What Does the Bible Say About Cremation?

Cremation or burial? This question has been a topic of debate among Christians for centuries. But what does the Bible actually say about it? The Bible does not provide explicit instructions or prohibitions regarding cremation. In biblical times burial was more common with cremation only occurring in exceptional circumstances, and usually not depicted positively. There are no references to cremation in the New Testament.

Here we look at what the Bible actually says, and how different interpretations may arise.

What is Cremation?

Cremation is a process that uses intense heat to reduce a body to bone fragments. Cremation takes place in a crematorium in a machine called a retort, which uses gas to heat a chamber usually lined with bricks. Most body tissue is vaporized at temperatures of 1,400 to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit leaving behind bone. The bone is then broken up into tiny pieces which are known as ashes or cremains. Cremation has been practiced in various cultures for tens of thousands of years, while modern equipment has been used since the late 1800s.

Bible Verses About Cremation or Burning

There are four biblical references to cremation in the Bible, each from the Old Testament. In each of these instances it was done in exceptional circumstances. Cremation is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Joshua 7:25: Joshua is burned by Israelites

In Joshua there is an example of a body being burned:

“Joshua said, ‘Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.’ Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.”

Joshua 7:25 (NIV)

This burning was a part of a punitive act rather than a standard funeral custom.

1 Samuel 31:12-13: Saul and his sons are burned

In 1 Samuel the men of Jabesh-Gilead burn the bodies of Saul and his sons to protect them from further desecration by the Philistines:

“All their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.”

1 Samuel 31:12-13 (NIV)

While this event occurred under exceptional circumstances, it demonstrates that cremation was not an unknown practice in biblical times. Additionally it describes the burnt bones of King Saul and his sons as being buried.

Amos 2:1-3: Edom’s king’s bones are burned

“This is what the Lord says: ‘For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not relent. Because he burned to ashes the bones of Edom’s king, I will send fire on Moab that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth. Moab will go down in great tumult amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet.'”

Amos 2:1-3 (NIV)

Edom’s king was long-dead when the Moabites dug up his remains out of spite and anger and burned them. Moab had conquered the Edomites and was “rubbing it in”. In this passage, the act of burning the bones of Edom’s king is cited as one of the sins of Moab, which God is judging. However, the text doesn’t explicitly provide moral guidance on the practice of cremation as we understand it today.

Amos 6:8-11: Cremation referenced following war

Later in the book of Amos cremation is referenced again:

“The Sovereign LORD has sworn by himself—the LORD God Almighty declares:

“I abhor the pride of Jacob

and detest his fortresses;

I will deliver up the city

and everything in it.”

If ten people are left in one house, they too will die. And if the relative who comes to carry the bodies out of the house to burn them asks anyone who might be hiding there, “Is anyone else with you?” and he says, “No,” then he will answer, “Hush! We must not mention the name of the LORD.”

For the LORD has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits.”

Amos 6:8-11 (NIV)

This passage, similar to Amos 2:1-3, doesn’t give explicit guidance on the practice of cremation. The reference to burning bodies appears to be in the context of war and desolation, not a prescribed method of dealing with the bodies of the deceased.

Just like the previous passage, this doesn’t seem to be endorsing or condemning cremation as a practice, but rather describing a particular historical event. The context of these verses indicates that they are about God’s judgment on Israel and their pride, rather than a commentary on burial practices.

Bible Verses About Burial

There are dozens of references to burial in the Bible. Burial was most often in a tomb or cave. Many prominent figures in the Bible were buried, including Jesus himself. However, there are no general commandments for burial. It does not necessarily follow that just because burial was common practice in biblical times that it is the instruction of the Bible. 

Old Testament References to Burial

The Old Testament includes accounts of the burials of Sarah, Abraham and Moses, among others.

Genesis 23:4: Burial of Sarah

“I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

Genesis 23:4 (NIV)

This verse recounts Abraham’s request to the Hittites to sell him property for a burial site for his wife Sarah. This illustrates the care and respect Abraham wanted to show in his wife’s burial, and it also marks the first purchase of land in Canaan by Abraham, which had significant implications for the future of his descendants.

Genesis 25:9-10: Burial of Abraham

“His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah.”

Genesis 25:9-10 (NIV)

This passage describes the burial of Abraham himself, carried out by his sons Isaac and Ishmael. They buried him in the same field where he had buried Sarah, showing the continuity of family traditions and the respect shown to ancestors.

Deuteronomy 34:5-6: Burial of Moses

“And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but no one knows his grave to this day.”

Deuteronomy 34:5-6 (NIV)

Here, the burial of Moses, the great leader of the Israelites, is described. The exact location of Moses’ grave was unknown, which may have been to prevent it from becoming a site of inappropriate worship or veneration.

New Testament References to Burial

The most prominent burials in the New Testament are for Jesus, John the Baptist, Stephen and Lazarus.

Burial of Jesus

“Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.”

John 19:38-42 (NIV)

This passage describes the burial of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion. Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus, along with Nicodemus, ensured Jesus was buried according to Jewish customs. This passage underscores the importance of the burial process and the respect paid to Jesus after his death.

Burial of John the Baptist

“John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.”

Matthew 14:12 (NIV)

After John the Baptist was beheaded at the request of Herodias’ daughter, his disciples came to retrieve his body for burial. They then went to inform Jesus of what had happened. This passage underscores the respect that John’s disciples had for their teacher, ensuring that he was given a proper burial.

Burial of Lazarus

“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem.”

