19:39

Nicodemus: Only John mentions that Nicodemus joined Joseph of Arimathea in preparing Jesus’ body for burial.​—See study note on Joh 3:1.

a mixture: Some manuscripts read “a roll,” but the main text reading has strong support in early authoritative manuscripts.

myrrh: See Glossary.

aloes: A name applied to a type of tree containing a fragrant, or aromatic, substance used as a perfume in the Biblical period. (Ps 45:8; Pr 7:17; Ca 4:14) The aloes brought by Nicodemus were likely the same as the aloeswood product that was referred to in the Hebrew Scriptures. In connection with preparing a dead body for burial, aloes were used in the form of a powder together with the myrrh, possibly to overpower the smell of decay. Most commentators consider the aloe tree of the Bible to be the Aquilaria agallocha, sometimes called the eaglewood tree and now found principally in India and neighboring regions. The tree may reach a height of 30 m (c. 100 ft). The inner core of the trunk and the branches is impregnated with resin and a fragrant oil, from which comes the highly prized perfume. Apparently attaining its most aromatic state when in decay, the wood is sometimes buried in the ground to hasten the decaying process. It was ground into a fine powder and then sold as “aloes.” Some scholars feel that the term “aloes” in this text refers to the plant of the lily family that now bears the botanical name Aloe vera, which is used, not for its aroma, but for health-related purposes.

pounds: The Greek term liʹtra (singular) is usually equated with the Roman pound (Latin, libra) that weighed 327 g (11.5 oz). Thus the mixture mentioned here weighed about 33 kg (72 lb).​—See App. B14.