Strong’s Greek 1779 (ἐνταφιάζω) concerns the act of preparing a body for burial. Though it appears only twice in the New Testament, the term opens a window onto Jewish burial customs, the prophetic meaning of Jesus’ death, and the ministry implications of honoring the body in hope of resurrection.

Old Testament and Intertestamental Background

Ancient Israel considered burial a sacred duty (Genesis 23:4; Deuteronomy 34:6). Spices, oils, linen wrappings, and prompt interment testified to respect for the deceased and confidence that the body belonged to the LORD (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Second Temple literature (for example, Tobit 1:17) reflects the same concern, highlighting acts of burial as works of covenant faithfulness.

First-Century Jewish Burial Customs

1. Washing the body (Acts 9:37 hints at this practice).
2. Anointing with aromatic oils and powdered spices to retard decay and mask odor.
3. Wrapping in linen bands, often with the head covered separately (John 11:44).
4. Laying in a rock-hewn tomb before sunset, followed by a secondary gathering of bones into an ossuary after decomposition.

These steps expressed both compassion and eschatological faith in bodily resurrection (Daniel 12:2).

Occurrences in the New Testament

Matthew 26:12

“In pouring this perfume on My body, she has done it to prepare Me for burial.”

John 19:40

“Then they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom.”

The participial form in Matthew is predictive; the infinitive in John records the actual preparation. Together they frame Jesus’ passion, death, and entombment.

Christological Significance

1. Prophetic Foreshadowing. The anointing in Bethany pre-announces the crucifixion, signaling that Jesus willingly embraces the role of the suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:9).
2. Authentic Death. John’s narrative insists that Jesus truly died and received the customary burial, refuting ancient and modern denials of His death and resurrection.
3. Royal Recognition. Costly nard and abundant spices (John 19:39 notes “about seventy-five pounds”) treat Jesus as more than a criminal; He is honored as King even in death.

Theological Themes

Resurrection Hope. The careful entaphiazō of Jesus’ body sets the stage for the empty tomb. The same body that was wrapped is the one raised (Luke 24:39), anchoring Christian confidence in a bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Incarnation Affirmed. By showing reverence to the physical body, Scripture underscores that matter is not evil; God the Son took flesh permanently (John 1:14), and His glorified body still bears marks (John 20:27).

Sacrificial Aroma. The fragrant spices recall Old Testament offerings that rose as a “pleasing aroma” to God (Leviticus 1:9). Jesus’ self-offering fulfills these shadows (Ephesians 5:2).

Historical Reception in the Church

Early Christians continued Jewish-style burial, rejecting pagan cremation as inconsistent with resurrection belief. Catacomb art displays scenes of anointing and linens, echoing John 19:40. Medieval liturgies retained prayers that mirror the Bethany anointing, linking funeral rites to Christ’s burial and victory.

Pastoral and Ministry Application

1. Dignity in Death. Churches honor the body at funerals, witnessing to resurrection and countering materialistic or nihilistic views of death.
2. Compassionate Service. Believers emulate Mary of Bethany and Joseph of Arimathea by ministering to the dying and bereaved, seeing such service as devotion to Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40).
3. Gospel Proclamation. Teaching on Jesus’ burial completes the apostolic gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) and offers comfort: “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19).

Related Biblical Concepts

• Anointing (Exodus 30:25; Luke 4:18)
• Linen wrappings (Mark 15:46; Revelation 19:14)
• Tomb and Resurrection (Matthew 27:60; Matthew 28:6)
• Hope in bodily resurrection (Job 19:25-26; Romans 8:23)

Conclusion

Though Strong’s Greek 1779 appears only twice, its subject matter permeates Scripture: the reverent burial of the body, the prophetic announcement of the Messiah’s death, and the triumphant expectation of resurrection. The term invites believers to treat death with both solemnity and hope, remembering that “death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).