The Burial of Jesus Part 1

Introduction: The Significance of Christ's Burial

0:04 This sermon was preached on Sunday morning, June 10th, 1990, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey.

0:14 Now let us turn together in the Word of God to Mark chapter 15, and this morning we shall read together the final paragraph of that chapter, Mark 15, verses 42 through 47. And then we shall turn and read several verses from 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Mark 15 and verse 42.

0:44 And when even was now come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, there came Joseph of Arimathea, a counselor of honorable estate, who also himself was looking for the kingdom of God. And he boldly went in unto Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate was already dead. And calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he were already dead.

1:24 And he called unto him the centurion, and he granted the corpse to Joseph. And he bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him on the ground, and he was buried. And he came in a tomb, which had been hewn out of a rock, and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where he was laid.

1:55 And now 1 Corinthians 15, verses 1. The gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. Delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received,

2:38 that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, raised on the third day to the Scriptures. Now let us pray.

3:00 Of which we have sung, that Christ himself, by the Spirit, ministering with and through the Word, will draw near to us this morning. Let us pray. We are thankful that we have ordained that Christ, in his own Word. And yet we know that it is not automatically true that he draws near, but only as you are pleased by the ministry of the Spirit, to open our hearts, to open the eyes of our understanding,

3:40 to enable your servant to preach, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much conviction. Send then your Spirit upon preacher and people alike, to the end that Christ himself shall come to us, in his own Word this morning. We ask in his name. In Jesus' name.

4:05 Amen. These positions in the Gospel of Mark bring us this morning to Mark's account of our Lord's burial. I would confess at the very beginning of our meditation that prior to my preparation for this morning's ministry and also next Lord's Day morning ministry, I have an image of and appreciation of this most significant incident,

4:42 namely, the burial of our Lord Jesus was in many ways woefully deficient. I cannot remember a time in my life when I ever doubted the scriptural witness concerning the burial of Jesus. I cannot remember a time prior to or after my conversion when I did not confess as a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith that Jesus Christ was the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was indeed buried in Joseph's tomb.

5:18 However, I do confess that my appreciation of and my knowledge of the tremendous significance of the burial has been woefully deficient. That deficiency has in great measure been counteracted by the hours of study, some of which have been a sheer delight, I trust if your condition was anything like mine was, that something of the delight of my own heart will also be yours as a result of our meditations together.

6:00 An event such as this, described in detail by all four gospel writers, must indeed be one of great significance. Furthermore, it is an event, according to 1 Corinthians 15, and that's why I read the passage, that is crucial to our salvation. To put it bluntly, if you don't believe that Jesus Christ was buried, you will be damned. Just as much as you will be damned if you do not believe that he died for our sins and that he rose again.

6:41 For nestled between the statement of the fundamental elements of the gospel, in 1 Corinthians 15, focusing upon his death and his resurrection, is the fact of his burial. And the apostle says, you are saved if you hold fast to these faith tenets of the gospel, namely, Christ dying for our sins, Christ being buried, Christ being raised from the dead.

7:19 But not only did my preparation increase my understanding of the strategic place of this complex of events surrounding the burial of our Lord Jesus, as those events relate to our salvation, but I came to a new appreciation of how significant the burial of our Lord is in terms of His own life history.

7:51 In a very real sense, the burial of our Lord Jesus constitutes the bridge between the depths of His humiliation and the heights of His exaltation. You see, His humiliation came to its lowest depths when the King of Terrors stands over our Lord and beholds Him stretched out on a slab in a borrowed tomb.

8:23 The brittle and the bruising, all of the bearing of the wrath and everything connected with the cross takes Him down, down, down until He's deposited in a tomb. With the King of Terrors no doubt mocking and laughing and the host of hell thinking that they have had the last word with reference to Jesus of Nazareth. He is finished exalting His Son after the resurrection.

9:06 He gives Him, according to Ephesians 1, a place far above all principality and power and might and dominion. And every name that is named. Not only in this age, but in that which is to come. And the bridge between the depths of His humiliation and the heights of His exaltation is to be found in the incidents connected with His burial.

