#1449 Luke 23 Part 6 Into the Rock

 

50 And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a Council member, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their counsel and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; 52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. 54 It was Preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 Now the women, who had come with Him from Galilee, followed and beheld the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then after they returned, they prepared spices and perfumes.

And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. Luke 23: 50-56 LSB

Luke 23: 50-56

So we just left off with Jesus being crucified, mocked by real rebels, treated as the worst sort of criminal, and the people leaving this sight pounding their chests as they walked away. Israel is desperate for a savior, they want a Messiah type, and Jesus showed so much promise. I mean He performed miracles that could end world hunger and disease. This is the way of the human mind though, that He is dead, and they think, "for what, what was the point of His doing all those things only to end up here?" This is why we are so primed for an antichrist, because we just want to be full, to have pretty things, to be healthy, and that is why so many false prophets get hold of so many ears, because fallen man is prone to such story telling. Could it be that this is not the end of the story, that God intended much more than the perpetual sacrificing of animals? The Jews of that day would have been happy to have a military champion, a man who could organize them and chase away their enemies, show them how to farm better, how to be more efficient and productive, a man of great ideas and new technology who would make a sort of Eden for them here, and each one probably had a slightly different concept of this. This Jesus couldn't be the guy because He told them to deny themselves, to repent, and He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. Is it possible that in a fallen world with broken minds that we don't know what we truly need? 

22Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. 23For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!… Luke 12: 22-24

And behold - Look, pay attention, there is something extraordinary about this.

A man named Joseph, who was a Council member - His name isn't out of the ordinary, but that he is a member of the Sanhedrin, this is the "behold", and probably the next part where it says a good and righteous man, for there weren't many on the council that could be described that way. They will be thorn even to the disciples later in their ministries. They are the ones who held the kangaroo court and have sought an opportunity to take Jesus' life for sometime. They are the ones who make money off of widow's houses and have turned the temple into a market place with unjust weights and balances. Joseph is remarkable in that he is not like the other members, only he and Nicodemus, at this point in the story, seem to be Council members of good character, more concerned about their standing with God. 

…28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us responsible for this man’s blood.” 29But Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men. 30The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree.… Acts 5: 28-30

…23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.… Matthew 23: 23-25

V. 51 He had not consented to their counsel and action - Jesus' sentence was not without reservation on the part of this man at least. He was out voted. This is the place of truth of justice, self denial as such can leave a man alone and with a target on his back. Some may feel uncomfortable but few will speak up. Most will go along with the majority. Nicodemus dissented as well, and he even tried to call them back to their own law, but dissent to the mob only moves you from esteemed teacher, the teacher of Israel, to red neck from Galilee. I watch it happen all the time in our day, scientists that crave popularity and relevance so much that they betray science, can't define what a woman is or acknowledge the physical advantage of a man who calls himself a woman. Nicodemus won't be invited to sit at the cool kids' table nor the bench of  approved "intellectuals" anymore.

…50Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who himself was one of them, asked, 51“Does our law convict a man without first hearing from him to determine what he has done?” 52“Aren’t you also from Galilee?” they replied. “Look into it, and you will see that no prophet comes out of Galilee.”… John 7: 50-52

V. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus - Are you kidding me, this is scandalous, you will lose your seat on the Sanhedrin for sure. You are a wealthy man, as is Nicodemus, powerful as long as you play the game, but this may very well end your career.

V. 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth - He is preparing Christ's body for burial. He is covering Jesus' open shame, ending His humiliation. 

V. 53b And laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain - This is a tomb made for Joseph and probably his family. It is also a fulfilment of OT Scripture.

9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.… Isaiah 53: 9-10

V. 54 It was preparation day and the Sabbath was about to begin - You don't work on the Sabbath, so you would prepare all your meals and any necessary work would be done in this period before. 

Mark 15:42 says "it was the preparation day, (THEN MARK GIVES A "DEFINITION") that is, the day before the Sabbath." Recall it was evening, sometime between 3 PM and 6 PM, and the Sabbath would begin at 6 PM (or more generally at "sundown" which at this time of year would have been about 6 PM) and the Passover meal would also be celebrated.. John 19:14 says that Jesus' trial and crucifixion took place on "the day of preparation for the Passover." So as the lambs were being prepared for the Passover meal that evening at the same time Jesus was dying on the Cross as the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29).

Preparation day (3904)(paraskeue from paraskeuazo = make preparation from para = for + skeuazo = to prepare) in secular Greek was generally used to mean “preparation,” hence “to equip oneself” but all the NT uses the word to denote the day of preparation for the Jewish Sabbath. Six uses all in the Gospels - Matt. 27:62; Mk. 15:42; Lk. 23:54; Jn. 19:14; Jn. 19:31; Jn. 19:4. - Precept Austin

V. 55 Followed and beheld the tomb - The women watched to see where the Lord was laid, an interesting picture, that they stayed near during his death and follow Him to the grave. They want to dress His body but it is too late, they must leave and come back after the Sabbath rest. 

…3Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.… Romans 6: 3-5