Strong’s Greek 5027 denotes the act or place of burial. Although the noun appears only once in the Greek New Testament (Matthew 27:7), the concept of burial permeates Scripture, shaping Israel’s history, prophetic expectation, and Christian doctrine.

Burial Customs in Biblical History

From the patriarchs onward, burial was viewed as an act of honor rooted in covenant promise. Abraham secured the cave of Machpelah as “a burial site” (Genesis 23:4) to anchor his family’s hope in the promised land. Jacob, Joseph, and Moses (Deuteronomy 34:6) were likewise buried with reverence, underscoring faith in God’s future restoration. Proper interment distinguished the blessed from the cursed (1 Samuel 31:12-13; Jeremiah 22:19) and affirmed the intrinsic worth of the body as God’s creation.

The Symbolic Weight of Burial in Covenant Narrative

Burial marks the closure of earthly pilgrimage and anticipates resurrection. When Joseph “made the sons of Israel swear an oath” concerning his bones (Genesis 50:25), he tied burial to the exodus hope. Later, the Law safeguarded dignity even for executed criminals: “you must bury him the same day” (Deuteronomy 21:23). Scripture therefore binds burial to covenant fidelity, communal responsibility, and eschatological expectation.

Prophetic Foreview of the Messiah’s Burial

Isaiah foretold that the Servant would be “assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death” (Isaiah 53:9). The prophecy anticipates both dishonor and unexpected honor—a duality fulfilled when Jesus died between transgressors yet was laid in Joseph of Arimathea’s new tomb (Matthew 27:57-60). The Servant’s burial carries atoning significance, confirming that He truly entered death’s domain on behalf of sinners.

Matthew 27:7—The Potter’s Field and Corporate Compassion

“So they conferred together and purchased the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners” (Matthew 27:7). Here the term ταφήν describes an act of mercy toward non-Israelites, funded ironically by the returned “blood money.” The field evokes Jeremiah 18–19, where a potter’s vessel symbolizes Judah’s impending judgment. Matthew presents a striking juxtaposition: corrupt leaders dispose of tainted silver yet unwittingly provide burial for outsiders—hinting that the death of Jesus will open covenant blessing to the nations (Matthew 28:19).

Christ’s Burial and the Gospel Core

Paul places burial at the heart of the apostolic kerygma: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Christ’s burial verifies the reality of His death, fulfills prophecy, and forms the hinge between crucifixion and resurrection. Without a genuine burial, the empty tomb would lose evidentiary power; with it, the resurrection attains historical and theological solidity.

Implications for Christian Doctrine and Practice

1. Union with Christ: “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death” (Romans 6:4). Baptism dramatizes burial, signifying separation from the old life and entry into resurrection life.
2. Hope for the Departed: “God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Christian burial is an act of faith, sowing the body in expectation of glorification (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).
3. Compassionate Witness: The purchase of a cemetery for strangers models the church’s call to honor every human life, anticipating the worldwide scope of redemption.

Resurrection Hope and the Future of the Body

Because the body will be raised, burial is not merely disposal but stewardship. The early church adopted practices that reflected this hope, treating graves as temporary resting places (koimeteria, “sleeping chambers”). Even martyrdom narratives emphasize the retrieval and reverent burial of remains, declaring confidence in bodily resurrection (Revelation 6:9-11).

Summary

Though Strong’s 5027 surfaces only once, the verse in which it appears radiates backward through Israel’s account and forward to the gospel’s consummation. Burial—whether of patriarch, prophet, foreigner, or Messiah—testifies to God’s covenant faithfulness, the worth of the human body, and the sure promise that “the dead will be raised imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:52).