The Providential Nature of Christ's Burial

9:35 For you see, as one commentator has very perceptibly noted, that there is nothing in this history more striking than the sudden change. Not only in the narrative. But in the incidents themselves, as soon as the work of expiation, that is, His death upon the cross, is accomplished. As before this, everything was providentially so ordered as to aggravate and almost exaggerate our Lord's humiliation.

10:09 So now the same extraordinary providence is visible, protecting His remains from profanation. And securing them an honorable burial preparatory to His resurrection. The insults of the soldiers and the rabble and the rulers are now followed by the tenderest attentions of refined and tender friendship. The scourge, the buffet and the spittle, now followed by delicate perfumes and spices.

10:43 A thorny crown replaced with pure white linen. Where no corpse, the special divine interposition with respect to our Lord's burial must not be overlooked. The custom was to let the bodies rot upon the cross and be devoured by birds of prey. This form of punishment was introduced among the Jews.

11:13 Their law would not admit of this exposure as we saw last week in Deuteronomy 21, 23. And it became usual to expedite the death of those thus executed. So as to admit of their burial the same night in a promiscuous receptacle or a common grave. But not so with our Lord.

11:36 And so I say it constitutes not only a vital element in the faith content of that which must be believed in order to be saved. That's the relationship of the importance of the burial to our salvation. But in the life history. The life history of our Lord Jesus.

11:55 It constitutes the bridge from the depths of his humiliation to the heights of his exaltation. As no longer do cruel hands buffet him. And impudent faces stare and spit and insult. But tender loving hands remove him from the cross.

12:16 Wash that bruised and battered body. Wrap it in pure fine linen. And in folding spices as each limb is wrapped. And is laid in a new tomb where no corruption has ever touched a piece of stone within that tomb.

12:37 And loving and devout women sit and watch every movement. And tenderly set their guard as they behold the place where he was buried. Well this morning as we begin to follow. The account of Mark with reference to the burial of Jesus.

The Time of the Burial: Limited and Urgent

12:59 We'll have time God willing to take up just three lines of thought that are here in the text. And God willing next week we shall take up another three. But this morning we will notice together the time of the burial. The leading figure in conjunction with the burial.

13:19 And then the events immediately preceding. The burial of our Lord Jesus. Verse 42. The time of our Lord's burial.

13:33 And when even was now come. Because it was the preparation. That is the day before the Sabbath. Because Mark is targeting his gospel under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

13:50 And the tutelage of Peter. For a primarily Gentile audience. He. Very carefully describes the time of our Lord's burial.

14:02 In terms that Gentiles would understand. He tells us that it occurred on the preparation. That is the day before the Sabbath. Now by the reckoning in those days in which the Sabbath began.

14:22 It's sundown Friday night. We know that our Lord was born. And that he was buried on Friday. Now there have been a few.

14:31 Prochety and sometimes I think sincere. And other times I think a little bit imbalanced people. Who have tried to overturn. The great historic position.

14:43 That Jesus Christ was crucified on Friday. And to teach that he was crucified on Thursday. But here the text is clear. When even was now come.

14:56 Because it was the preparation. The preparation. That is the day before the Sabbath. The Sabbath began.

15:05 It's sundown on Friday. And therefore toward the very latter part of the day before the Sabbath. Our Lord was buried. And he was buried with more precision.

15:19 Mark says when even was now come. And the term even or even. Was used to refer to two distinct periods of time. And the context and circumstances.

15:36 Must dictate which evening is in mind. The time from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

15:43 Was called the first evening. And from 6 to 9 the second evening. And you will find that this concept is rooted way back in Exodus 12.6.

15:55 If you'll check the marginal. Reading the thought of the Hebrew is. Between the evenings plural. So there was evening a 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

16:09 Evening b 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

16:14 And since we know from the gospel records. That our Lord yielded up his spirit. Sometime very soon after 3 p.m.

16:25 After the three hours of prayer. Of darkness from high noon to 3 p.m. There were those last moments in his life.

