Introduction
How does the Creed go? “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, who was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.” We have seen Jesus suffer; we have seen him die; now we see him buried. How comforting it is, finally, to see him in the hands of those who care for him. Hands no longer strike him, and no one now mocks him.
Just a short while earlier, perhaps a couple of days, he had blessed Mary’s extravagant display of homage and love – pouring costly perfume upon his head – by saying that she had prepared his body for burial. That had meant a lot to him. Now, his body is being buried, and one last act of homage will be made.
Text
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
Mark presents an element of Jesus’ ministry that heretofore we knew nothing about. Beyond the male disciples who followed him were a number of women. What marks their relationship to Jesus was their service: they cared for his needs. Luke tells us a little more in chapter 8 of his gospel:
Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means (8:1-3).
These women played a notable part in Jesus’ ministry. Judas may have been the treasurer for Jesus and the disciples, but the money he managed evidently came from these women for the most part. Perhaps some were from wealthy homes of husbands or fathers; perhaps some were industrious and earned money through making cloth or pottery. It is likely that they prepared many of Jesus’ meals, saw to it that he had good clothing. As is generally true of women, they would have been more alert than the men when he was tired or hungry. Most likely they were not always with Jesus as the Twelve were. More likely they followed him for a time, perhaps even in the sense of keeping shifts. It would not have been proper for a woman to leave her home and follow him for an extensive period of time. Even so, they likely were already creating somewhat of a scandal. It was not common for a Jewish rabbi to have a following of women, nor was it considered proper for women to be following a rabbi like a disciple. And, yet, as Mark notes, this women “followed” Jesus, the same term used for the disciples following him.
Mark names three of the women present for Jesus’ crucifixion and burial: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These women were apparently well-known in the early church, including Mary’s sons James and Joses or Joseph. Perhaps Salome is the mother of James and John, if we understand Matthew right (cf. 27:56). We know Mary Magdalene the best, or at least think we do. Most believe her to be a former prostitute, which is never said of her. Luke tells us she had been possessed by seven demons, but she is never reported as having been immoral. As in keeping with their devotion and practical concern for Jesus, the women continue to keep watch over Jesus during and following his crucifixion.
Let’s look at the burial. Mark notes that the crucifixion took place on Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). He brings this up to explain the necessity of removing Jesus’ body. It may never have entered our heads to be curious about that, but commonly bodies remained on the cross even after death to further disgrace the victims. Typically they were denied a proper burial, their bodies being dumped in a mass grave or even left for days hanging until the flesh gone. On the other hand, it was not unusual for families to be granted the bodies on request.
It was particularly important for Jesus’ body and those of the other two victims to be removed because of the Sabbath coming on. The Jewish day began at evening. What difference does the Sabbath make? It is the holy day and ought not be desecrated by these men’s cursed bodies. Listen to the law expressed in Deuteronomy 21:22-23:
22 If a man guilty of a capital offense is put to death and his body is hung on a tree, 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
So the Sabbath is coming on. We know from John that the Jewish leaders are already speaking to Pilate about having the victims’ legs broken to hasten their death and have the bodies removed. If Jesus’ body is to rescued from disgrace, someone must act quickly. Neither Jesus’ mother nor his disciples are in a state of mind or of position to do so. One man steps forward.
So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.
Mark notes that he went boldly to Pilate. It would have taken courage for anyone and particularly Joseph because of his position. He is a member of the Sanhedrin, the very body that had condemned Jesus. Luke tells us that he had not consented to the verdict. Indeed, we know from Matthew and John that he was secretly a disciple of Jesus. Did he believe Jesus to be the Messiah? Perhaps. Surely he at least hoped so. Mark says that he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Jesus’ message that the kingdom was near must have raised his hopes, and unlike his colleagues, he was drawn to Jesus’ teaching rather than offended. Mark also notes that he was respected, no doubt because of his piety and good character.
But as respected as he might be, Joseph was clearly stepping over the lines of propriety by asking for Jesus’ body. Remember, Jesus was condemned for treason, purporting to be the king of the Jews. It would be one thing if Joseph were a relative, but he is not, thus publicly showing his sympathies for Jesus precisely at the time when Jesus is an anathema to both the Roman and Jewish authorities. Surely his fellow Jewish leaders would resent him and become suspicious of him.
Nevertheless, Joseph acts boldly. He, of course does not take care of Jesus’ body by himself. As Matthew notes, he is a wealthy man and would have had servants to carry the body. John tells us that another colleague, Nicodemus, assisted him as well. Pilate does grant the body, no doubt ready to get Jesus off his hands.
46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
Acting quickly he took down the body and prepared it for burial. The custom was to wrap the body in strips of cloth coated with spices and ointments. Joseph had bought the shroud material and Nicodemus the spices. The head, by the way, would have had a separate covering. They do a quick job and lay the body in a tomb cut out of rock. Then a stone is rolled against the entrance. Their work is finished.
We should stop for a moment and gives thanks to God for Joseph willing to bear dishonor that he might honor our Lord. We give thanks for Nicodemus, a Pharisee of integrity, who did the same. As Jesus said of Mary, who had prepared him for his burial still to come, so the same should be applied to these two men, that they will be remembered through the ages for the homage and kindness shown to our Lord. Even so, let us also note that their bold act was the fulfillment of yet another prophecy: He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death (Isaiah 53:9). The authorities certainly intended for Jesus’ grave to be with the wicked crucified, but he ended up (as Matthew tells us) in the rich man Joseph’s tomb.
