“Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭50‬-‭56‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The hullabaloo was over! The mocking crowd has gone home, satisfied with a day’s work. The soldiers guarding the lifeless body of Jesus, the Son of God, dangling limply on the nails…the last drops of blood congealing on the remnants of His beard…the final trail of bloody liquid from His pierced side trickling down His torso…kept watch. 

The two criminals crucified alongside Jesus still lingered in their misery, perhaps for hours to come. How was it that Jesus’ suffering was cut so short?

What now? 

A lone figure made his way to Pilate’s residence…Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the council that had condemned Jesus to death…but he was not able to save Him. All he could do now was rescue the body of Jesus from the valley of Hinnom, the city dump where the bodies of criminals were burned. 

Pilate readily gave consent to Joseph to take charge of the man he had also tried to saved, surprised that His death had come so quickly. 

There happened to be a new tomb nearby, prepared for Joseph’s own burial…which he, a wealthy man, gladly dedicated to the one he had reverenced and respected. No fires of Hinnom for Him! 

Another Pharisee joined Joseph…Nicodemus, the one who had visited Jesus after dark. The two men watched as the soldiers took down the body of Jesus. With supernatural strength, they carried Him to the tomb and gently placed Him on the stone slab prepared for a burial.  This was the least they could do for the one who had taught them the truth and given them hope. 

Silently, carefully, they worked. Covering the mutilated body with herbs and spices, they wrapped Jesus in a piece of finely woven linen cloth, then covered His face with a separate cloth and, finally satisfied with their ministry to their Lord, they left the tomb and manoeuvred the heavy stone across the entrance. Wet with perspiration, and smeared with  the blood of their Master, they returned home to clean up and rest on the Sabbath. 

Their hearts were heavy with grief …these two men who had held such high expectations of this man…had buried their hopes with Him. They had believed that a new dispensation of grace and mercy had come. Jesus had opened their eyes to a new understanding of the Torah…of a Father whose love for His people was unlimited snd unconditional. He had done miracles that took their breath away. He had provided proof upon proof that He was who He was, the promised Messiah who had come from God to establish a new dispensation, the forgiveness of sins and the kingdom of God within them. Now He was gone! Dead…and all their hopes lay with Him…there, buried behind the stone…in the tomb…sealed and secure. 

To be continued