16:34 Until he cried out it is finished. And yielded up his spirit. Was the event that we described from John's gospel last week. In which the legs of the other criminals were broken.

16:50 Our Lord's side was pierced. So when we are told when even was now come. It was probably. Somewhere between 3.30 and 4 o'clock.

17:02 On Friday evening. That the burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. Took place. Now the significance of these details.

17:13 As I understand them. Is primarily that we should understand. That the time available for the burial was very limited. Every devout Jew was hastening to prepare himself.

17:29 For the Sabbath. And those of you who have seen the film. Fiddler on the Roof. You'll remember that incident.

17:36 When Tevye's wife is very upset. That Tevye's horse has come down with a bad foot. And he's had to drag his milk cart back into the village. And Golda is very upset.

17:49 That Tevye may not get back before sundown. And make adequate preparations. For the beginning of the Sabbath. And there would be.

17:59 That kind of flurry of activity. You remember the Jews were anxious. That the land should not be under a curse. And defiled on the Sabbath day.

18:09 Therefore they had requested. That the legs of the prisoners. Who were executed. Be broken to hasten their death.

18:17 That they might be removed from their crosses. And cast into a common burial pit. Before sundown. And the commencement of the Sabbath.

18:27 And this becomes significant. When we get into the details of the burial. When we realize. That approximately only two hours.

18:37 Were available. In which to gather all of the proper materials. For a decent burial. To find an appropriate place.

18:46 And to prepare the body of our Lord Jesus. For that burial. To place him in that tomb. And to roll the stone.

18:55 At the door of that tomb. So Mark begins. By underscoring for our understanding. The time of the burial.

The Leading Figure: Joseph of Arimathea

19:06 Then in verse 43a. We are introduced. To the leading figure. In connection.

19:17 With our Lord's burial. From underscoring the time. Of our Lord's burial. Mark goes on secondly.

19:27 To set before us. The leading figure. In connection. In connection with our Lord's.

19:37 There came Joseph of Arimathea. A counselor of honorable estate. Who also himself. Was looking for the kingdom of God.

19:48 And he boldly went in unto Pilate. And asked for the body of Jesus. Now try to put yourself back. Historical situation.

20:01 Our Lord has yielded up his spirit. Father too. Crucified malefactors. Are yet alive.

20:10 Relatively short time. Soldiers come. Sent by Pilate. At the request of the Jewish leaders.

20:19 And they break the legs of the prisoner. To the right and to the left. But seeing that Jesus is already dead. They do not break his legs.

20:28 But one of the soldiers. Jabs his spear. Into our Lord's chest cavity. And out comes blood.

20:36 And water. But now. Now the Sabbath is hastening on. All of the disciples have forsaken him.

20:44 And fled. John was there. Toward the beginning of the crucifixion. And at that time.

20:50 The Lord Jesus commended to John's care. His earthly mother Mary. John apparently left with her. And may have returned.

21:01 Or may have stood with the lingering crowd. At a distance. For he saw. You'll remember the piercing of our Lord.

21:08 And was an eyewitness to it. But he must care for Mary. Surely he could not subject Mary. To the indignity of going.

21:18 And helping him. Take down the body. Of her son. And of his Lord.

21:24 That is there. These unnamed male acquaintances. What authority do they have. For under Roman.

21:33 The body could not be disposed of. By any Tom, Dick and Harry. Under Roman law. You could only take the body.

21:43 Of an executed criminal. If you had specific permission. From the one. Who had initiated the execution.

21:51 In this case Pilate. And generally speaking. That permission was only granted. To immediate relatives.

21:59 The person executed. Had been guilty of treason. It was only the imposition. That he would be given.

22:11 A decent burial. Jesus was executed. Under trumped up charges. Of treason.

22:18 He has made himself a king. He is a rival to the Roman authority. So the situation. Humanly speaking.

22:28 Seemed hopeless. The devout Galilee women. Who look on from a distance. Are helpless to take the body.

22:35 And to give it a proper burial. Those unnamed male disciples. Have no authority. To give it a decent burial.

