When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. (Luke 23:48-49 NIV)
As we studied in the previous lesson, when Jesus died on the cross, God responded in some very supernatural ways. (see THE GOSPEL: Jesus' Death; God's Supernatural Response) Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome [*the mother of Zebedee’s sons, James and John]. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. (Mark 15:40-41; *Matthew 27:55-56 NIV)
By God's will, women are naturally nurturers and caregivers. That is a wonderful quality and a blessing from God! Everyone can't be up front and seen, But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:9-12)
It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, [*who had himself become a disciple of Jesus, *but secretly, for fear of the Jews and] who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God [*a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action], went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Mark 15:42-43; *Matthew 27:57-58; Luke 23:50-52; *John 19:38, 42 NIV) Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. (Mark 15:44-45 NIV)
It's amazing what having faith in Christ Jesus will empower us to do; ...in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. (Ephesians 11-12) Joseph was very brave to come to Pilate and ask for Jesus body, especially since he was a part of the Council of Pharisees, scribes and elders, the group who had Jesus crucified. Even though we may be a part of a group, when the group is wrong, we have to boldly stand up and do what's right, even if it means standing by yourself. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)
What will often happen is our standing for what is right will give others to courage to do the same, which is what happened here: And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.(John 19:39-41) Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock [*one in which no one had yet been laid]. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary [*the mother of Joseph] were sitting there opposite the tomb. (Matthew 27:59-61; *Mark 15:46-47; *Luke 23:53; John 19:38 NIV)
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 23:55-56 NIV) Jesus was crucified on Friday evening. Jewish custom based on the commandment of God is that nothing is done from sundown on Friday to sunup on Sunday morning. And God spoke all these words, saying: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: (Exodus 20:8-10; Deuteronomy 5:12-14) Therefore, the women had to wait until Sunday morning to go to the tomb and do the customary burial preparation of the body.
But the religious leaders were going to beat them to it. The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. (Matthew 27:62; Luke 23:54 NIV) “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:63-66 NIV)
They thought that could stop God's plan? When Jesus died on the cross, The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:51-53 NIV) They just witnessed that, but it just goes to show, people will only believe what they want to believe, and will reason away anything they don't want to believe, no matter the evidence. The grave couldn't hold the dead, and they will soon find out putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard can't hold the Son of God!
As we studied in the previous lesson, when Jesus died on the cross, God responded in some very supernatural ways. (see THE GOSPEL: Jesus' Death; God's Supernatural Response) Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome [*the mother of Zebedee’s sons, James and John]. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. (Mark 15:40-41; *Matthew 27:55-56 NIV)
By God's will, women are naturally nurturers and caregivers. That is a wonderful quality and a blessing from God! Everyone can't be up front and seen, But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:9-12)
It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, [*who had himself become a disciple of Jesus, *but secretly, for fear of the Jews and] who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God [*a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action], went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Mark 15:42-43; *Matthew 27:57-58; Luke 23:50-52; *John 19:38, 42 NIV) Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. (Mark 15:44-45 NIV)
It's amazing what having faith in Christ Jesus will empower us to do; ...in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. (Ephesians 11-12) Joseph was very brave to come to Pilate and ask for Jesus body, especially since he was a part of the Council of Pharisees, scribes and elders, the group who had Jesus crucified. Even though we may be a part of a group, when the group is wrong, we have to boldly stand up and do what's right, even if it means standing by yourself. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)
What will often happen is our standing for what is right will give others to courage to do the same, which is what happened here: And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.(John 19:39-41) Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock [*one in which no one had yet been laid]. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary [*the mother of Joseph] were sitting there opposite the tomb. (Matthew 27:59-61; *Mark 15:46-47; *Luke 23:53; John 19:38 NIV)
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 23:55-56 NIV) Jesus was crucified on Friday evening. Jewish custom based on the commandment of God is that nothing is done from sundown on Friday to sunup on Sunday morning. And God spoke all these words, saying: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: (Exodus 20:8-10; Deuteronomy 5:12-14) Therefore, the women had to wait until Sunday morning to go to the tomb and do the customary burial preparation of the body.
But the religious leaders were going to beat them to it. The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. (Matthew 27:62; Luke 23:54 NIV) “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:63-66 NIV)
They thought that could stop God's plan? When Jesus died on the cross, The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:51-53 NIV) They just witnessed that, but it just goes to show, people will only believe what they want to believe, and will reason away anything they don't want to believe, no matter the evidence. The grave couldn't hold the dead, and they will soon find out putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard can't hold the Son of God!
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