Was Jesus’ Tomb in a Beautiful Garden?

“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. There laid they Jesus…“

John 19:42-43

In my mind the place where Jesus was buried was always a sandy, empty place. I was surprised when I read this passage in John. Wondering if this would’ve been a real full, green, cultivated garden. And I was reminded of Mary who thought Jesus was the gardener. If that was the first thing she thought, it must’ve been a real, full, green cultivated garden, otherwise it wouldn’t need a gardener.   

All this inspired me to make a painting to replace this old image in my head with a new one. I painted it from imagination, and only briefly looked at some middle eastern gardens online to have a bit of feel and idea before I started.
I don’t know if the actual garden was as full of flowers as in this painting, but that would’ve been wonderful if indeed it had been. It’s as if creation knew He was going to rise. It was already celebrating while we humans were crying, thinking it was the end.

Maybe that’s the thing about nature and the calm we often experience walking in the midst of it, that nature points us back to God, all the time. Telling us there’s always hope, a broader perspective, new beginnings and one day even an entirely new beginning for both nature and us. I’m looking forward to that!