Strong’s Greek 2998 depicts the deliberate human labor of carving solid rock to create space. While the verb itself appears only twice in the Greek New Testament, its imagery runs like a vein through Israel’s history, architectural practice, prophecy, and the gospel accounts of Jesus’ burial and resurrection.

Occurrences in the New Testament

Matthew 27:60 – “and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away.”

Mark 15:46 – “So Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.”

Both passages center on Joseph of Arimathea and the unique feature of the tomb: it was not a natural cave but one labor-intensively quarried out of limestone. The specificity of a freshly hewn tomb underscores prophetic fulfillment, historical authenticity, and theological depth.

Historical and Cultural Background

Rock-cut tombs were common among the affluent in first-century Judea. Hewing a burial chamber required skilled stonemasons, time, and significant expense. Such tombs typically included:

• An entrance sealed by a disk-shaped stone.
• An inner chamber with niches (kokhim) or benches (arcosolia) for bodies.
• Provision for secondary burial after decomposition.

Joseph’s tomb, “new” and untainted by previous corpses, satisfied Jewish purity laws (Numbers 19:11-16) and highlighted the dignity afforded to Jesus even in death.

Connection to Old Testament Imagery

1 Kings 6:7 records that “the house was built with stone finished at the quarry,” eliminating noise at the Temple site. The same verb family in the Septuagint links the silent shaping of temple stones with the silent shaping of Christ’s resting place. Isaiah 22:16 rebukes Shebna, who “carved out” a tomb for himself in a high place—a stark contrast to the humble yet prophetic provision made for the Messiah.

Prophetic Fulfillment

Isaiah 53:9 foretold, “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, but He was with the rich in His death.” Joseph of Arimathea—identified as “a rich man” (Matthew 27:57)—unknowingly fulfilled this verse. By stating the tomb was “hewn,” the Evangelists certify that this wealthy benefactor offered a costly, unused resting place precisely matching Isaiah’s oracle.

Apologetic Significance

1. Location Certainty: A man-made tomb in solid rock is easily located and hard to confuse with others, reducing alternative-tomb theories.
2. Security of Sealing: The cut doorway enabled a disk-shaped stone to be rolled precisely into place, explaining why the authorities deemed a guard sufficient (Matthew 27:66).
3. Verification of Resurrection: The emptiness of a known, accessible tomb offers verifiable evidence to early eyewitnesses (Luke 24:24).

Christological Implications

Just as the tomb was carved out of lifeless rock, so the resurrection carved a path through death itself. The One laid in a stone chamber emerged as the “living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him” (1 Peter 2:4). Believers, likewise “living stones,” are quarried from the world and built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5), echoing the quarry-to-temple progression.

Ministry Applications

• Burial Hope: The care Joseph showed models Christian stewardship of resources for kingdom purposes, including honorable burial and compassion ministries.
• Silent Witness: The unobtrusive labor of quarrying reminds believers that unseen faithfulness prepares the stage for God’s redemptive acts.
• Resurrection Assurance: Teaching on the hewn tomb anchors the historicity of the resurrection, strengthening evangelism and counseling on grief.

Conclusion

Though employed sparingly, Strong’s Greek 2998 chisels a vivid portrait of costly preparation, prophetic precision, and triumphant vindication. The rock-hewn tomb stands empty, yet its hollow still speaks: “He is not here; He has risen” (Luke 24:6).