I. Introduction
A. On the day of my big job interview I woke up late. Frantically I threw on a suit. “OH NO!” I thought. “MY TIE! My Dad was out of town and wasn’t there to help me, and for the life of me I did not know how to tie a tie! I grabbed a tie and ran out the door. “Excuse me sir,” I said to the crossing guard, “I have an important job interview, can you please help me make this tie?!” Sure” said the guard, “just lie down on this bench.” Well if someone was going to help me I wasn’t going to ask any questions. After he finished and the tie looked good I just had to ask why I had to lie down. “Well in my previous job I learned how to tie tie’s on other people when they were lying down. He replied. What was your previous job? I asked incredulously. He answered, “I was a funeral director.”
1. In Scripture, in several incidents, we learn something about the funeral practices of the Jewish people in Jesus time.
a. Turn to Luke 7:11-13
2. It so happens that Jesus was present at several funerals
Luke 7:11-13 (NKJV)
Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. {12} And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. {13} When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."
a. The funeral involved many people, weeping and wailing
b. Some people could afford to hire professional mourners
(1) To weep and wale for the deceased
3. We read about Jairus’s daughter and the mourners weeping and wailing
a. Do you believe that a person should be mourned at their death?
b. I read a saying on the wall of a funeral home which read, something to the effect that one measure of a civilization is the treatment of their dead
c. I am in full agreement with our military tradition, “No one left behind”
(1) We still fly the POW/MIA flag on our county flag pole
(2) As it should be
4. But, do you realize that Jesus did not have a funeral?
a. Some must have wept
b. Some cared
c. But, there was no funeral
B. We move along, as we turn to Matthew 27:50
Matthew 27:50 (NKJV)
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
1. Jesus is dead
a. Lets turn to Luke 23:46 to confirm this fact
Luke 23:46 (NKJV)
And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last.
2. Jesus is dead
a. Turn to John 19:31-34
II. Body
A. Broken legs
John 19:31-34 (NKJV)
Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. {32} Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. {33} But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. {34} But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
1. Preparation Day
a. Remember this was Friday
b. The next day was the Sabbath Day
c. According to Mosaic Law, a body hanged on a tree was not to be left over night
(1) Turn to Deuteronomy 21:22-23
(2) The body was to be buried before sundown
(3) Leaving the body hanging would desecrate the land
Deuteronomy 21:22-23 (NKJV)
"If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, {23} "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.
d. Three men were crucified
(1) Evidently the thieves were still alive
(a) Since it was the day before a most Holy day, the Jews did not want the bodies to hang on the crosses over night, according to Mosaic Law, they were to be buried that day
(b) Remember that some who were crucified hung on their cross as long as 9 days
(c) Until every once of strength was finally gone and they could no longer hold themselves up to breath
(d) Jesus was dead, Scripture says, “He breathed His last”
i) I can only imagine that Jesus just allowed His body to sag thus cutting off His air supply, voluntarily giving up His spirit
(2) The Jews wanted it over with
(a) Break their legs, so that they can not push themselves us to breath
(b) Jesus died about 3 in the afternoon
(c) There would still be 3 hours, by their reckoning before evening
(d) We can’t say how long after Jesus died that the Lord and His two fellow crucified men remained on the cross
(e) Notice that when the soldiers went to break the legs of the men, they found that Jesus was already dead
(f) Instead of breaking His legs, one soldier ran a spear into His side
i) John points out that what came out from His side was blood and water
ii) This proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that He was dead
a) Please turn to Mark 15:42-45
B. Further proof that Jesus was dead
Mark 15:42-45 (NKJV)
Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, {43} Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. {44} Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. {45} So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
1. Now, it is evening, about 6 p.m.
a. It has been determined that Jesus was dead
b. Joseph of Arimathea, a secret believer asked Pilate for Jesus body
(1) Note Marks comments about Joseph
(a) A prominent council member
i) Coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus
(2) Joseph was a believer, but he was afraid of the Jews, he was, after all, a member of the Sanhedren
(a) But, went it came to the Lord, he worked up the courage to ask for Jesus body
(b) We must understand that those who were crucified, when they were taken down from the cross their bodies were normally thrown onto the trash heap and burned
i) Turn to John 19:38-39
(c) Jesus body would have been thrown onto the trash heap and burned as well, but Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus asked for Jesus body
John 19:38-39 (NKJV)
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. {39} And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.