22:44 What will happen. To the body of our Lord. And though his legs. Are not bashed.

22:52 And crushed by the soldiers. As they begin to take down. The bodies of the others. Will his be taken down.

23:02 And cast into a pit. Where common criminals are cast. What will happen. To our Lord.

23:10 No wonder in Luke's account. He begins the paragraph. With the words. And behold.

23:17 Because you see Luke. Felt something. Of the real life. Drama of that situation.

23:25 What will happen. To the body of our Lord. Yes. It is spared being broken.

23:31 That the scripture might be fulfilled. A bone of him shall not be broken. But there were other scriptures. Yet to be fulfilled.

23:40 Namely. That his body would not see corruption. Were he thrown into a pit. Where common criminals were buried.

23:48 Buried his body. Would have been into. Direct contact. With corrupting.

23:55 Rotting flesh.

23:58 Isaiah had said. In conjunction with his death. He would not only die. Amidst criminals.

24:05 But would be buried. In a rich man's grave. Precisely this point. The leading figure.

24:20 In connection with our Lord's burial. May I say it reverently. God's man for the hour. Is introduced.

24:29 To us for the first time.

Joseph's Description: Origins, Standing, and Spiritual Condition

24:33 Word of God.

24:36 All introduced to Joseph. In verse 43. There came. Joseph.

24:43 Of Joseph. There came. Joseph. A man who is not mentioned before.

24:53 Is now set before us. And then we are given a description. Of Joseph. And three things.

25:01 Are underscored. With reference to this man. First of all. His geographical origins.

25:09 There came Joseph. Of Arimathea. And you see by this. Identification.

25:18 He is set apart. And isolated. And given. And identification.

25:25 That is unique to him. This is not another Joseph. But Joseph. Whose geographical origins.

25:33 Are in a city called. Arimathea. Now just where Arimathea was. Is a matter of discussion.

25:40 Among men. Who have studied. Biblical geography. And topography.

25:48 At one point. One who gave his. Much of his life to this. Said that trying to ascertain.

25:56 Where this Arimathea was. Was the most vexing issue. Of Bible topography. Later commentators.

26:05 And students. Of the land. Of Israel. Are more and more.

26:10 Confident with a reasonable. Measure of confidence. That this Arimathea. Was a town or city.

26:18 Some 20 miles north. West of Jerusalem. 15 miles due east. Of the city of Joppa.

26:26 Just in that area. Between Judea and Samaria. Hence it is called. In a parallel passage.

26:34 City of the Jews. But by this time. He had obviously moved. Into the area of Jerusalem.

26:42 If not into Jerusalem itself. For his own tomb. And this tomb. We learn from the parallel passages.

26:50 Was his own burial place. That he had prepared. For his own death. He is now a dweller.

26:59 In the environs of Jerusalem. But his original. Geographical origins. Are Arimathea.

27:07 But then. After the brief comment. About his geographical origin. The second and more important thing.

27:15 In the description of Joseph. Is his social standing. Look at the text. He is called a counselor.

27:23 Of honorable estate. That does not mean. That he was a registered. Licensed psychologist.

27:32 A counselor. But a counselor. A member of the official. Jewish council.

27:41 That is the Sanhedrin. He was part. Of that highest ruling. Body of the Jews.

27:49 But you say pastor. That was at the heart. Of his horrible treatment. And of his ultimate crucifixion.

28:01 And that is true. But in Luke 23. 51 we are told. In that parallel passage.

28:09 That he had no part. In the proceedings. Leading to our Lord's death. Luke said he had not consented.

28:17 To their counsel. And deed. So that when the blood was taken. In the Sanhedrin.

28:26 Shall Jesus of Nazareth. Be given over to Pilate. With a view to having him crucified. There was no positive vote.

28:34 From Joseph. Of Arimathea. What way. Did he actively vote.

28:44 For that decision. Absent. Was he present and silent. Those are questions.

28:52 The answer to which only God knows. But we do have this negative description. That though he was a member. Of the Sanhedrin.

29:00 He did not consent. In their decision. And deed. So he was a counselor.