John 11:17-18 (NIV)

Jesus arrived in Bethany after Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, had died and been in the tomb for four days. This is the beginning of one of Jesus’ most significant miracles, the resurrection of Lazarus, demonstrating Jesus’ power over life and death. The fact that Lazarus was buried and in the tomb is an important detail that sets the stage for the miracle that is to come.

Burial of Stephen

“Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.”

Acts 8:2 (NIV)

This verse describes the burial of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, by godly men who mourned deeply for him. This reflects the early Christian community’s commitment to honor and respect their deceased, even in times of persecution.

Bodies as a Temple of the Holy Spirit

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

This verse highlights the significance of the human body in Christianity. It suggests that the body is more than just a physical thing, but a holy place where the Holy Spirit resides. The way a person treats their body can be a reflection of their respect for God.

There are different views among Christians on whether cremation respects the body as a dwelling for the Holy Spirit. Some believe that cremation, which turns the body into ashes, does not honor the body as a sacred place for the Holy Spirit. Others argue that since the spirit has already left the body at the time of death, the method of dealing with the body doesn’t change the respect it was shown when it housed the Holy Spirit. They also believe that the act of cremation does not negate the reality that the body was a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit during the person’s life.

The Focus on Resurrection

In general, many Christians believe that the method of body disposal is not of primary importance. The focus is less on what happens to the physical body after death and more on the hope of resurrection and eternal life.

“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (NIV)

The New Testament places a significant emphasis on the concepts of resurrection and eternal life. In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, Paul compares the resurrection of the dead to the sowing of a seed that dies to produce a new plant. He suggests that the body is sown in a perishable state but raised in an imperishable state, sown in dishonor but raised in glory, sown in weakness but raised in power, and sown a natural body but raised a spiritual body.

“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”

2 Corinthians 5:1

Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 5:1, Paul refers to our earthly bodies as tents and speaks of a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, which is not built by human hands.

The focus on resurrection in the New Testament has implications for Christian views on cremation. Some Christians might see cremation as incompatible with the belief in bodily resurrection, preferring burial as a symbol of the hope of resurrection. However, others might argue that the form in which the earthly body is disposed of does not impact the promise of a new, imperishable body in the resurrection. They believe that God is not limited by the physical state of the deceased body when it comes to the resurrection.

Differing Interpretations Among Christian Denominations

There are varying views on cremation among Christian denominations. The Roman Catholic Church, for instance, historically discouraged cremation but has permitted it since 1963, as long as it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection. Many Protestant denominations do not have a definitive stance on cremation and leave the choice to individual discretion, while Orthodox Christianity traditionally forbids cremation due to its emphasis on the sanctity and resurrection of the body.

Some Denominations Discourage Cremation

Among denominations that discourage cremation is the Eastern Orthodox Church, which maintains a strong tradition of full-body burial based on its theology of the body and resurrection. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also recommends burial over cremation, but does not prohibit cremation.

Others Permit Cremation

Denominations that permit cremation include the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican/Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church, Lutheran Church, and Methodist Church, among others. However, it’s worth noting that while these churches permit cremation, they also uphold the belief in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, as stated in the Apostles’ Creed. Consequently, the cremation process should be carried out with respect and dignity, and the ashes properly cared for.

Does the Bible Say A Cremated Body Can’t Rise?

No, the Bible doesn’t say that bodies that are cremated can’t rise again. Believing in life after death is a big part of being a Christian and it doesn’t depend on how a person’s body is taken care of after they die.

In Christian beliefs, the body and soul are two different things. When people come back to life, it’s a spiritual event where the soul comes back with a new and better body. So, it doesn’t matter if the physical body was cremated or buried when it comes to believing in resurrection.

“Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust”: Origin and Context Related to Cremation

The phrase “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” is often associated with burial rites and the cycle of life and death. Although it is commonly thought to come directly from the Bible, the exact phrase does not appear in the biblical texts. Instead, it originates from the funeral liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer, a resource used in the Anglican tradition which was first published in 1549.

The phrase echoes sentiments found in the Bible. For example, in Genesis 3:19, after Adam and Eve have sinned in the Garden of Eden, God says to Adam: “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” This verse emphasizes the human origin from the dust of the earth and the eventual return to it.

In the context of cremation, the phrase “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” could be interpreted in different ways. Some may see it as a poetic reflection of the cremation process, where a body is reduced to ashes. Others may interpret it more symbolically, viewing it as a reminder of human mortality and the transitory nature of physical life.

Is Cremation a Sin?

The question of whether cremation is a sin is not explicitly addressed in the Bible. As such, interpretations vary widely among different Christian denominations and individual believers. While some Christians interpret the Bible’s examples of burial and its emphasis on the body as suggesting a preference for burial, others see no biblical prohibition against cremation and consider it a matter of personal choice or cultural practice. Today, the high majority of Christian faiths permit cremation.

What the Bible Says

In the New Testament, sin is often described as actions or attitudes that violate God’s commands or are contrary to His nature (1 John 3:4; Romans 14:23). Since the Bible does not explicitly command against cremation, it would be difficult to categorize it as a sin based solely on biblical texts.

“Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.”

1 John 3:4

“But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

Romans 14:23

However, some Christians might argue that if cremation is done with disrespectful attitudes towards the body, it could be considered sinful. For instance, if a person chose cremation out of a disregard for the body or a denial of the resurrection, these attitudes could be seen as contrary to biblical teachings about the value of the body and the hope of resurrection.

To Bury or Cremate?

Ultimately, the decision between cremation and burial is a deeply personal one, often influenced by a variety of factors. But as we’ve seen, the Bible offers no clear prohibition against cremation, and the focus is less on the method of body disposal and more on the hope of resurrection and eternal life.