Message
John 19:38-42
“Two Unlikely Undertakers”
It may surprise you, or it may not surprise you, to know that there are many people – including people who call themselves Christians – who do not believe that Jesus actually died.
He just passed out, and the coolness of the grave revived Him.
They say that the disciples made up the whole story – and then imagined that Jesus was with them.
They deny the authenticity of the whole event.
Now, if they are correct, then Christianity is a lie and a farce. Nothing but a made up religion which is offering false hope and no security.
But they are not correct. One event which adds to the ability of Christianity to show that Jesus died is to focus on the burial of Jesus
Before we go any further let’s read about the specific event we have in mind.
John 19:38-42
If the Romans had their way they would have left all three of the crucified bodies on the cross to rot. This served as a gruesome reminder to the whole community as to what would happen if you messed with the Roman legal system. After the body had rotted the left-overs would be thrown into a mass grave, usually out in the open.
But the Romans knew the Jews were very sensitive about dead people. In fact Jews would bury every one. Josephus, a first century historian says,
He that blasphemes God, let him ne stoned, and let him be hung upon a tree all that day, and then let him be buried in an ignominious and obscure manner (Ant 4:202).
In another place he says,
We bury all whom the law condemns to die. Let our enemies who fall in battle also be buried (Ant 4.265).
So out of respect for Jewish law and custom the Romans allowed burial.
Which is how we are introduced to a very unlikely pair of undertakers. Joseph of Arimathea, who askes Pilate for the body of Jesus, and Nicodemus.
Who is Joseph of Arimathea?
In the Bible Joseph of Arimathea appears only in connection with the burial of Jesus. However his appearance is so important all four Gospel writers tell us about him.
Matthew tells us he had become a disciple of Jesus. Matthew also tells us that Joseph owned the tomb which Jesus was buried in.
Joseph is a devout man who was a faithful servant of God.
Mark tells us that he was a prominent member of the Council. Just so you know it was “The Council” who condemned Jesus to death.
Luke tells us that did not consent to their (that is the Council) decision and action. So he tried to defend Jesus and prevent the injustice.
John tells us that Joseph had been keeping the fact that he was a disciple a secret.
It’s good to know these things but the most telling piece of information John tells us is that Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews.
I guess we could say that if Joseph was truly a disciple He should have stopped being such a coward and let people know.
But here is the irony. When Jesus dies the disciples go into hiding, for fear of the Jews.
But Joseph, who has been fearing the Jews, comes out of hiding.
Joseph shows his true colours after Jesus dies. Which is amazing when you think about it.
Surely the Jewish council will discover what Joseph did and be appalled. The council expect Jesus’ lifeless body to be unceremoniously thrown into the valley of death with the rest of the decaying murderers, thieves and political prisoners. They don’t want anyone to mourn Jesus death – Joseph is going against that wish.
In the not too distant future Joseph will no longer be a member of the ruling Jewish council.
He will lose his position.
He will lose his reputation as a teacher in Arimathea.
He will lose most of his income.
The old life, the old friends, the old hang-outs. They are all gone.
Joseph’s previous fears will become a reality.
So here is a fact:-
Joseph has nothing to gain by helping to bury Jesus ... in fact he has heaps to lose.
And what about Nicodemus? Who is Nicodemus?
Nicodemus appears earlier in the book of John. He was the man who went to Jesus one night to have a talk with Jesus – he went at night because he was afraid. Nicodemus was also a member of the Jewish Council.
But he is afraid no longer.
Now he is showing who he really is and who he really stands for.
He makes his devotion known through the contribution of about 35 kilograms of burial spices which would cost a small fortune. This amount of burial spice was usually used to bury kings … which is exactly what Jesus was. It is an overwhelming response of commitment to the Saviour who Nicodemus loved.
Like Joseph, Nicodemus shows his true colours after Jesus dies, even though he has so much to lose. They had to make a choice, and for them their choice was obvious.
No longer are they happy to be known as Pharisees – with all the rule-keeping and hypocritical life-styles. They were tired of the show, and the haggling over legalistic details and the stifling of God’s love.
At the moment siding with Jesus was is more important than reputation, position and income – and they knew that Jesus was a key in this process. It was a choice between the crowd and the cross.
That is who Joseph and Nicodemus.
Two Pharisees putting their reputation on the line to bury Jesus.
Two men willing to cover the cost of doing so.
Followers of Judaism who have now had a change of heart.
How does all this tie in with the authenticity of Jesus’ resurrection? Well it comes down to what is actually happening, and what should have been happening.
What is happening
Here we are seeing the most unlikely circumstances and the most ambiguous people being used to take care of the body of Jesus. Joseph and Nicodemus – members of the ruling council.
What should have been happening
It should have been the disciples going to Pilate and asking for the body of Jesus – after all He is their closest friend, and their master. But, more than that, the disciples have every reason to expect that this situation is only a temporary situation. Because Jesus clearly taught the disciples that He was going to rise from the dead.
