Scriptures:
Matthew 27:57-61
Mark 15:42-46
Luke 23:50-55
John 19:38-41
Reflection:
It is worth reading the four gospel accounts of Joseph, because each writer tells us a fact about him omitted by the others.
Putting them all together, we know that Joseph (not to be confused with at least two other Josephs in the Gospels) came from the town of Arimathea in Judaea, the exact location of which is unknown to us today. He was rich, and perhaps because of that, or because he was known to be a ‘good and upright man’, he was a ‘prominent’ member of the ruling Jewish body called the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.
He ‘had not consented to their decision and action’ to arrest and execute Jesus, because Joseph was a secret follower of Jesus. However, unlike Pilate’s wife, he seems not to have spoken out, because he was afraid of the Jewish leadership.
Pressures in our society today still encourage this sort of fear. How many disciples of Jesus are hidden in offices, professions, political parties, schools and colleges and leisure venues – keeping their faith under wraps because it just is not ‘cool’ to be too obvious about it there? It can certainly be hard to be Christian among our friends, work colleagues, family, fellow club members or neighbours. A Christian who goes public is not always welcome.
So, sometimes Joseph is portrayed as a weak, conflicted man, not able to stand up for what he believed. But on the other hand, perhaps he tried to use his position to influence people from the inside, and thus protect Jesus.
Following the death of Jesus, however, he seems to have found new courage, because he went to Governor Pilate to request the body of Jesus. What did he risk in doing this? The loss of his reputation; the ridicule of his peers; expulsion from the Sanhedrin and maybe even the loss of his wealth.
Nevertheless, he took the body publicly, provided the spices and linen cloths to prepare it for burial ‘in accordance with Jewish burial customs’, and then laid Jesus in his own, unused tomb, which he no doubt had purchased at great cost. It is interesting to note that his helper in this was another secret disciple, Nicodemus, who was also a member of the Sanhedrin. He had previously visited Jesus at night, possibly because he, too, was afraid.
Joseph would not have realised that in his actions, he was fulfilling a prophecy of the prophet Isaiah, written hundreds of years before: ‘He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth’ (Isaiah 53:9). Once again, the fulfilment of prophecy confirms Jesus’ identity as the Messiah and Son of God.
Here, then, was a man who was ultimately willing to stand up for truth, even though it was being denied all around him, and even though he knew there would be a cost to himself.
Prayer:
We pray, Lord, for strength and courage
To stand up for the truth, even in the face of opposition.
We pray for believers in offices and factories,
Schools and colleges,
Civil Service and political office.
May they have the courage to stand up for the truth,
Even in the face of opposition.
AMEN
Songs:
God in my Grave – a monologue
Food for Thought:
Do the people whom you meet/work/socialise with regularly know that you are a follower of Jesus? How can you change your behaviour or conversation so that it is clearly seen?