The Burial (Luke 23:50-56)

The accounts of the burial of Jesus in the gospels are clear, straightforward, and unvaried. Luke agrees with Matthew and Mark, and we see Jesus buried in the tomb Friday through Sunday. The death is real and uncontested. It also fulfills more Old Testament prophecies about Jesus. (See Isaiah 53:9, for example.)

A man of high standing, part of the Jewish religious leadership, and seemingly rich, named Joseph, approached Pilate for Jesus’ body. Luke tells us that he was a righteous man, not in agreement with the council concerning the condemnation of Jesus, and that he was “looking for the kingdom.” Not all of the Jewish leaders were against Jesus. Clearly, not all of the Jews were either, considering the many other disciples Jesus had. We read also, that many women observed the burial and made plans for preparing the body more thoroughly after the Sabbath.

My question is, what must it have been like for these disciples that Friday night through the whole Saturday? Before the crucifixion of Jesus, there were people placing their hopes in God, and following Jesus hoping He was the Messiah. After the resurrection of Christ, we have been able to place our hopes in God looking back to that event, with the conviction that He is the Messiah. But what were those hours like between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning?

Whenever we feel like God’s plans for us have failed, when we can’t see how God is working behind the scenes to accomplish His will, it might do us well to consider these early followers and what they went through.