Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Sanhedrin, nevertheless, he went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body. Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. Luke 23:50-54.
Everyone believed that this was the end. Some of them had personally witnessed the horrible execution of their teacher, Jesus. From the Roman soldier, who knew that Jesus was innocent, to the crowds who left the scene in deep sorrow, everyone thought this was the end. Joseph, a Jewish leader, was there too, and he went to Pilate to ask for the lifeless body of Jesus.
Joseph was “waiting for the Kingdom of God to come” but his hopes were dashed too as he carried the body to his own new tomb where he wrapped it for its final resting place. And then went home to observe the Sabbath which began at 6:00 PM on Friday and concluded at 6:00 PM on Saturday.
Luke says that “the women” went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with spices. This would have been done on more promptly, however, Jewish law would not allow them to “work” on Saturday since it was the Sabbath. So they went on Sunday morning expecting to find a dead body. They were shocked to find the tomb empty.
No one knows what happened on Saturday, and only Peter gives a cryptic hint that something must have happened. “Jesus suffered physical death… So he went and preached to the spirits in prison–those who disobeyed God long ago…” 1 Peter 3:18-19. This has led many to believe that Jesus broke open the gates of Hell to preach to those who had no knowledge of the Gospel.
That the disciples were still in the throes of “hopeless Saturday” is apparent in their reactions of the empty tomb: disbelief, fear, and uncertainty. Which might be helpful to us today when we try to navigate our hopeless world. Remember that Sunday brought a new reality to the scared disciples.
Prayer: O God of Resurrection. Help us in the times we are gripped by fear, like the disciples on Sunday morning. May we remember that only folded grave clothes were left in the tomb and with them fear and death and sin. In Jesus’ name. Amen.