(3) Both Joseph and Nicodemus were believers, but note want John says, “a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews”
(a) Turn to Psalms 16:10
(b) But, here both stick their necks out to claim Jesus body
(c) In order to give Him a decent burial
Psalms 16:10 (NKJV)
For You will not leave my soul in Hell, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
(d) Then turn to Acts 2:29-31
2. Peter spoke after the resurrection and ascension concerning Jesus resurrection
Acts 2:29-31 (NKJV)
"Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. {30} "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, {31} "he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
a. God could have reassembled Jesus molecules even if He had been burnt
(1) Turn to Isaiah 53:9
(2) But Joseph and Nicodemus gave Jesus a decent burial in a borrowed tomb
Isaiah 53:9 (NKJV)
And they made His grave with the wicked; But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
(a) The Jews and the Romans planned to throw Jesus upon the trash heap and burn His body
(b) But, that the Scripture might be fulfilled
(c) Joseph and Nicodemus asked for Jesus body wrapped it and placed it in a rich man’s borrowed tomb
i) I want to go back to Mark 15:43 - 45
b. To see another proof that Jesus was dead
Mark 15:43-45 (NKJV)
Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. {44} Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. {45} So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
(1) Pilate wondered if Jesus was really dead, so he asked the centurion who had crucified Jesus if Jesus was really dead
(2) The centurion knew death when he saw it and he assured Pilate that Jesus was in fact dead
(3) So, Pilate allowed Joseph and Nicodemus to take the body and bury it
(a) Turn to Numbers 19:11
3. The great step taken by Joseph and Nicodemus
Numbers 19:11 (NKJV)
'He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days.
a. Remember the next day was going to be a high Holy day
b. Joseph and Nicodemus really stuck their necks out for Jesus
(1) They prepared His body for burial
(2) Thus defiling themselves for seven days
(3) So that they could not participate in the Holy convocation the next day
(4) Being defiled, they would also be excluded from the Sanhedren for those 7 days
(a) Turn to Matthew 27:57-60
C. .Jesus was buried, placed in Joseph’s tomb
Matthew 27:57-60 (NKJV)
Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. {58} This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. {59} When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, {60} and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
1. Notice that Matthew tells us that Jesus was placed in Joseph’s new tomb
a. Turn to Mark 15:46
b. Joseph bought fine clean linen to wrap Jesus body
Mark 15:46 (NKJV)
Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
(1) Turn to John 19:39-41
2. Nicodemus brought about a hundred pounds of prepared burial spices to prepare Jesus body in the custom of the Jews
John 19:39-41 (NKJV)
And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. {40} Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. {41} Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
a. Now turn to Matthew 27:61
3. The women saw the burial
Matthew 27:61 (NKJV)
And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
a. Mark agrees with the Matthew account about the women who saw where Jesus was buried
b. In Luke 23:55 - 56, Luke does not name the women, but he does describe their activities
Luke 23:55-56 (NKJV)
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.
(1) On the Sabbath Day, the Jewish officials went to Pilate asking for a detail of soldiers to guard Jesus’ tomb
(2) Matthew 27:62 - 66 tells us about this petition by the Jews
Matthew 27:62-66 (NKJV)
On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, {63} saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.' {64} "Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first." {65} Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." {66} So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
4. Every possible precaution was taken to insure that Jesus body remained in the tomb
a. And aren’t we glad that Jesus was dead
(1) I mean really dead
(2) Aren’t we glad that Jesus suffered such horrendous torture at the hands of Jews and Gentiles
(3) Aren’t we glad, because it made it possible for us to avoid hell
b. We know that Jews and gentiles did everything they could to keep Jesus dead
(1) But, we know that no matter what precautions they took, it was a futile effort
(2) And aren’t we glad
