were around Israel.

Jeremiah 10:2
Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.


2 Kings 16:3
But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

2 Kings 21:2
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

2 Chronicles 28:3
Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.


These were sacrifices but the heathen also burned the bodys of the dead. "Learn not the way of the heathen"

Answer 8

I don't know of anywhere where the Bible expounds the issue. As for the resurrection of the body, I don't think it will be this human form, even in a glorified state. Even if it were, God created this form, He can certainly create another one just as easily. I guess we'll see soon enough. Oh, and the previous Jewish custom could easily still be followed. I don't get where you think it can't.

Answer 9

Burial for Christians follows the practices of Jesus and the Apostles.

Neverthless, the today the Church accepts different types of burial and even creamtion.
The God who created man out of dust can certainly regather the elements etc. in the Resurrection no matter how one is buried.

Answer 10

I will likely be cremated. You see, There are thousands of people who's bodies have turned to dust....they've just become part of the ground. God is God...and I'm certain it will be no trouble at all, for Him to recreate us with our new, Heavenly Body!