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Question: Information about joseph of arimathea!?
i dont know anything about him, so if you have any background!. and then i need to know his role in arthurian legend (king arthur)Www@QuestionHome@Com


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Joseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion!. A native of Arimathea, he was apparently a man of wealth, and probably a member of the Sanhedrin, which is the way bouleutēs, literally "counsellor", in Matthew 27:57 and Luke 23:50 is often interpreted!. Joseph was an "honourable counsellor, who waited (or "was searching") for the kingdom of God", according to Mark 15:43!. In John 19:38 he was secretly a disciple of Jesus: as soon as he heard the news of Jesus' death, he "went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus!." The Scholars Version notes this act as "unexpected… Is Joseph in effect bringing Jesus into his family!?" [1]

Pilate, reassured by a centurion that the death had really taken place, allowed Joseph's request!. Joseph immediately purchased fine linen (Mark 15:46) and proceeded to Golgotha to take the body down from the cross!. There, assisted by Nicodemus, he took the body and wrapped it in the fine linen, sprinkling it with the myrrh and aloes that Nicodemus had brought (John 19:39)!. The body was then conveyed to a new tomb that had been hewn for Joseph himself out of a rock in his garden nearby!. There they laid it, in the presence of Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and other women, and rolled a great stone to the entrance, and departed (Luke 23:53, 55)!. This was done speedily, "for the Sabbath was drawing on"!.

Joseph of Arimathea is venerated as a saint by the Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox and some Anglican churches!. His feast-day is March 17 in the West, July 31 in the East!. The Orthodox also commemorate him on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers—the second Sunday after Pascha (Easter)—as well as on July 31!. He appears in some early New Testament apocrypha, and a series of legends grew around him during the Middle Ages, which tied him to Britain and the Holy Grail!.

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Joseph of Arimathea appears in apocryphal Christian documents!. See http://www!.newadvent!.org/fathers/0814!.ht!.!.!. and http://www!.newadvent!.org/fathers/0807!.ht!.!.!. !.

His sole role in Arthurian legend has to do with bringing the grail to Britain!. See “Joseph of Arimathea” and “Josephus” at http://www!.celtic-twilight!.com/camelot/b!.!.!.

Read most of the early medieval Arthurian story of Joseph of Arimathea here: http://books!.google!.com/books!?id=-Mz3sEU!.!.!. !. It appears to be partially inspired by the works previously mentioned!.

A longer version was later written called “The History of the Holy Grail”!. It is available on the web at http://www!.archive!.org/details/arthurian!.!.!. , in medieval French with English side-notes!. It seems to have been written to lead up to the Galahad version of the grail quest and includes in its main story a number of flash backs from the Galahad quest to the time of Joseph of Arimathea!.

You will find a reasonably full discussion of both these works at http://www!.sacred-texts!.com/sro/hchg/ind!.!.!. in Book IV and Book V!. Arthur Waite was often quite sensible, for a Christian occultist!.

See also http://books!.google!.com/books!?id=Tqoo8Sx!.!.!. !.

An archaic English verse adaptation of the “History of the Grail” is available at http://books!.google!.com/books!?id=MPMKAAA!.!.!.

Joseph of Arimathea is named as an ancestor of Lancelot of the Lake in the medieval “Prose Lancelot” presumably through Joseph’s son Galaad/Galahad, though in the “History of the Holy Grail”, Galaad/Galahad is the ancestor of King Urien who is quite unrelated to Lancelot in known texts!. Arthurian tales are often not consistent with one another!.

Joseph was a recognized figure in the late traditions of Glastonbury Abbey!. See http://www!.britannia!.com/history/arthur/!.!.!. for a summary!. It would appear that his role as founder of British Christianity in the grail legends led to him by adopted by Glastonbury tradition as the founder of the abbey!. But the tradition knows nothing about the grail!. Such frivolous things as the grail in Arthurian tales are never mentioned in any church documents!. Instead, in this account, Joseph brought two cruets of Christ’s blood to Glastonbury!.Www@QuestionHome@Com