WITH A RICH MAN IN HIS DEATH (Mark 15:42-47)
INTRODUCTION:
We have seen the sovereignty of God throughout the crucifixion. God worked providentially through the circumstances and the people to bring about the death of His Son so that His plan of redemption might be accomplished. Throughout the pages of both the Old and New Testament we learn that God has absolute sovereignty over every person and every event in the universe, always moving history to bring about His purposes and to fulfill His promises. We see this providential working of God in many places in Scripture just as we saw it in the sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God through His crucifixion.
In our Scripture reading this morning from 1st Corinthians 15, Paul’s great discourse on the resurrection and the truth and importance of it, begins by identifying for us three critical, historic facts that give us the essence of the gospel. He wrote, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NASB95)[1] These verses tell us that between the crucifixion and the resurrection another event of fundamental importance occurs, that is the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ. This event is so important that all four Gospels record it because it both affirmed the deity of the Lord Jesus, and it proved the truthfulness of the Scriptures. Both the Old Testament and Jesus predicted that He would rise from the dead and to do so He would have to be buried. Though the burial of Jesus Christ did not involve miracles like those that accompanied the crucifixion and the resurrection, Jesus’ burial displayed the glory and sovereignty of God by highlighting for us the wonder of God’s providence to fulfill Scripture even in His Son’s burial. Let’s pray and then get into our passage of Scripture.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles to Mark 15:42-47, we will finish up this chapter this morning. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word, and follow along as I read.
Mark 15:42-47,
“When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.” (Mark 15:42–47, NASB95)[2]
ROMAN SOLDIERS (John 19:31-37)
God’s sovereign control over the burial of His Son began while He was still on the cross. Remember that it was a group of four soldiers and their commanding officer in charge of the execution of the three men being crucified. These soldiers had no particular interest in Jesus Christ other than to carry out the orders of their commander and the orders of Pilate. We learned last week that Jesus died about 3:00 pm having laid down His life by His own authority. But the same was not true of the two criminals that were crucified with Him, they were still alive as the afternoon began to turn into evening. The religious leaders wanted to make sure that the law of Moses was kept, which did not allow a body to be left hanging on a tree overnight. This needed to be followed especially because John tells us that the Sabbath was a high day, this Sabbath was special because the first day of unleavened bread fell on it, making it a high day. So, the religious leaders wanted the bodies of all three men removed before the Sabbath began (which according to the Jewish reckoning of time began at sundown, or approximately at 6:00 pm on what we would call Friday evening.) What is incredible about this is the fact that these same religious leaders had just participated in the murder of an innocent Man, their Messiah, but at the same time they sought to very carefully keep the law of Moses in their self-righteous efforts to avoid religious defilement.
The religious leaders knew that the Romans would not remove the bodies of the executed until they were dead. John tells us that they went to Pilate again to ask him to speed up the process of the execution. John writes in John 19:31, “Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” (John 19:31, NASB95)[3] As I already told you that for a crucified victim to breathe they had to push themselves up with their legs, this would allow their diaphragm to stretch making it possible to draw air into the lungs. Soldiers would make death come more quickly by using a massive iron mallet to crush the femurs of both legs. This made it impossible for the victim to push up for air, and the victim would die of suffocation in just a short time.
Pilate once again gave into the religious leaders and sent to the order to break the legs so that the victims could be removed before sundown. John informs us in chapter 19, verses 32-33, “So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.” (John 19:32–33, NASB95)[4] These Roman soldiers were professional executioners, and they knew when a crucified victim was truly dead. To be sure, John tells us, “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.” (John 19:34, NASB95)[5] The flow of blood and water demonstrated beyond any doubt that Jesus was no longer alive.
What these soldiers decided to do when they came to Jesus and found Him already dead must have seemed like the practical thing to do, since He was dead they chose not to break His legs and instead pierced His side with a spear. In making this decision caused them to fulfill two Old Testament messianic prophecies. John mentions both of them, the first prophesied in Psalm 34:20 says of the Messiah that “He keeps all his bones, Not one of them is broken.” (Psalm 34:20, NASB95)[6] The second Old Testament prophecy is from the Zechariah 12:10 and predicts that the Messiah would be pierced, which was fulfilled by a Roman spear at Golgotha. These soldiers would not have been aware of these prophesies from a Jewish book, and even if they had known about them, they would have had no motivation to try and fulfill them. Yet their behavior was guided by the hand of God that everything written concerning the Son of God would be perfectly accomplished so that the Messiahship of Jesus was completely confirmed.
