Sunday, December 30, 2012
am
THE LIFE OF JESUS (40)
Jesus in the Grave
1 Corinthians 15:4
a.
Recorded in all 4
gospels – Matthew 27:57-62, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-55, John 19:38-42.
b.
We are told it was the
preparation day, the day before the Sabbath (Mark 15:42)
c.
Joseph of Arimathea goes
to Pilate and requests the body (Mark 15:43).
Joseph was a rich man, a member of the council who was waiting
for the kingdom, but he had NOT consented to their decisions and deeds.
He was a good and just man and a secret disciple of Jesus because
he feared the Jews. John’s
account also tells us that Nicodemus is with him on this occasion and
assists in the burial preparation.
NOTE that their conduct, in handling the dead body of Jesus, would have
made them unclean and unable to observe the remainder of the Passover.
d.
The soldier verifies
that Jesus was dead and grants the body to Joseph. (Mark 15:44-45)
NOTE[1]:
Typically when a criminal was executed by crucifixion for sedition, the
Romans denied the family the body.
Usually, crucified persons were left on the cross to rot for days
as an example and then the remains taken down and disposed of.
IF this was typical, Pilate made an exception with Jesus
(considering his declarations of innocence, and I believe his disgust
for the Jewish leaders) and permitted the body to be removed and given a
proper burial.
e.
Jesus’ body is prepared
for burial. (Matt. 27:59) It
was taken down from the cross, prepared with spices (these spices were
used to offset the smell of a decaying body) and strips of cloth.
Then it wrapped in a clean linen cloth.
John tells us his preparation was “as the custom of the Jews.”
(19:40)
f.
He was buried in a new
tomb hewn out of rock, and a stone was rolled against the door. (Matt.
27:60) Matthew tells us it
was Joseph’s own tomb. (Matt. 27:59-60) John 19:41 tells us it was in a
garden near where Jesus was crucified.
g.
Mark 15:47 tells us that
Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus observed where He was laid.
Luke 23:55 says, “The women
who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the
tomb and how His body was laid.”
Consider this: here was Jesus, the promised Messiah with
multitudes of followers including 12 apostles, and numerous close
disciples. Yet all we read
of at His burial was Joseph, Nicodemus and a handful (possibly as few as
two) of women who saw Him buried in the tomb.
It is possible there were a few more (like John), but my point is
that there were not many!
Very private and obscure.
Where were His followers?
h.
Matt. 27:62-66 - On the
next day, the chief priests and Pharisees go to Pilate and tell him that
while alive Jesus had said He would be raised the third day.
They requested a guard.
Some say Pilate refused and told them to use their own guard.
Others believe he granted the request.
The tomb was secured and SEALED.
Also a guard was set at the tomb.
a.
It demonstrated that Jesus truly was dead.
There have been many who denied that Jesus really died on that
day. Some Muslims believe
that He swooned! Others who
cannot explain the resurrection, deny His death as well.
BUT, the fact that Jesus was buried is a testament that He was
dead – or a great hoax was being perpetrated.
Crucifixion was a very effective form of execution.
The Roman guard that carried it out would have known HOW to
execute and verify death. In
fact, we are told that a spear was thrust in the side of Jesus and blood
and water came out. It was a
verification of His death!
This is an important fact that has a bearing on our faith in the
resurrection!
b.
Isa. 53:9
– Isaiah, some 700+ years before the coming of Jesus prophesied of His
death – in detail. Among the
things he said was, “And they made His grave with the wicked – but with
the rich at His death, Because He had none no violence, nor was deceit
in His mouth.” The New
American standard says, “His grave
was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death.”
. THIS gives
the sense of the prophecy.
Jesus was destined to die as a common criminal.
We have already discussed how common criminals were disposed of,
but what happened to Jesus was different.
Joseph of Arimathea, an influential and wealthy man, put His body
in his own freshly hewn grave.
EVEN the burial of our Lord was prophesied.
What does that say of the influence of God?
c.
Concerning Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
–
i.
We do not read of Joseph
until this event.
ii.
We only read of
Nicodemus in the gospel of John and on 3 occasions.
John 3:1-10 – where early he comes and acknowledges that Jesus comes
from God.
John 7:50 – where we are told he was a Pharisee and possibly one of the
council. As they are
condemning Jesus and rebuking officers who failed to arrest Him in the
temple, Nicodemus simply asks for a fair hearing for Jesus and is
instantly rejected and all but accuse him of being a disciple.
And our texts John 19:39 where he assists Joseph in the burial.
iii.
BOTH, were members of
the council, and disciples of Jesus, BUT secretly.
BUT it is not until the events associated with His death that
they take a bold and courageous stand for Him.
Perhaps we wonder WHY it took so long for them to stand up for
Jesus.
We are not given the specific reasons, but perhaps the events that led
to his death caused both of them to FINALLY stand up for Jesus publicly.
We are told that Joseph did NOT consent to the decisions and
deeds of the council which condemned Jesus (Luke 23:51).
