The Greek aloē (ἀλόη) refers to the aromatic aloe plant — likely the eaglewood or agarwood (Aquilaria agallocha), not the modern succulent aloe vera. In the ancient world, aloe was a precious aromatic resin used in perfumes, incense, and burial preparations. It appears once in the New Testament (John 19:39) and is referenced in the Old Testament as a fragrant tree (Numbers 24:6; Psalm 45:8; Proverbs 7:17; Song of Solomon 4:14).
The appearance of aloē in John 19:39 carries profound theological weight. Nicodemus — who first came to Jesus by night (John 3) — comes boldly in the open to bring 75 pounds of myrrh and aloe for Jesus' burial. This extravagant quantity (far exceeding normal burial custom) is an act of royal honor. The irony is deliberate: Nicodemus lavishes kingly spices on one who is rising from death, not remaining in it. The reference also connects to Old Testament messianic imagery — Psalm 45:8 speaks of the king's garments fragrant with aloe, and the Song of Solomon uses aloe as a perfume of the beloved. In John, the burial spices become the inadvertent preparation for resurrection glory.