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA (Mark 15:42-43)
The providence of God is again displayed during the final few hours before sunset on Friday through an unexpected follower of Jesus Christ. Mark in our passage for this morning begins by explaining, “When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea came.” (Mark 15:42–43a, NASB95)[7] We will learn that He came to take care of the body of Jesus and to give Him a proper burial. We do not know much about Joseph of Arimathea; this event is the only place that he is mentioned in Scripture. The exact location of the town of Arimathea is unknown, though there is some evidence that it is the same place where the prophet Samuel was born. At the birth of Samuel, it would have been in the territory allotted to the tribe of Ephraim. In the first century it was a part of Judea that was governed by Pontus Pilate. Luke also explains that Arimathea was a city of the Jews giving further evidence that it was in Judea. If it is the birthplace of the prophet Samuel, it is about 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
Mark goes onto explain that this Joseph was “… a prominent member of the Council.” (Mark 15:43b, NASB95)[8] What does that mean? It means that He was one of the seventy members of the Sanhedrin, the same Sanhedrin that had falsely accused, wrongly convicted, and illegally sentenced Jesus to death earlier that morning. Joseph was not like the other members of the Sanhedrin. Luke tells us in Luke 23:50 about “…a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man” (Luke 23:50, NASB95)[9] Joseph had been brought to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was a member of the Sanhedrin, Luke 23:51 explains that “…he had not consented to their plan and action.” (Luke 23:51, NASB95)[10] He had not gone along with the rest of the religious leaders and illegally condemned an innocent man. Most likely he was not even present when the illegal trial of Jesus had taken place.
Both Matthew and John describe Joseph of Arimathea as a disciple of Jesus, which tells us that he was a true believer whom Mark and Luke describe as one, “…who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.” (Mark 15:43c, NASB95)[11] Joseph was most likely a Pharisee, and he understood the Old Testament promises of salvation, and had come to the conviction that the Lord Jesus was the messianic king that was promised. John tells us that he kept his opinions to himself for fear of the Jews (John 19:38). Maybe he had inwardly cheered when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Monday to the shouting of messianic expectations from the people. When Jesus cleansed the temple, Joseph may have agreed with what Jesus had done and seen it as a righteous act of cleansing that needed to occur. He eagerly hoped that Jesus would bring in the Old Testament promises concerning the messianic kingdom. But when Jesus was crucified, those hopes turned to heartbreak.
After a crucified victim was declared dead, the body would be taken from the cross and be disposed of in one of two ways, if family had been bold enough to come forward and ask for the body it would be given to them, if the body was not asked for it would be tossed into a hastily made common grave or it might even be thrown in the city’s garbage dump. With the women still lingering at the cross and John caring for Mary, and the other apostles having fled, the request to claim the body of Jesus came from an unexpected place. Joseph of Arimathea motivated by love and sympathy for the Lord Jesus as Mark explains, “… and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43c, NASB95)[12] The phrase translated “gathered up courage” means “to dare” or “to be bold.” Joseph realized that if he took the body of Jesus and gave Him a proper burial, this action would bring him under the scrutiny of some other members of the Sanhedrin because they would understand that he was a follower of Jesus, his loyalty would be exposed. This was the reason Joseph had to gather up courage because he would later have to face those who had condemned Jesus to die and answer for his actions. He could no longer remain quiet about his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and belief that He was the Messiah of Israel.
PONTIUS PILATE (Mark 15:44-45)
Remember the religious leaders had requested that Pilate hasten the death of the crucified by breaking their legs so they could be off the crosses before the Sabbath began at sunset. Pilate sent the order to his soldiers to hasten the execution but was still waiting for confirmation that the bodies were dead when Joseph of Arimathea arrived. Mark writes, “Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.” (Mark 15:44–45, NASB95)[13] Having received the permission, Joseph went out to Golgotha to claim the lifeless body of Jesus.
From a human point of view, Joseph, a prominent and wealthy man (Matthew 27:57), was motivated by a desire to honor Jesus. Joseph wanted to see Jesus buried properly and not just dumped in a mass grave, or worse yet thrown into Jerusalem’s garbage dump. From a divine point of view, God was guiding everything, He guided Joseph’s actions to fulfill biblical prophecy. Centuries before this day, the prophet Isaiah had written concerning the Suffering Servant, and he predicted in Isaiah 53:9, “His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9, NASB95)[14] This is a prophecy that cannot be fully comprehended until after Jesus died. But once He had died, it becomes clear, the Romans planned to discard His body as if He were a common criminal, but God made sure that His Son’s body was properly buried in the tomb of a prominent and wealthy man.
