What Does Matthew 27:57 Mean in the King James?
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Greek turns “disciple” from a label into a formation: Joseph is someone who has been discipled to Jesus.
THE MEANING
As day closes, Joseph comes into view as a rich man whose relation to Jesus is described with a verb of learning. His name carries the sense “may he add,” while his discipleship names a life formed under Jesus. The verse holds these parts of him together as he arrives.
THE ROOT
ἐμαθητεύθη
emathēteuthē
GROWS FROM
μανθάνω
manthanō
to learn
“was Jesus’ disciple” in this verse is emathēteuthē. “Disciple” gives Joseph a clear identity; the Greek verb adds the sense of formation: he has been discipled to Jesus. Its word-family grows from learning, so his relation to Jesus is heard as a learner’s relation, not just a title.
ALSO GROWS
mathētēs: learner, disciple
μαθητής
This is the noun for a learner or disciple, naming the relation that the verb describes.
mathēma: lesson, what is learned
μάθημα
This branch makes the learning inside discipleship tangible: a lesson is something received and carried.
יוֹסֵף
Yosef
GROWS FROM
יסף
yasaph
to add, increase
Joseph’s Hebrew name carries the sense “may he add.” Rachel makes that meaning explicit when she names Joseph in Genesis; here the same name is carried by a man who comes into view as Jesus’ learner.
ALSO GROWS
yasaph: to add, increase
יָסַף
This is the verb at the root of Joseph’s name, carrying its sense of addition.
tosefet: addition, something added
תּוֹסֶפֶת
This noun from the same root shows how the seed meaning extends into the idea of an addition.
THE PATTERN
Scripture lets a name carry a meaning that reveals more than the bearer’s identity.
And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.THE THREAD
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.John uses the same learner-word family for Joseph that underlies Matthew’s verb for being discipled. Then he shows Joseph asking for Jesus’ body, giving that learning relation a visible form in what Joseph does.
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