The Burial of the Lord Jesus. Luke 23:50-56 Even after our Lord Jesus Christ committed His spirit to the Father and died by surrendering His own life in a sovereign act, a prophecy from Isaiah 53 was fulfilled. “And He made His grave with the wicked and the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” Our Lord was in control of the entire event. He made the final decisions and allowed them to occur. He is the One who “made His grave… and with the rich…” The foreknowledge and sovereign will of God serve as a testimony that He who knows the end from the beginning is the One who died for us and rose again.
The entire story of the Gospel changes when we consider the tomb where Jesus' body was laid. It appears as if Joseph of Arimathea suddenly appears and boldly acts where no other disciple might have dared. Not everyone responds the same way in their Christian walk. What matters to one believer might not be as important to another. Comparing one child of God with another to judge their faithfulness can be very misleading. Joseph had not sided with most of the Sanhedrin and was likely disapproved of by the council. Two specific aspects are mentioned about this hidden disciple who believed in Jesus but probably did not travel with Him during His ministry.
He was a “good man and a just.” He was waiting for the kingdom of God, just like many others. “Good,” in the sense it is used regarding Joseph, means that he was morally honorable. Therefore, he was beneficial to God and could be used by Him for a task for which he was uniquely qualified. It was his courage and boldness that prompted Pilate to release the body of Jesus to him, rather than to discard it as was the usual Roman way of handling the bodies of those they crucified. The other notable characteristic of Joseph was that he was “just.” That means that, in the sense of being righteous in life, he could make fair decisions when called upon. Both he and Nicodemus likely made it clear that they knew Jesus was righteous and innocent, and that He was who He claimed to be—the Son of God.
“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day [Pro. 4:18].” Those who are “just” are like the shining light; they are Christ-like. Noah was a just man who walked with God in a morally dark and sinful age, doing so openly, even preaching for 120 years. Joseph, the husband of Mary, Jesus’ mother, was a just man willing to absorb the personal loss of his reputation to save Mary from public humiliation. John the Baptist was a just man who provided honest and fair testimony of the Lord Jesus. His parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth, were just because they lived their lives according to the word of God and its commandments. Simeon was a just old man, patiently waiting for God to fulfill His promise to him. Jesus was regarded as a just man by Pilate because He was obviously without fault. Joseph of Arimathea was just because he refused to consent to evil carried out by the majority. He knew what was right and would not compromise truth and righteousness for acceptance or expediency.
In the book of Acts, we learn that Cornelius was a just man in the sense that he had a good reputation. Someone whose reputation is that he or she cares about others and is “ready to hear” what others teach is a person God takes special note of. Lot was a just man on the outside, but even though he didn’t do the wrong that others were doing, he was in the wrong place just by being near the evil.
“The path of the just” is a way marked out to reach another destination. The light of God's word working in a believer reveals the truth and gives light to others around who know that person. “The Gospel according to you” is a clear message to those who do not read the Bible. God intends that His people be “Blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world [Phil.2:15].”
Rulers must be just [2 Sam. 23:3]; they walk in their integrity [Prov. 20:7]; they simply live by faith [Hab.2:4; Gal.3:11; Heb.10:38]. The Lord requires that His people “Do justly, love mercy… walk humbly with thy God [Mic.6:8].” God intends for all of us to be people with the same kind of reputation as Joseph of Arimathea. Our Lord Jesus Christ “Gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Joseph, Nicodemus, and “the women who came with Him from Galilee” may not have held prominent positions among those who followed the Lord Jesus, but they were still there when everyone else had left. This is an essential point for us to reflect on. Can I be relied upon when no one else is around? They did what others might not have considered or were too afraid to do. To leave the body of Jesus hanging on the cross and have the Romans take it away was unthinkable to those whose hearts were bonded to their Lord. They did what they could, and our Lord Jesus Christ was given a burial worthy of a King.
The women went even further by preparing spices and perfumes for the first day of the week. We can’t all do the same things, but we can all take the time to do what we are able if we choose to. There’s no need to worry about things we cannot do. There was no question about the reality of Jesus’ death. Only those who have died are buried. His death and burial are common experiences for everyone, but those women who had seen what happened were not finished. Their devotion and commitment to the Lord gave them the opportunity and privilege to see the Risen Savior first when He rose from the dead early in the morning, the first day of the week.
LUKE 24 JESUS IS ALIVE!