Luke 23:50-56 50And behold there was a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council and a good and righteous man, 51this man had not agreed with their decision and action; he was from the Jewish town of Arimathea and was looking for the kingdom of God; 52this man, after going to Pilate, asked for the body of Jesus. 53And after taking it down, he wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid.
The story of Jesus shifts next to his burial. Not everyone on the council, referring to the Sanhedrin, was against Jesus. Luke records that at least one man stood out. Joseph was from the small town of Arimathea. This name comes from the Hebrew Ramah, which refers to a village in the area of the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 4:4-5) and about 12-18 miles from Jerusalem. Joseph is mentioned in all four Gospels (Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; John 19:38). Luke describes several significant characteristics about this person.
First, Joseph was good and righteous. These words assume that he was a pious Jew who sought to live according to God’s laws. A word that might describe him is he had integrity before God and people. Matthew 27:57 and John 19:38 indicate that Joseph was a disciple of Jesus. He witnessed Jesus’ trial and may have been the one to report what was said there. Everything Joseph did in this passage came from his character.
Second, he did not agree with what the Sanhedrin had decided about Jesus. He was one of the few opposing voices. Was he against the rest because of his faith in Jesus or because he knew Jesus to be innocent? It was likely both of these. His faith led him to act courageously and go against the strong influence of the rest of the Sanhedrin.
Third, he was looking for God’s kingdom. He was like Simeon, who was also looking for God’s kingdom to come (2:25). Both of these men saw God’s kingdom in Jesus. Joseph had keen insight into God’s purposes and was open to the movement of God’s Spirit in his heart. He may not have understood it all, like other disciples, but his faith was put into action.
Fourth, he was brave to ask Pilate for Jesus’ body. This was a risky situation. He could have easily been accused of stealing Jesus’ body, claiming that Jesus had risen from the dead. As a member of the Sanhedrin, he had access to powerful people like Pilate. Jesus’ family and disciples never could have gotten close to Pilate or been able to ask for his body. Joseph was just the right person in God’s plan for burial. It still took great courage to approach the Roman governor, especially after a tumultuous few days.
Finally, he took care of Jesus’ body and gave up his own tomb for him. The linen shroud mentioned in verse 53 has been much debated and the Shroud of Turin is indeed this burial cloth. Carbon 14 dating has shown the shroud to be from the Middle Ages, but this finding has been disputed. Bodies were typically wrapped in a shroud and laid to rest in a tomb until only the bones were left. These were then put into an ossuary, which is a small stone casket for bones. John 19:39–40 mentions that Nicodemus helped Joseph prepare Jesus’ body by using a lot of spices. Jospeh showed a great deal of care for the dead Jesus. Although there is no mention of him ever seeing the resurrected Jesus, he could corroborate that Jesus was indeed dead. He was one of the key witnesses to all that took place on that fateful day. The brand new tomb was the only place fitting for the King of the Jews. Matthew 27:60 mentions that this was Joseph’s own tomb he had prepared for himself. He gave up much to bury Jesus with honor and dignity, and not thrown into a pit with other criminals.
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