July 23 2025

Wednesday July 23

Two Courageous Men

Luke 23:50-56

50 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. 54 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. 55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Today we'll be looking at the last verses of Luke 23:50-56. As we look at this passage of scripture, we learn that Joseph of Arimathea was also one of the seven meetings that Jesus had in this chapter with other people. Remember He met with Pilate and He met with Herod. On the way to the crucifixion, He met with Simon of Cyrene who helped carry His cross. It was then that He spoke to the women of Jerusalem. He spoke to the thief on the cross saying, “Today you'll be with Me in Paradise.” And then of course there was His Father that He conversed with while He was on the cross.

Now, this chapter ends with Christ being taken down off the cross by a man named Joseph of Arimathea. Only the Gospel of John tells us that there was another person involved with the burial of Jesus, and that was Nicodemus. John introduces him in John chapter 3. In John 7:50, Nicodemus speaks up for Jesus in one of the council meetings when they’re trying to condemn Him. And of course, we believe that neither Joseph of Arimathea nor Nicodemus was present according to Mark 14:64 when “all the council” voted to condemned Jesus to death; they must not have been there because they were a part of that Sanhedrin, and they would not have voted to condemn Jesus.

According to the Gospel of John 19:38-42, we also notice that this tomb where they buried Jesus was in a garden nearby the place where He was crucified. We believe that it’s very possible that this is a tomb that Joseph had previously prepared for Jesus. He and Nicodemus had read the Scriptures. They had studied the fact that the Christ would die He would rise again. And they knew it was only a temporary place to bury the body of Jesus. It was a borrowed tomb in a sense, but it was specially prepared by Joseph for Jesus nearby. Joseph would have prepared his own tomb in his home city close to where he lived. So we believe Joseph owned this tomb and he prepared it for Jesus.

And we also know that this burial fulfilled the Scripture. We believe that it is possible Nicodemus and Joseph had studied the Scriptures in Isaiah 53:9, and also knew that it says that the Messiah “made His grave with the rich in His death”. And so they fulfilled that Scripture. When Jesus died, Joseph is ready to go immediately to Pilate. Nicodemus is part of helping have everything ready. Because they would not have been able to go shopping for these items on Passover, Joseph and Nicodemus must have already purchased the things that were needed for the burial of Christ, the fine linen that they wrapped Him and the hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes to anoint His body (John 19:38-44).

It was very important that Jesus be buried by people that would know He was dead because His death and resurrection are the very essence of the Gospel. The proof was evidenced by the fact that men like these, men of character and integrity were the ones who took His body off the cross and buried Him. If there were any doubt about His death or burial, that could affect the message and the ministry of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-8).

It also might be interesting to remember that in Genesis 2:1-3, after six days, God finished the work of the “old Creation” and He rested. Now after six hours on the cross, Jesus finished the work of the “new Creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17), and He rested on the Sabbath in Joseph’s tomb.  And because Christ’s resurrection, three days later, we know that we can experience this new life in Jesus Christ and also find our “rest and peace” in Him!

Thank God for people that stand up for Jesus like Joseph and Nicodemus and were part of this very powerful story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God bless you as you meditate on these things today. Are you willing to be identified with the resurrected Savior today?

God bless!