JESUS CHRIST’S BURIAL (Mark 15:46-47)
God was also at the burial, working to make sure everything happened according to His divine schedule. The timing was crucial because Jesus’ body had to be in the tomb for at least a part of three different days because this is what Jesus had predicted. To assure this took place, God moved the religious leaders in their own self-righteousness to demand that the bodies be taken down while it was still Friday. God then prompted Pilate to grant their request. Then, God compelled Joseph to be courageous and request the body of Jesus and God again moved the governor to give permission. Now, God gave Joseph all that was necessary to secure, transport, prepare, and bury Jesus’ body, and to do it all before the Sabbath began so that He was in the tomb on Friday.
The Jews did not embalm which explains why “Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth.” (Mark 15:46a, NASB95)[15] The body was wrapped using cloth strips that were packed with aromatic spices to combat the odors caused by decomposition. In preparing the body of Jesus for burial, Joseph was not alone. John explains in his gospel, “Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” (John 19:39–40, NASB95)[16] Nicodemus was a prominent Jewish teacher who had come and met with Jesus under the cover of darkness, early in Jesus’ ministry. Nicodemus, like Joseph, also was a member of the Sanhedrin. Like Joseph, Nicodemus also believed that Jesus was the Messiah and had put his faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation. His desire to honor Christ in His death and burial is seen in the large amount of spices he had brought. After removing the body from the cross, transporting it to the burial site, washing the blood and grime off the body, they wrapped it in the linen cloth wrapping the spices in with the body.
When all this was complete, Joseph and Nicodemus laid Jesus’ body “…in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.” (Mark 15:46b, NASB95)[17] Matthew tells us that it was Joseph’s own tomb (Matthew 27:60); and John tells us that it was located in a garden near Golgotha. In ancient Israel as elsewhere, it was common for tombs to be reused. The body would decompose until only bones were left; then the bones would be collected in an ossuary, which is like a stone box, and the tomb would become available for someone else. But Luke and John inform us that Joseph placed Jesus in a tomb in which no one had been buried, a new tomb. To secure the tomb and keep people and animals out a large stone was rolled against the entrance of the tomb. All this was completed before sundown on Friday, in keeping with God’s plan that Jesus would rise on the third day.
Mark tells us that some of the women who had lingered at the cross, were still there when Joseph came to claim the body of Jesus. Mark informs us that “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.” (Mark 15:47, NASB95)[18] The Scripture does not indicate that they knew Joseph, but they followed to see where they were taking the body for burial. So, they saw the reverence with which Joseph and Nicodemus laid the body of Jesus in the tomb. Then they all returned to Jerusalem before sunset.
Matthew informs us that the next day, the Sabbath, the chief priests again approached Pilate. Matthew writes in Matthew 27:62-66, “Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, ‘Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, “After three days I am to rise again.” Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, “He has risen from the dead,” and the last deception will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.’ And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.” (Matthew 27:62–66, NASB95)[19] The religious leaders were concerned the disciples would steal the body of Jesus. The truth is the deserting and disorganized disciples had no such plan. The fact that they did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead is seen in the fact that they went into hiding. They were fearful that the religious leaders would be after them next. And also, if they would have stolen the body of Jesus and faked the resurrection, they would have never given their lives as martyrs for what they knew was a fraud. The intent of the religious leaders was to prevent a hoax. But the truth is that in the providence of God, their actions unknowingly validated the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. Because the Lord Jesus’ enemies sealed the tomb and put it under Roman guard, they made it impossible for the body of Jesus to be removed, unless He did in fact rise from the dead. Though they later claimed the disciples stole the body, their claims were falsified by their own actions. The security measures they put in place around the tomb made sure that the disciples could not have stolen the body of Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
When we consider the details that had to take place for the burial of Jesus to happen as it did and to fulfill prophecy we can clearly see that it took place as it did because the sovereign Lord was providentially guiding it all. The uncaring Roman soldiers, the loving followers, and the hostile religious leaders all acted in keeping with their own motives and desires. Yet, whether they didn’t care, or where sympathetic, or if they were antagonistic toward Jesus, their actions accomplished God’s predestined and sovereign will. This was seen in the fact that the Messiah’s legs were not broken; His side was pierced; He was with a rich man in His burial; His body was in the grave for three days; and His tomb was sealed and guarded by His enemies, making it impossible for His disciples to steal His body, which affirms the truth of His resurrection. This truth that God is intimately involved in this world that He created should give us great comfort. He is always providentially working to bring about His plan and purposes in this world, and He will continue to move it toward the climax that He has already determined and informed us about. As the preacher S.M. Lockridge once said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s a comin!”
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[12]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[13]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[14]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[15]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[16]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[17]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[18]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[19]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.