Burial. Mark 15:42-47.
And when evening had come, since it was the day of preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
Dear Citizens of the New Jerusalem,
Jesus died in the afternoon on Friday. This created an urgency that other days of the week would not have had.
Time (v. 42). At dusk, the Sabbath would begin. Bodies were not to be left unburied on the Sabbath and definitely not on a cross, in full view of the public and “desecrating the Sabbath, so there was an urgency to the situation. Jesus’ body needed to be buried quickly.
Task (v. 43-45). Not all the Jewish leaders were against Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea was among a small minority who had believed in Jesus. He was a member of the Sanhedrin and therefore one held in high regard by the public. But the mention of the fact, which would have been obvious, would indicate that he had distinguished himself as an honorable man. Joseph took the risk of going against the collective opposition of the council to Jesus and asked for the body of Jesus, that he might give it a decent burial.
Tomb (v. 46-47). Because of the urgency and the negative disposition of the Jewish leaders, Jesus’ burial was private and hurried. Joseph was still able to buy a shroud to wrap the body in and lay it in a tomb. Most tombs were caves, either natural or as in this case, hewn in soft rock. When the bodies were fully decayed, the bones would be removed and put in small stone coffins called ossuaries and reburied in family crypts. This is what everyone expected of the body of Jesus.
Despite everything he had taught the disciples, hope had died with him on the cross. The women watched because they needed to know the location. Come Sunday morning, the earliest they could, they would need to apply spices to the body as a last rite. There are times when we may be called upon to risk position, safety, or relationships, as Joseph was. What challenges are you facing? Be like Joseph, take the risk.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.