29:08 A member of the Sanhedrin. For we are told about his social standing. He was a man. Of honorable.

29:16 Estate. And these words identify him. As one of noble. And high standing.

29:25 In the eyes of his peers. And of the community. In general. These words or this word.

29:33 Is used to describe those women. In Acts 13 50. Described as devout women. Of honorable.

29:41 Estate. Speaking of Greek women. Of honorable. Estate.

29:53 Now tie that in with Matthew 27. And 57. Where we are told. That he was a rich man.

30:01 And the picture we get. Is a picture of a member. Of the Sanhedrin. And follow closely now.

30:09 Who did not allow. That position of influence. To turn him. Into a despicable man.

30:17 Married himself. As a noble. Man. In the midst of his wealth.

30:26 And of his high position. Of influence. Jewish authority. The Sanhedrin.

30:37 So that is a bit of a picture. Of his social standing. A member of the Sanhedrin. A man.

30:45 Of personal dignity and honor. Described. As a man of honorable. Estate.

30:53 A man of wealth. And influence. But now even more important. Than his geographical origins.

31:01 His social standing. We are told something. About his spiritual. Condition.

31:09 And at the end of the day. Men, women, boys and girls. Where you came from. Based in society.

31:18 In terms of spiritual values. Is what really counts. And we have the fullest. Description of this man.

31:31 In this category. His spiritual mark. Tells us. He was one who also.

31:40 Himself was looking. For the kingdom. Of God. Now this language.

31:48 Looking for the kingdom. Of God. Is technical language. Several powers.

31:57 Looking for the deliverance. Of Jerusalem. Looking or hoping. For God's deliverance.

32:05 And God's deliverer. And it is used to describe. What we would call. The godly remnant.

32:13 In Israel. The believing remnant. Who fed their souls. Upon the messianic.

32:21 Hope and promises. But listen carefully. To their ignorance. Of many aspects.

32:29 Of how that promise. Would find fulfillment. In a crucified savior. None the less.

32:38 Were longing. For a spiritual kingdom. And whatever was physical. And national.

32:46 In conjunction. With the coming of the kingdom. Was incidental. To their spiritual yearning.

32:54 To be delivered. Through salvation. Through Messiah. Put in that category.

33:03 Zacharias. Elizabeth. Who was in the temple. Serving God.

33:12 With prayers and fastings. Day and night. From the time of her widowhood. And it is in Luke 2.25.

33:20 That a similar term is used. To describe Simeon. So we know. These people.

33:28 Who were the epitome. Of the carnal expectations. Of the unbelieving. Obstinate mass of the Jews.

33:38 Of a remnant. Whose into whose heart. He placed a yearning. For a spiritual salvation.

33:47 Through the coming. Of their prophet. Priest and king. Their Messiah.

33:56 But then. The vision is painted. In even greater details. Matthew 27.57 says.

34:04 Who also himself. Was Jesus disciple. Not he became. Jesus disciple.

34:15 So we add. Stroke of mark. Technical terminology. For one of the believing.

34:25 Remnant in Israel. Who had a spiritual hope. For a spiritual salvation. Amidst much confusion.

34:33 To come to pass. That he was in some way. Attached to Jesus. As a disciple.

34:42 Now as you know. If you have read the New Testament at all. That the term disciple. Like believer.

34:50 Is used with great flexibility. So the very presence of the word disciple. Does not mean. Someone was a saved person.

34:58 After this many disciples. Went back and walked with him. No more. Indeed.

35:06 But in some way. Somewhere within the latitude. Of the use of that word. Which means at its baseline.

35:14 He was attached to Jesus. And his teaching. He was a disciple of Jesus. Now add to that Luke 23.50.

35:23 In which we read. He was a good and a righteous man. He was a good. And a righteous man.

35:32 Terminology again. That they were righteous. Walking in all commandments. Of the Lord.

35:40 And though there is debate. As to whether that refers. To imputed righteousness. Then finding an expression.

35:48 As the person who has an imputed righteousness. In gratitude to God. Lives a holy life. I will not enter into that discussion.

