Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin who called for the crucifixion of Jesus. They both risked their reputations to come out of “hiding” acknowledging that they were secret followers. Joseph sought permission from Pilate to take the body of Jesus to a new tomb belonging to him. It was close by, near a garden and had never been used. Time was of the essence as the Sabbath would arrive soon. The preparation of the body must be done before the Sabbath began. Permission was granted. Nicodemus purchased spices to ceremonially prepare the body per Jewish custom. The body was wrapped with spices and long sheets of linen cloth. (John 19:38-42) Then they would take time to observe the Sabbath with the rest of the city.
The Jewish leadership went to Pilate on Saturday, the Sabbath, and asked that guards be placed at the tomb and the tomb sealed so that the followers couldn’t steal the body away and perpetuate a hoax that indeed this “deceiver” had risen in three days as He had said He would do. Pilate agrees and sends soldiers to seal and guard the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary will be coming very early Sunday morning to annoint the body of Jesus with burial spices. It was work they could not do on the Sabbath. So they were waiting and grieving.
What about the disciples? Their hearts were no doubt broken and fear surely visited the followers of Jesus in the hours after the crucifixion. Their Master was lying in a tomb. They knew what Jesus had been telling them but they saw His horribly tortured body, dead.
Rabbinic rules in the Mishnah limited walking outside a walled city to about .57 miles on the Sabbath. It was also the friends of the families responsibility to sit “Shiva” for no less than seven days. A period of mourning. Since the disciples were His closest friends they would observe “Shiva with Mary, the kin of Jesus and those who loved Him.
This observance of Jewish rules would keep them in Jerusalem to be witness to the miracle of all miracles. Today is the Jewish Sabbath…but Sunday is coming!
Thought For Today:
I have tried to imagine the heartbreak of those so close to Jesus. His mother and family. The disciples and women who were a part of the life of Jesus. They were with Him everyday. They sat listening intently to His teaching. They witnessed many miracles. They believed this Jesus to be the Messiah that they been taught in synagogue would come and save God’s people. But with their own eyes, they saw Him tortured and crucified. Would they have felt defeated? Would they have felt abandoned? Afraid of facing a future without Jesus?
Yet God is always ahead of us. I think perhaps that is why “being still” is so important. He is God. He loves us. When we think there is no hope. When everything looks hopeless. When we cannot lift our head for fear of what the future holds. God is working things out. His timing is always right on time. He was going to make sure there were plenty of witnesses in Jerusalem to carry a very important message from the tomb of a rich man where “The King of the Jews” was laid to rest. A message the world would hear.
Scripture For Today:
Matthew 27:62-66
62 The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. 63 They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ 64 So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.” 65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.(NLT)
Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! We just praise Your holy name. Your timing is always perfect. Though grieving is a part of life we can take comfort that death for a believer is not the end for them. We are prayerful and standing watch to remember Jesus and His love for us. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
©2015 Kathy Ledbetter. All Rights Reserved.