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Luke 23:50-56
In Luke 23:50-51 Joseph of Arimathea is introduced as a council member and a good and just man who was awaiting the kingdom of God. Even though the council (Sanhedrin) was responsible for the uprising against Jesus that led to His conviction and crucifixion, this man (Joseph of Arimathea) is proof that all the members of the council were not corrupted. This man went to the Roman authority (Pilate) to seek permission to remove the body of Jesus from the cross and prepare it for burial (Luke 23:52). Given permission, he took the body of Jesus and laid it in a tomb that no one had been laid in before (Luke 23:53). We are informed in Luke 23:54 that this day was the day of preparation (for the Passover, Exodus 12) and the Sabbath was approaching.
In Luke 23:55-56 we are told of how the women who had followed Jesus throughout His physical earthly ministry followed Joseph to the tomb where he laid Jesus’ body. They returned home and prepared spices and fragrant oils for the preparation of the body of Jesus but rested on the Sabbath in respect for the commandment of the Law regarding rest on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:4-11, 31:12-17). They would return later to prepare the body of Jesus with the spices and fragrant oils.
This is proof of the innocence and righteousness of Jesus even in His death.
When a man was hanged on a tree (cross), this was considered a curse. The Law required that a man hanged on a cross be taken down and buried before morning or this would also curse the ground in which God gave the Israelites as an inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). For a common criminal deserving of death, it was common for the Roman authority to leave them hanging on the cross as an example to the people. If one had family to remove the body and pay respect in a proper burial, the family would first have to get permission from the Roman authority. Approaching the Roman authority could in itself cause your own conviction by association with the convicted and deceased. By allowing the body of Jesus to be removed and given proper burial was further evidence of His innocence.
During this time of the condemnation of Jesus, His disciples were watching from the shadows in fear, but this man (Joseph of Arimathea) came forward in respect for Jesus and took a stand for Him to present Him with a proper burial. Jesus stated in Matthew 10:32-33 that whoever will proclaim Him before man, He will proclaim before His Father in heaven. If we deny Jesus, He will also deny us before His Father in heaven. We must take a stand to share the good news of Jesus in this world if we want Him to take a stand for us when we stand before our Father in heaven (John 14:6).
Dear Lord,
It is scary sometimes to take a stand for Jesus in the face of humiliation and the peer pressure of this world. But please help us to see that this fear is put on us from Satan because he does not want us to profess Jesus to the world. You have defeated Satan through this event of Jesus’ death on the cross and ultimately through His resurrection three days later. Please help us to put our focus on Jesus to give us the strength through Your Holy Spirit that lives within us to stand firmly for Jesus and overcome the trials and tribulations of Satan (1 Corinthians 10:12-13). In Jesus name I pray, amen.