question about Myrrh

JAYNA

Well-Known Member
I was watching Hal Lindsey last night and he said that myrrh when it hardened was like shilac. So Jesus' buriel clothes would have been hardened since they used over 100 lbs of it on him. I always thought that His shroud would have been flat without the body in it. But Hal said it would have been as if it were conformed to his body since myrrh hardens when dried. I've never heard this, have any of you?
 

LindaLee

One of The Forgiven...
This is what I found out. Pretty interesting:

myrrh n. An aromatic gum resin obtained from several trees and shrubs of the
genus Commiphora of India, Arabia, and eastern Africa, used in perfume.

It is mentioned in the Bible over 22 times and it was used as incense in religious rituals. The Egyptians believed in its healing powers: they burned it every day as part of their worshipping rituals. In the Greek culture when soldiers went to battle is was an essential part of their combat gear because of myrrh’s extremely high antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It was used to clean wounds and to prevent infection. It was also used to prevent the spread of gangrene in already infected parts of the body.

It has been used from remote ages as an ingredient in incense, perfumes, etc., in the holy oil of the Jews and the Kyphi of the Egyptians for embalming and fumigations.

The true myrrh is known in the markets as karam, formerly called Turkey myrrh, and the opaque bdellium as meena harma. The gum makes a good mucilage and the insoluble residue from the tincture can be used in this way. Constituents of Myrrh include a volatile oil, resin (myrrhin), gum, ash, salts, sulphates, benzoates, malates, and acetates of potassa. It is partially soluble in water, alcohol, and ether. It may be tested by a characteristic violet reaction if nitric acid diluted with an equal volume of water is brought into contact with the residue resulting from the boiling of 0.1 gramme of coarsely powdered myrrh with 2 c.c. of 90 per cent alcohol, evaporated in a porcelain dish so as to leave a thin film. The oil is thick, pale yellow, and contains myrrholic acid and heerabolene, a sesquiterpenene. Myrrh oil obtained by the steam distillation of hand picked and selected Burseraceae oleo gum resins produced by Balsamodendron Myrrha. A pale yellow to amber viscid clear oil with a characteristic warm, sweet-balsamic, slightly spicy-medicinal odour. The odour is powerful but agreeable. Immiscible with water. The main consittuents resembles either thymol or carvol C22H32O. The other main constituents are pinene, heerabolene, limonene, dipentene, eugenol, cadinene, cinnamaldehyde, cuminaldehyde among others. Density 0.998-1.022 gm/ml. of freshly distilled oil. It is soluble in alcohol, ether and carbon bisulphide. It is readily oxygenated in air and amongst the products formed is formic acid. It was used in embalming, as a cure for cancer, leprosy, and syphilis. Myrrh, mixed with coriander and honey, was used to treat herpes. It was used as an anti-infectous, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent and as a tonic.

Cinamaldehyde @ 3Dchem.com
 

Chris

Administrator
Staff member
I was watching Hal Lindsey last night and he said that myrrh when it hardened was like shilac. So Jesus' buriel clothes would have been hardened since they used over 100 lbs of it on him. I always thought that His shroud would have been flat without the body in it. But Hal said it would have been as if it were conformed to his body since myrrh hardens when dried. I've never heard this, have any of you?

Yes, I saw that, too. He made it sound like it would leave a "body cast" kind of like one you might wear when you break your arm, except this one would be for the whole body, minus the head part. He did say that the face area would be excluded as they usually just put a cloth of some kind over the face.

So, what I got from the whole thing was that when Jesus rose from the dead, when they came to the tomb they saw the headless body cast that did not contain the body. Also, the body cast was the same size as Jesus' and was completely unbroken, giving further proof of the supernatural resurrection. Hal went on to say after Jesus rose, he was able to go through walls, etc. and in this case, he left his body cast undistrubed because of his supernatural ability. I had not heard that before. It was very interesting. He also said that many people believed from seeing the body cast without the body. :)
 

Caretaker

Old Greybeard
John 20:
5: And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6: Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7: And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Luke 24:
12: Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.


One thing to remember was that Jesus was buried swiftly, and that the women had purchased spices following the Sabbath, and were going to the Tomb to annoint the body.

Luke 24:
1: Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2: And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

I will go by what the Word declares.
 

JAYNA

Well-Known Member
Linda, myrrh was used for lots of things I knew nothing of. Thanks.