35:56 Suffice it to say. God describes him. As a good and a righteous man. The same Bible that says.

36:05 Here was a good and a righteous man. So if he was good and righteous. Grace had made him that. Because none is a good and a righteous man.

36:14 By nature. And then John adds. Helpful final stroke in the picture. And rather than just quote the reference.

36:23 I would like you to turn there with me. John chapter 19. We have this most significant. Bit of information.

36:32 John chapter 19. And verse. And after these things. John says.

36:43 This is all we have. Matthew says. We will not see him. But secretly.

36:54 For fear of the Jews. Now why would a man be afraid. To Jesus. To some extent.

37:07 As to be called a disciple. Such a man be afraid of. At the hands of the Jews. Well if you turn back to John 12.

37:15 You get the answer. John 12 and verse 42. the rulers many believed on him but because of the pharisees they did not confess or confess him lest they should be put your faith and identification with jesus you would be excommunicated from the synagogue now you know what that meant for you as a jew in palestine

37:53 meant you were treated as a pagan let him be unto thee as a heathen and a publican and to be excommunicated from the synagogue was to be declared one unfit for the commonwealth it would not only bring tremendous reproach upon your person in terms of your standing with jehovah god of the covenant but it would bring upon you social ostracization disaster it would touch point in your life and i living in a country where the separation of church and state has

38:36 been part of our inheritance we don't understand this but you ask for a muslim who in a small village is known to be a dentist and he loses his job there is a price put on the man's head and there are people going around knowing they'll receive so many rupees if they stick a knife in the man's back the next morning by his own for child that's something of the climate there in israel best attachment to jesus would be put out of the he would be excommunicated by the officials

39:19 and do you see something of his spiritual condition and joseph k originally 20 miles northwest of jerusalem and he's a member of the sanhedrin influence and money had not made him into a tyrant he was a man of you honorable a state of dignified gentlemen one who would have no power proceedings which led

39:59 to the crucifixion of the son of god his spiritual condition he had the messianic hope pulsing in his own heart the messiah came he did not reject him as an imposter in some way he had become his disciple there was an attachment of faith and love and when we read luke's account that he was a word in the white issue Mira and we have a reason to believe it she was a reach a republican uh... whose dominion creamy homemat roaming in ur enacting people who had increased law it was the Ce así

40:44 Ltd cry slowly so a lot nearly it was his place in sanhedrin he would be ourselves you know a solid work of opal of the synagogue. Everything that fed into his wealth and his standing and his influence would all be gone in a day. That's the picture we have of this man Joseph. The introduction of this leading figure in conjunction with our Lord's burial. Now then, thirdly, think with me as we

Events Preceding Burial: Joseph's Daring Request

41:20 contemplate the events immediately preceding the burial of our Lord. We've looked at the time of our burial evening of the day of preparation, somewhere between 4 and 6 p.m. Our Lord had to be buried. We've looked at the leading figure in connection with the burial of our Lord, Joseph

41:41 of Arimathea. Now, thirdly, the events immediately preceding the burial of our Lord, 43b to 45, and they center around two pivots, the request of Joseph, and secondly, the response of Joseph. The response of Pilate. Notice, the request of Joseph went in unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Now, the request is broken down into two things, what he did and how he did it. He went

42:17 in unto Pilate and requested, literally requested for himself, you Greek students, it's a middle form of the verb, requested for himself that he himself might take the body of Jesus. He took responsibility for the soma, the body of Jesus. And as I've already intimated, Roman law allowed relatives to do this, but he went not as a known relative, but as a friend and a disciple of Jesus, making request for the body of Jesus. But now, how did he do it? Look at the text.

42:55 ASV renders it, and he boldly went in. And you'd get the impression, that the word boldly was an adverb describing the action of going in. But it is not. Itself is a verbal form. It is a participle. And it should be rendered this way. Courage underscores that he

43:36 could, he did, namely, request the body of Jesus for himself, unashamedly, to ask that he might be of the corpse hanging on that central cross. First of all, summoned customer. And what's so daring about that? Let me answer it and tell you, there were four elements of his

44:18 daringness. Number one, first of all, he would render himself ceremonially unclean by contacting a Gentile by going into Pilate. Gentile, him ceremonially unclean. His Jewish friends who see him making his way to the Praetorium, straight in, asking for an audience with Pilate. It's more important than being ceremonially clean for the Sabbath.