Less than 6 months earlier Jesus let His disciples know what was going to happen.
Jesus began to explain to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Matthew 16:21
Even on the night of His arrest Jesus reminded them.
Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of Me, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."
Matthew 26:31-32
What should have been happening at the foot of the cross was the 11 disciples standing around Jesus’ body discussing were they are going to put Him for three days until He comes alive.
Instead we find that the disciples have gone into hiding. They are fearful for their lives and don’t want to be associated with Him at all … even if that means denying Him a dignified end.
Instead of the disciples it is Joseph of Arimathea who went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And it is two members of the Jewish council tenderly leaning over His body, removing the nails which held Him fast, and wrapping His body with linen and spices.
As Jesus is laid in that tomb we are given a clear picture that those with the most to lose are those most responsible for the final farewell.
The ones who should have been making preparations for the resurrection of Jesus are nowhere to be seen.
The ones who will face the wrath of the Sanhedrin because of their identification with Jesus are the ones who are making the hasty burial arrangements.
The place of where Jesus is buried is witnessed by many and known to many. There were women watching Joseph and Nicodemus. The soldiers guarded the right tomb. There are witnesses to say Jesus was alone in the tomb. Witnesses who saw the rock being rolled over the entrance. Witnesses who saw the Roman guards put a seal on the rock.
Now here is an important question.
Is it possible that Jesus was not dead, or that the disciples somehow switched bodies, or that the disciples were able to make up some sort of conspiracy?
Not at all.
The key players are nowhere to be seen.
Those who bury Jesus risk much and gain nothing – they should have been home, but they weren’t.
There is no chance to switch bodies, or confuse burial sites.
There is no question about the death of Jesus.
This is a picture of final farewells – everyone thought the road had come to an end.
Even those closest to Jesus. But it is not the end … in fact it is just the beginning.
At the burial of Jesus everyone thought the end had come.
When Jesus rose from the dead He took everyone by surprise.
The guards are taken by surprise. Even if they were not like dead men when the angel rolled the stone away they couldn’t have stopped Jesus – He was already gone before the stone was rolled away.
The women who came early on Sunday morning were surprised. The angel of the Lord came and rolled back the stone. No one walked out of the tomb at that point yet the place where Jesus laid was empty.
The disciples were surprised. Peter and John went to check out the tomb after the report of the women; and they were still left wondering what had happened.
The temple leaders were surprised. They had to pay the soldiers a large sum of money to start a rumour – incidentally the rumour they start, the one which said they slept while on guard duty, was a rumour that could lead to the death of a soldier for neglect of duty.
It’s a surprise because Jesus was dead – and everyone knew it. The fact that He has come to life means that Jesus is the authentic Saviour.
We can be sure that the sceptics are wrong when they try to deny the resurrection of Jesus. And that leaves us all with a very significant question.
Are you willing to accept that Jesus rose from the dead so that you could be brought into a relationship with God and given eternal life?
It is not a question of “if these events have occurred” it is a question of “what is your response going to be?”
God promised to give us life through the coming to life of Jesus. That promise is made secure at the resurrection.
God promised to take away all hindrances which stop us from coming to Him in faith. That promise is secured at the resurrection.
God promised that whoever believes in the Son will not perish but have eternal life. That promise is secured at the resurrection.
Do you trust those promises? Trusting the fact that Jesus was really dead – and that He has really come to give us eternal life.
The authentic resurrection means you can’t sit on the fence anymore. And let us not think young people are the only ones who sit on the fence. As soon as we stop growing in our faith and our walk with God we become “fence-sitters” – an authentic resurrection doesn’t allow us to do so.
The authentic resurrection means you must take the step of making yourself an active member of the body of Christ – which is the church. We can’t go through life being “pew-warmers”.
The authentic resurrection means you need to commit yourself to the service of God in the world. As God’s servant Christ gave His life and set the example – as followers of Jesus we put that servant hood into action.
The authentic resurrection means you will do your best not to be silent disciples. To be a silent disciples means denying your true self – we can’t help but be those who witness to the one who has given His life.
But most of all the authentic resurrection means there is no reason for scepticism and hesitation. We don’t have to be side-tracked by those who try and tell us Jesus death and resurrection is a myth. Instead we focus on that which is of most importance – that which secures our eternal salvation. For to lose trust in the resurrection of Jesus is to lose trust in eternity itself.
Jesus’ burial serves as a testimony to the fact that Jesus did really die. And He really rose again. If Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were willing to give up all for the sake of serving what they thought was a dead and buried Jesus. How much more should we be willing to go on and give all as we serve a risen Saviour?
Look at the resurrection and see its authenticity.
It’s time to put scepticism aside. It’s time to let reality take over.
Jesus has risen and He is making a claim on our lives.
Prayer