Our story ends with a touching remark that also serves as a transition to the next story. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. They kept their post until the body was out of sight, so true was their devotion, and so determined their intent to do something themselves for their Lord.
Lessons
Jesus’ burial is a bittersweet story. It is bitter for the sadness. Jesus has died. All that remains is a lifeless body. If we are sad, imagine the grief of those in this story. We know the ending; they thought this was the ending. And their grief is compounded because they bore the grief of love and the grief of hope lost. The closer one is to us, the more grieve his or her death. And so it was with these women and men. They loved Jesus. But they also had placed their hopes in him. As one disciple said, they had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel (cf. Luke 24:21). With his body they were burying those hopes. Jesus was a great man, maybe the best ever, but it wasn’t the one. It’s over.
And yet, there is a sweetness to the story for us, to see the love and devotion of our brothers and sisters for our Lord. That is who Mary Magdalene and her friends and Joseph and Nicodemus were and still are – our sisters and brothers. We have had enough of abuse and mockery. Just as we have needed to see and hear the stories of courage and compassion during and following 9-11, so that we might have some solace, so we need this story. In the end, the last touches Jesus received, the last gazes upon him, were of those who loved him.
That is the “human” perspective of Jesus’ burial, the “personal” view, but we should also consider the significance of his burial in his work of redemption. For remember, all that is taking place – the sufferings, the death, and even the burial – is for our benefit. Paul thinks the burial significant enough to be included in the basic elements of the gospel: Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…(1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
What does the burial mean for us? First, Jesus’ burial certifies his death. He really died. He was not revived after being taken down. Jesus did not go through a near-death experience. He did almost die for us. He really died and his body was wrapped up and laid in a tomb. Another way of saying this is that Jesus’ burial is a statement that the cross was more than a symbol. It was the instrument of our atonement.
Secondly, Jesus’ burial continues the humiliation he underwent for us. The Westminster Confession makes note of this, speaking of Christ as our Mediator, which is another way of describing his work as our Redeemer.
This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake; which that he might discharge, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died, was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption (WC ch. 8, par. 4).
What this brings out that Jesus’ humiliation, at least that of his body, continued in the state of death. We don’t rejoice after he breathes his last, thankful that his suffering is over. His work continues, and at this point the ultimate proof that his sacrifice has been received is still waiting. All the signs point that way, as we saw last Sunday. But the body remains in the grave under the power of death. That enemy has yet to be conquered.
This leads to the third role of the burial: it sets the stage for Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus was buried that he might rise. Of course, burial is not needed for one to come to life; if anything it adds a barrier to being resurrected. But that is just the point. The burial makes the resurrection all the more glorious because of its barriers. The wrappings of the shroud that bound him, the stone that sealed the body in the tomb, serve as foolish guards to hold him down in the depths of death, and Jesus breaks free of these material bonds as easily as he breaks through the spiritual bonds of death. Just as the burial visibly represents the burial of his promises to be the victor over death, so the breaking out of that burial represents his great victory over death. Nothing can hold Jesus back; nothing!
And then, Jesus’ burial serves as a sign for our own victory.
3 Or don’t you know 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 live a new life (Romans 6:3-4).
11 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead (Colossians 2:11-12).
The basic message of these texts is that there is a sense in which we died with Christ and were buried with him. Our old nature was killed and buried, so that our new nature might be raised to life. That is what baptisms signifies – not only Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, but ours as well. Jesus takes us for the ride with him. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). The victory over death is ours because it is Christ’s victory and we are joined in him. You will overcome death because you have already died; your old self has already been buried. What lives now is the new life you have when you were raised in Christ Jesus. Hold on to that truth when you think about death; when the time comes to face it.
And that takes us to our final lesson: Jesus’ burial links him with us in our experience. Another way of regarding his burial is seeing it as his funeral service. Funeral or memorial services bring closure for us. The one who has died is officially told goodby; formally acknowledged as dead and departed. Jesus knows what it is to be sealed out of sight and leave this life. He knows burial, and I promise you, he knows your own fears for that time that awaits us. One of the fears of dying is that we must do it alone; no one can come along with us. But that is not true. There is someone who goes along with us, who has been in our same place and knows what we face; but more importantly who knows where he is taking us; but most important of all, who promises that burial is but the prelude to resurrection.
To anyone here who may not know this blessed hope, I urge you to take hold of the Savior. The apostle Paul said that he lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Jesus loved and gave himself up for those who live by faith in him. Don’t make the mistake of many who assume that he loves everybody and will save everybody. And don’t make the mistake of many who assume that because they say they have faith, their ticket into heaven is assured. You must live by faith. You can’t work your way into heaven, but it is your life, not merely your words, that demonstrate that you have died in Christ, been buried with him, and raised to eternal life. That is what those verses meant that I used earlier. Our old nature has died and been buried. A buried old nature doesn’t keep popping its head out of the ground! It is resurrection, the resurrection of new life, not the resuscitation of an old one that is to come out of the tomb.
Blessed be Joseph and Nicodemus and those dear women who watched over Jesus. How sad they were on that day. How joyous, how deliriously joyous they are right now, who themselves died and were buried. When you think about it, however dreadful death and burial might seem, what we receive on the other side is a pretty good deal!