44:59 That's what he was doing. He summoned courage. He dared, number one, to make himself unclean by having direct contact with a Gentile. Secondly, he was going in to have dealings with a man already irate over this whole affair.

45:22 You remember how Pilate, struggling with the pressure to please the Jews, and with his own conscience that was convinced Jesus was innocent? You remember how we tracked the whole matter of his trial? And how Pilate was reluctant, especially after his wife came and said, I've suffered many things in a dream because of this innocent man. And Pilate has gone through tremendous emotional trauma over this whole issue. And you find the state of his mind leaking out.

45:55 When the Jews come and say, hey, change the sign. And you put, King of the Jews, King of the Jews. Pilate said, what I've written, I've written. I've had enough of you nasty, pesky Jews. Leave me alone.

46:13 Now you go in to make a request of a man in that state of mind, that's risky business.

46:19 But he's to go in and face a man already like a wounded bear over this whole affair. His conscience screaming at him while he makes a decision contrary to conscience to please the multitudes. And then goes through his little play acting of washing. And then goes through his little play acting of washing his hands as though that can somehow reach his troubled conscience and salve and quiet its thunderings.

46:44 Third thing that was daring, he would ask what only an emperor could normally grant, a decent burial for an executed treasonous man. He was really pressing things, for he was not simply asking Pilate as a non-relative, but he was asking Pilate that Jesus was crucified for claiming to be an innocent man. But he was asking Pilate that Jesus was crucified for claiming to be an innocent man. But he was asking Pilate that Jesus was crucified for claiming to be an innocent man.

47:13 And then fourthly, he would be openly identifying himself in sympathy for Jesus in the presence of his fellow Sanhedrists. He's saying by going from Pilate, if he got permission, straight out of the city walls to that garden tomb and then over to the cross, making the proper preparations. He would be saying to him. any fellow Sanhedrin and they were like bees flocking around this whole thing according to the John 19 passage that we studied last week and according to a sequel to the burial that we'll

47:55 consider next week God willing what he's saying in essence is by going with tender hands and at his own expense purchasing fine linen and securing the cooperation of Nicodemus to buy what in our weights and measurements would be over 70 pounds of fine spices to wash and then to properly wrap with spices the body of Jesus he was saying openly and unashamedly my alliances are with this one

48:31 concerning whom you said crucify him crucify taken down and like a common criminal to seeing him buried with a decent burial buried so if anyone asks where is the Jesus of Nazareth you can't say body of Jesus without saying

Events Preceding Burial: Pilate's Response

49:01 Joseph of Arimathea now you see why it says having dared he weighed the cost the implication squarely of Jesus what was the response of Pilate verses 44 and 45 things are said about Pilate's response he marvels and he gives

49:39 you see that in the text and Pilate marveled if he were on it was amazed a permission for Joseph to come and make his request Joseph is asking for the body of Jesus clearly indicating in Joseph's mind Jesus is already dead and Pilate is amazed why because men who are crucified rarely die in such a short period of time he was crucified somewhere after nine o'clock in the morning he had only been on the cross for

50:14 hours often they hung for a day two three days before they died quest he had did not distinguish any of the executed criminals can we have a contingency go out and so that we don't have dead bodies on the sabbath to defile all he knew jesus was still alive and so he marvels he marvels he's amazed jesus is already literally in a state of death so from his marveling he inquires

50:54 calling unto him the centurion he asked him whether he and the marginal reading is correct he were already dead he said if anyone will know the centurion appointed to guard and to secure the execution of jesus he'll know so he summons that centurion could it be the very one who confessed him son of god and a righteous man could have been and this man

