History:
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA
Real Name: Joseph (last name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Human (Jewish) (1st century AD)
Occupation: Tin merchant, politician
Group Membership: The Sanhedrin
Affiliations: Jesus Christ, John, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus
Enemies: Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate
Known Relatives: Mary (mother), Arthur Pendragon (possible descendent)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Glastonbury Tor, Somerset, England; formerly Spain; Arimathea, Palestine
First Appearance: (Bible) The Gospel of Mark (circa 70 A.D.);
(Marvel, referenced) Strange Tales II#11/2 (February, 1988);
(Marvel, seen) The Life of Christ: The Easter Story I#1 (1993)
Powers/Abilities: For many years, Joseph of Arimathea possessed the Holy Grail, which had supernatural healing powers.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 170 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
History:
(Union Jack I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Joseph of Arimathea was a tin merchant.
(Matthew 27:57/John 19:38) - Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin ruling council. He was one of Jesus' followers, but did so in secret because he was afraid of what the Jewish authorities would do to him.
(The Life of Christ: The Easter Story I#1) - When Jesus was arrested by the Jewish authorities and brought before the high priest Caiaphas, Joseph joined the Sanhedrin in judging Jesus. Joseph reminded the rest of the Sanhedrin that Jesus wasn't a revolutionary, but another member of the Sanhedrin insisted some of Jesus' followers were and they wanted to install Jesus on the throne. Joseph wondered what charge they could bring against Jesus but men stood up who insisted Jesus had healed the sick on the Sabbath, drove out demons by the power of demons and that he claimed he would destroy the Temple and raise it up in three days. When Jesus addressed the Sanhedrin and called himself the son of God, the rest of the Sanhedrin were convinced of his guilt and ignored Joseph's attempts to continue the hearing.
(The Life of Christ: The Easter Story I#1/Mark 15:42-47/Matthew 27:57-61/Luke 23:50-56/John 19:38-42) - After Jesus was crucified by the Roman authorities, Joseph went to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, and asked for permission to bury Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear Jesus had already died and after confirming his death, he agreed. Accompanied by Jesus' disciple John and Nicodemus of the Pharisees, Joseph brought Jesus down from the cross.
Accompanied by Jesus' mother Mary, his follower Mary Magdalene, and Joseph's own mother likewise named Mary, Joseph and Nicodemus brought Jesus' body to a tomb that belonged to Joseph's family. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus' body in linens and sprinkled it with spices. Joseph's mother told him it was nearly the Sabbath, so he and Nicodemus exited the tomb and rolled a stone across the entrance, intending to return on the day after Sabbath (Sunday) to continue preparing the body. Joseph went back to his home to rest on the Sabbath. Jesus then rose from the dead on the Sunday.
(Union Jack I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Eventually, Joseph of Arimathea came to possess the Holy Grail. He began journeying to Britain for business reasons. Along the way he stopped in northern Spain and founded a church there.
(Strange Tales II#11/2 (fb) - BTS) - Joseph finally brought the Holy Grail to Glastonbury Tor in Britain.
Comments: First referenced by St. Mark; first mentioned in Marvel Comics by Peter B. Gillis; first depicted by Louise Simonson, Mary Wilshire, Colleen Doran and Bill Anderson.
Joseph of Arimathea was referenced in all four of the Gospels, although only the Gospel of John mentioned he'd been accompanied by Nicodemus in taking Jesus down from the cross. All four say he was a wealthy man, but Mark, John and Luke also said he was a member of the Sanhedrin. None of the Gospels identified him as being present during Caiaphas' interrogation of Jesus, but including him in that scene in The Life of Christ: The Easter Story I#1 seems reasonable - as a member of the Sanhedrin, he would most likely have been there, and the Gospel of John indicates he'd disagreed with their prosecution of Jesus.
Although all four Gospels said he came from Arimathea, no one seems certain where exactly that place was; the historian Eusebius claimed Arimathea was another name for Ramathaim-Zophim in Judah.
Joseph of Arimathea is a popular character in both extra-Biblical accounts (he figures in a lot of stories in the Apocrypha) and Arthurian legends as he was supposed to have had custody of the Holy Grail (and by some accounts, was distantly related to King Arthur).
Joseph of Arimathea is also a saint in the Catholic Church; because of his actions in placing Jesus in his tomb, he's the patron saint of funeral directors and undertakers.
In Union Jack, the Holy Grail was said to be the chalice which Jesus had used at the Last Supper, the night before his arrest. Many Arthurian legends - apparently beginning with the 12th century French poem "Joseph d'Arimathe" - asserted that Joseph of Arimathea had brought the grail as he was cleaning Jesus' body for burial. Supposedly what gave the Holy Grail its power was the presence of Jesus' blood in the chalice.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Joseph of Arimathea should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
The Life of Christ: The Easter Story I#1, page 10, panel 2 (main)
The Life of Christ: The Easter Story I#1, page 25, panel 4 (face)
Appearances:
Strange Tales II#11/2 (February, 1988) - Peter B. Gillis (writer), Richard Case (penciler), Randy Emberlin (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
The Life of Christ: The Easter Story I#1 (1993) - Louise Simonson (writer), Mary Wilshire (penciler), Colleen Doran (penciler), Bill Anderson (inker), Glenn Herdling (editor)
Union Jack I#1-2 (December, 1998-January, 1999) - Ben Raab (writer), John Cassaday (writer, artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First posted: 04/05/2026
Last updated:
04/05/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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