I do see where it was used as embalming fluid by Egyptians. But as caretaker posted I didn't think they ever used the spices on him before burial. Thats what they were going to do when they found the body gone. Also scripture doesn't mention the burial clothes being hardened in cast form. I just wonder where Hal got this from.
Maybe myrrh is capable of doing this but I don't know if it was actually done with Jesus. :scratch:
 

LindaLee

One of The Forgiven...
From my study, I don't believe that the spices were ever implemented either because of the 2 Sabbaths that occurred, and the 2 Mary's only had Friday to prepare them and never did get the chance to go and anoint Jesus' body with them.

I haven't heard where Hal got his information. I intend to find out though. :)
 

JAYNA

Well-Known Member
From my study, I don't believe that the spices were ever implemented either because of the 2 Sabbaths that occurred, and the 2 Mary's only had Friday to prepare them and never did get the chance to go and anoint Jesus' body with them.

I haven't heard where Hal got his information. I intend to find out though. :)

Thank you and let me know when you do!! :thumbup
 

LindaLee

One of The Forgiven...
Ok...This is what I found out....

What Hal said is true: When Joseph and Nicodemus brought Christ down from the Cross prior to Him being placed into the tomb, they apparently had purchased enough spices and aloes to at least temporarily wrap the body until the women (which was the custom) could do it after the High Sabbath had passed and the spices and aloes could be obtained.

John 19:38 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 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
John 19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
John 19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
If they took 2 inch strips of cloth as Hal Lindsey said, and dipped it into the myrrh and aloes mixture and wrapped Jesus in it, (mind you this would take several hours to do), the cloth would be saturated with this mixture when they were finished with the wrapping process.

As a Nurse, and having replaced many bandages, (not nearly like the ones on Jesus) I can tell you I would find it hard to think that after 3 days, or 1 day and 2 nights that the burial clothes would be dry. I don't believe they would.
They would be too wet. The outside might be dry, but the inner ones would be damp at least, and upon Christ arising, I would think that the whole structure would collapse or at least partially...JMO.

But...then we are talking about the Son of God here... :)
 

JAYNA

Well-Known Member
But...then we are talking about the Son of God here...

Amen & Amen!!

Thanks for doing the research, it makes me feel alot better. I love Hal and I was having trouble thinking he might be wrong on this. But as you posted the scripture, it is there for all to see. This was definitely done. I do believe no matter how many years one studies the bible something will always jump out at you that you've never noticed before. :) Makes for never getting boring!! Amen?!! :thumbup
And as far as it not being totally dry and the garments collapse well I'm sure the very essence of Jesus Himself could have frozen the garments in place!!! Also we don't know the dynamics of what actually takes place in a resurrection so I believe anything is possible.

This is indeed very interesting and thanks again for researching. :thumbup
 

LindaLee

One of The Forgiven...
You're welcome Jayna!

I learned a lot doing the research myself. I am certain that the mixture probably left some kind of a cocoon. As you stated we don't know the dynamics of what took place during the Resurrection, so like you, I believe anything is possible when it comes to my Lord and Savior!

It was a joy and pleasure doing the research...for everyone here and for myself! :)
 

LindaLee

One of The Forgiven...
I never thought the Shroud of Turin was real, because # one, the burial clothes were in 2 seperate sets, with the face scarf/head covering folded neatly and laying by itself just as the Bible said.

And two, just as Hal said they would have been left differently once Christ had arose, meaning with all that myrrh on them, they would have been stiff and some form of a coccoon would have been left not a flat one sheet like cloth as the Shroud of Turin.

Three, I don't believe God would have left His earthly form imprinted on a piece of cloth, because knowing how mankind would be, they would be prone to "worship" the piece of cloth, just as they are doing, instead of "worshipping" the true Savior. IMHO, I think its a trick divised by satan to deceive people.

The Egyptians, and others of that regions form of embalming back then, involved using strips of cloth to wrap the body like a mummy and not cloth in the form of a sheet.

Does this help?
 

JAYNA

Well-Known Member
I never thought the Shroud of Turin was real, because # one, the burial clothes were in 2 seperate sets, with the face scarf/head covering folded neatly and laying by itself just as the Bible said.

And two, just as Hal said they would have been left differently once Christ had arose, meaning with all that myrrh on them, they would have been stiff and some form of a coccoon would have been left not a flat one sheet like cloth as the Shroud of Turin.

Three, I don't believe God would have left His earthly form imprinted on a piece of cloth, because knowing how mankind would be, they would be prone to "worship" the piece of cloth, just as they are doing, instead of "worshipping" the true Savior. IMHO, I think its a trick divised by satan to deceive people.

The Egyptians, and others of that regions form of embalming back then, involved using strips of cloth to wrap the body like a mummy and not cloth in the form of a sheet.

Does this help?

Yes, thank you. Frankly I haven't known what to think!! :) :scratch:
 
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