What Is Proper Burial? (1)

“IT IS appointed unto man once to die…” (Hebrews 9: 27). Man, no matter his achievements, wealth, stature, skin colour, education, knowledge and wisdom is susceptible to death. So, kings, queens, presidents, bishops, princes, emperors, farmers, doctors, security officers and spiritualists all die.

Death is not the end of life as scholarly opinions state it in dictionaries. The holy Bible teaches that death is the separation of man's spirit from the body (James 2: 26). This means the spirit of man lives on. Death is the consequences of sin. Thus even Christ Jesus died after the Father made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5: 21).

However, it is a normal practice in various parts of the world and cultures that when humans die, their bodies are buried. And God's Word does not only talk about man's death, it also talks greatly about his burial. In other words, the Bible talks about the need to bury the dead. So, we know that when our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus died, He was buried.

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit…And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away” (Matthew 27: 50,57-60).

Christians, all over the world, no matter their cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, are called to follow Christ, and the teachings of the Bible. It is for this reason most ministers of God often preach and teach about befitting burial for believers who die in the Lord. Yes, there are people who die in the Lord. “…Blessed are those who die in the Lord…” (Revelation 14:13).

Most pastors speak about befitting burial based on the words of King Solomon, the man of many women, great real estate development, great wisdom, wealth and influence. Solomon wrote, “A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive PROPER BURIAL, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he” (Ecclesiastes 6: 3, NIV).

Solomon talked generally about a man; he did not say a Christian or a child of God. He simply said “A man…” His emphasis was on the need for humans both male and female to receive burial. In the opinion of the king, it is improper for a human being to die and be denied burial. A person who is denied burial is worthless than a stillborn child.

Some versions of the Bible talk about “proper burial”, “decent burial” and “honourable burial” for the dead. And most ministers of God especially those in Ghana emphasize befitting burial, proper burial or decent burial.

Now, is proper burial the same as expensive funeral? We should make it clear that the Bible does not talk about expensive funeral but proper burial. And expensive funeral is not proper burial. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines funeral as a ceremony for a dead person, but defines burial as the act or ceremony of burying a dead person in a grave.

What then is proper burial, decent burial or honourable burial which the Bible advocates? Is it securing a huge loan to enable the bereaved family to deposit the dead body in the morgue, rebuild or renovate the old family house, mount a gigantic billboard of the dead, invite high profiled personalities, provide mourning clothes, provide assorted foods and drinks all in honour of the dead?

Moreover, is proper burial the same as celebrating the dead? Is it organizing solemn wake-keeping for the dead where dirge hymns are sung officiated by bishops or apostles? Exactly what is proper burial for the dead? Is it getting the deceased person put in a casket and sent into the church auditorium for bishops to offer fervent prayers of intercession for the salvation of his soul? Or is it arranging for men of God to dress in decent mourning clothes and personally bury the dead?

For us to understand the proper or decent burial King Solomon talked about, we need to go into the Bible and find examples of what was considered improper and proper burials. Biblically and scripturally, a person is considered to have been given a decent or proper burial if his remains or body was properly covered or wrapped in a fine material, for example, fine linen shroud or put in a casket and was laid in a tomb. So, we can say that Christ Jesus received a proper, decent or honourable burial (Matthew 27: 50,57-60).

Let us also consider the burial of King David. The Bible says, “Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (Acts 2:29) “…for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed” (Acts 13:36).

To be continued.
By James Quansah
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