BY DAWN REED
Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the Bible is alive and active, meaning it applies to today, it applies to now. No matter how many times we read it, we can find something new and exciting – like buried treasure – hidden in the pages.
It is not your grandmother’s big white coffee table Bible with the skinny picture of Jesus on the front. The one nobody ever read, only opening it to add obituary notices and wedding announcements printed on the society page of the newspaper.
When we open the Bible, we hold the very breath of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Whether we begin in Genesis or skip around to read, it is eye-opening, life-guiding and changing, good for teaching, correcting, and training.
Our high school Sunday School class has been comparing Jesus’ death, burial, and Resurrection recorded in the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each gospel has an account of the events. All four mention Joseph of Arimathea.
We know from Matthew 27:57-59 that he had become a disciple of Jesus, went to Pilate, and asked for His body. Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in linen cloth.
It is such a sweet thing that there was a Joseph (of Nazareth) at the beginning of Jesus’ human life who wrapped Him in cloths and also a Joseph who was with Him at His death. He also wrapped Jesus’ body in cloth.
You may know how everything went. Luke 23 tells us Joseph took down Jesus’ body, wrapped it, and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock. John 20 reveals that Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple because he feared the Jews. He received Pilate’s permission to take the body of Jesus. Nicodemus was with him and helped. They wrapped Jesus’ body with spices and laid it in a tomb.
Mark 15 and Matthew 27 report the same, but Matthew shares one tidbit I had previously missed.
Verses 59-60 say, “Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.” HEhad cut out of the rock. Joseph, himself, had cut the tomb out of the rock.
The Life Application Study Bible comments: “The tomb where Jesus was laid was probably a man-made cave out of one of the many limestone hills in the area. These caves were often large enough to walk into.” Talk about a big job. How many hours/days would that have taken?
There were surely times throughout his chiseling when Joseph got bored or aggravated; it must have seemed never-ending. Still, he kept going. Did he sing while he worked to pass the time or groan with frustration? It was Joseph’s taking-forever task. God used the time he invested for something important.
Are you serving in a hard place that seems to have no visible results? Are you planting and watering but have not seen a harvest? Is there a prayer you have been praying that seems unanswered? Keep chiseling. Keep working. Keep praying. Keep going. Do not quit.
Joseph finished the tomb. It stood empty, waiting for the moment it would be used.
Jesus inhabited it for a short time. He walked out of it three days later. And we have not stopped talking about it.
We cannot celebrate the Resurrection without the tomb. We would not have the tomb without the hard work of Joseph behind the scenes. Thank you, Joseph, for your ministry to our precious Savior.