(NOTE: We do not know if they were present at the condemnation)
iv.
BUT this leads us to
each ask: What will it take for ME to stand up for Jesus before others?
I recently read that there are
three classes of men:
1.
Those who have no moral
convictions –
they are the largest class and have no intention of changing.
Examples: the unrepentant thief on the cross.
Also Pilate in letting an innocent man be condemned.
2.
Those with moral
convictions, but not enough courage to declare them – there are some like this, at times in pulpits and among
brethren. Examples: Joseph
and Nicodemus who were secret disciples of Jesus, the parents of the
blind man (John 9:22), and even among the rulers we are told that many
believed in Him but for fear of being put out of the synagogue they did
not confess Him. (John 12:42)
3.
Those with moral
convictions and the courage to declare it regardless of what man thinks
- this is the smallest class.
But it consists of those who make the real changes.
Joshua and Caleb were like this when they wanted to lead the
people into the Promised Land of Canaan.
Nathan the prophet who confronted David in his sin was like this.
And so were many of the prophets.
v.
Sometimes it takes a
devastating event to cause people to stand up for what is right.
1.
We sometimes call this,
“the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
2.
As a result of the
condemnation of Jesus, Joseph (and Nicodemus) finally take their stand
with Jesus. While their
stand was noble and commendable when it finally occurred, we cannot help
but question the timing and why they had not more publicly confessed Him
earlier.
3.
From this we can see it
is NEVER too late to take the stand we ought to, but delay often comes with regrets.
How often has our failure to act resulted in negative or perhaps
even devastating consequences?
There is inherent danger in delaying obedience – including the
possibility you will NOT be given opportunity.
James 4:14 tells us our life is a vapor.
Most don’t know when they are going to die.
4.
BUT let us not be too
hasty to condemn Joseph and Nicodemus. Are we EVER
guilty of this? Are there
times when we ought to defend our Lord, but for fear we don’t?
Are there times we quietly see things going wrong and we say or
do nothing, until something big happens and we can’t sit silent anymore?
We know what our convictions are, but at times we are weak.
And we are not alone.
In the Bible we find this condition often.
Some examples include:
a.
The book of judges
records a time of continued moral decline in Canaan.
On one occasion, Judges 19-20, we read of a crime in Gibeah,
where a Levite’s concubine was abused and died as a result of it.
It was a product of the corruption in the city and the land.
As a result, the Levite divided the woman into 12 pieces and sent
them to the 12 tribes – a sign declaring war.
The people were repulsed and came together and dealt with the
Gibeans, nearly wiping out the tribe of Benjamin.
IT was a sad state of affairs which reached a climax where
someone acted (violently I might add).
b.
Psalm 39:1-3 finds David
saying that he would guard his tongue lest he sin.
But in so doing he even withheld speaking up for good and he
sorrowed. But, “My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue.”
c.
Jeremiah 20:7-11, esp.
vs. 9. Jeremiah was derided
and decided not to speak, but the word of the Lord burned within him and
he finally spoke.
vi.
So where do we stand? What will it take for us to
stand up for Jesus? Will it take an egregious assault against Him or the
truth for us to speak up? Or
will we stand up for Him before that?
Is His word burning within us?
Will we stand with Him NOW?
Or will we wait until more damage has been done?
d.
Where did Jesus go when
He died?
i.
There is some debate as
to where the Spirit of Jesus went after He died.
I have heard it said that He went to hell where He fought with
Satan and defeated him, OR that He experienced the punishment of hell as
a part of taking our sins upon Himself.
I do not believe these suppositions to be true.
ii.
The term Hades is
descriptive of the place of the dead.
Some versions translate the word Hades as “hell” which is where
at least part of the problem arises.
Hell is the ETERNAL place of torments for the unrighteous, usually based
upon the Greek word “gehenna” (cf. Matt. 25:46, 10:28, Mark 9:43-45,
etc.)
Hades is the waiting place of the dead (Acts 2:27, 31, 1 Cor. 15:54-56).
Luke 16:19-31, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus we find
it described. It consisted
of two compartments – torments and Abraham’s bosom, with a great chasm
between. Lazarus was
comforted in this place.
iii.
When Jesus died, I DO
believe He went to HADES (cf. Eph. 4:8-10, 1 Pet. 3:18-20, Acts 2:27 –
for His soul NOT to be left in Hades, it had to be there, etc.).
I believe this because He WAS dead!
A part of death is the spirit departing from the body and that
happened with Jesus.
iv.
BUT rather than going to
the place of torments, He went to Abraham’s bosom.
Recall what Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today
you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Lk. 23:43)
That would NOT be a description of torments.
v.
He did defeat Satan, by
His atoning sacrifice and through His resurrection (considering how
death is the domain of Satan).
These are some thoughts about the burial of Jesus.
We again see how His death affected men, some for good and others
for evil. But our hope lies
not in that grave but its temporary nature.
Jesus died on the cross, and HE was buried in a borrowed tomb,
which even the gates of hades could not claim.
What does His death mean to you?