Jesus’ Burial

Governor Pilate, may I enter?

Yes, come in, Joseph of Arimathea. I’m glad that weird darkness has passed! It covered the whole land after they nailed that Galilean to the cross, the one some of you call King of the Jews.

Sir, please let me take His body. I’ll take it down from the cross and care for it in a proper way. I shall wrap His body in clean linen cloth and lay it in my own new tomb.

You may have it as soon as the soldiers inform me that that He’s dead, Joseph of Arimathea. I’ve heard you’re a good citizen.

(Speaking to the audience…) I prepared Jesus’ body and laid it in my own new tomb. I had it hewn out of solid rock. I then learned that priests had also gone to Pilate to make a request.

Governor Pilate, we recall that when that deceiver was still alive that He said, “After three days I am to rise again.” Therefore, please give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away. They’ll tell the people that He has risen from the dead, and the last deception will be worse than the first.

Soldiers! Go with these priests and make that grave secure.

Yes, Sir. No one will get past us!

The soldiers came, rolled a huge stone against the entrance of the tomb, and stayed, standing guard. Oh, Mary Magdalene is watching. She’s shy. Jesus freed her from seven demons. And now other women have come to mourn Jesus; they are sitting near the tomb.

It’s all over. How sad! How sad!

Night came and passed. The next day, God the Son kept the Sabbath, and gave its keeping an entirely new meaning. That Day of Rest divided all history:

Before that day…     God’s people lived under the Law given to Moses.

During that Day…     His body lay in total repose in a tomb, in a realm in which, up to that time, the devil had dominion and kept his captives in death’s darkness.

Following that day…  Jesus rose and raised death’s captives with Him. Thus began the New Covenant by which God saves sinners by grace through faith in Jesus.