Why Was it Necessary that Jesus was Buried?

I admit, this is a question that I have sometimes wondered about. Why does the New Testament sometimes stress the burial of Jesus Christ? How does that contribute to my redemption? Understanding the death and resurrection of Jesus as necessary to my salvation is comparatively easy. But why must Jesus be buried, other than that is just what people do with dead people? I mean of course He was buried! What else would you do with a dead body? Cremation was not common back then in Jewish culture. In fact, I am fairly sure it was unheard of.

But what I mean is that it looks like the New Testament - almost in passing - will point out that Jesus was buried and where. For example, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 reads:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures...

Likewise, each of the four Gospels emphasizes that Jesus was buried in a tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, and that certain women observed the place where Jesus was laid (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42). Even the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah's death account for His burial as well (Isaiah 53:9).

So what should we make of the fact that Jesus was buried, other than what was normal to do for dead bodies? I have some thoughts on this. There's nothing earth-shattering. I don't have anything that will change the face of New Testament studies. In fact, I am sure that many others before me have studied this and come to sound conclusions. But as I have pondered this problem in my own head, here is what I have come up with. 

Firstly, Jesus had to be buried to show that He really was dead. The Romans were cruel, but not so cruel as to bury someone alive! In fact, why go to all the trouble of crucifying someone if you're just going to leave the job half finished and bury them alive? Part of the point of crucifixion generally speaking was to leave the victim hanging on the cross for as long as possible (often for days) to prolong their suffering and simultaneously to humiliate them as they die slowly, naked and exposed. Jesus was really and truly dead. In fact, He died much more quickly than most victims of crucifixion, a fact that surprised Pontius Pilate (Mark 15:44). Jesus was buried to show that He was dead. As Dickens put it, "as dead as a door nail".

But secondly, I think that Jesus was buried to prove the reality of His resurrection. Jesus did not merely "swoon" or pass out as some skeptics in the past and present have suggested. And Jesus was not resuscitated as might happen to victims of cardiac arrest. He was dead. He was buried. He was in the grave for three days (by Jewish reckoning); long enough to be shown to be truly dead, but not long enough to decompose and see decay (Psalm 16:10). 

Jesus was buried in a specific place under specific circumstances in order to fulfill Scripture (see the Isaiah passage referenced above), show that He was truly dead, and to prove the reality of His bodily resurrection. Amen.