4. Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the body of the Lord, which was also given to him by Pilate.

5. This Joseph of Arimathea was a friend of Nicodemus, and did so more in the good name of his friend than in his own. For Nicodemus was a great secret worshiper of Christ, but he dared not do something quite obviously, for a certain fear of the chief priests and Pharisees; so he transferred this to his friend, who was also a great friend of Christ, but in secret. This brief prognostic is necessary to make the following clearer.