51:28 speaking the truth who himself was brought to faith when he saw he said surely this was god's son this was a righteous man no question in the centurion's mind and so he's prepared to swear to pilot that indeed jesus is dead and therefore after the inquiry thirdly he gives and when he learned it of the centurion he granted a word normally meaning to give as a

52:06 gift but then notice it doesn't say the body the soma but the tomah the corpse to word use to refer to the thing fallen in there it lies like an animal shot from the hump it pierces its vigils it it drops and there it lies it's the very word translated carcass in matthew 24 28 where the eagles of the birds of prey are there shall the carcass be one commentator is saying jesus really

52:48 died does he even call it it is the carcass it is that is now handed over to joseph without any exchange of money given now what do we say then in summary of this first part of the narrative of the burial of jesus just right up to the point of the actual which god willing we shall examine next week but this morning we had time only to look at the facts pertaining to the time of the

Practical Implications: God's Sovereignty and Grace

53:27 burial the leading figure in conjunction with the burial and the events immediately preceding the burial of jesus and in the few moments that remain this morning what are the practical implications of this segment of the account of our lord's burial and knowing that i would be pressed for time i've limited myself to but two observations and may god help us to gird up the loins of our minds and to grasp them i would ask you first of all to behold in these events studied this morning a a a

54:07 a marvelous display of the absolute sovereignty of god in the affairs of men behold these events the absolutes of men you remember as we saw last week when it appears that the legs of our lord would be broken he's spent in decency that would have rendered him something other than the predicted lamb of god instead his side is to fulfill nice long cease fficacy need

54:51 the peace hi well at as you her anything ac out the wish suffer thy holy one to see corruption peter quotes it in his pentecostal sermon in acts 2 and verse 27 as fulfilled in jesus christ no that lifeless body must not be taken down

55:31 and thrown into a common pit body shall not cut with corruption that is with decaying human flesh and with that which is unclean furthermore their prophecy in isaiah 53 9 that must be fulfilled his death and burial the prophet said would be in conjunction with the wicked on the one hand and yet with the rich on the other with the wicked and with a rich man in his

56:09 must be fulfilled in conjunction with his death and burial there would be interesting intimate association with the wicked but there would be intimate association with the rich crucified between two common criminals this other must be fulfilled so we see the sovereignty of god in straining men until these prophecies are fulfilled further there is that unprincipled vacillating already agitated pilot who'd love to forget this whole affair he's already ceremonially washed his hands and said

56:54 i i am innocent of this thing what i've written i've written the issues done i want to get it and when one of his messengers comes and says pilot there's someone who wants to discuss the jesus affair with you who was there disposing his heart to say give him an audience you didn't just walk up to pilot's door and say hi pilot come over to have a chat together oh no you had to be invited in irritated disturbed and bristling and disposing him to give an audience to the joseph far too busy but how do you give an audience we even bother to send a message of the center if you have to send japan to him told you

57:37 it uh... and then the handover without in a graesto any prices of donation the bonding of jesus who was they're engineering all of this global by bosses the heart of exchange is in the hand of the legal sweetms so uh...

58:00 wow they other two bodies are rude we take too long to about our advice for the לע bodies are rudely taken down and thrown into a pit. The cross of the one and the central cross is with tenderness, with loving care, and carried to be buried in a rich man's new tomb. The sovereignly ordered all things for the protection of his son is doing the same for you. That's why

58:30 he can say and we that all things work together to them that love God is under his control and therefore all works together for good. Sovereign in all the events relating to the procurement of our redemption. He is also sovereign in everything applying in everything referring to the application

59:14 of redemption. He's sovereign over all the leaders of Pakistan, the leaders of India, as we heard this morning of the rattling of sabers between the two nations over the Kashmir issue. Blessed be God that God is strong and God can move the earth's leaders so that our humble cries are answered. Grant us peace in our day, O Lord. Not for our sakes, not to make it easy for Arif

59:47 and Kathy and their children, but that the gospel might go forth. Conquering and to conquer. In these events, a marvelous display of the absolute sovereignty of God in the affairs of men. Secondly and finally, and some marvel of the manifold grace of God in the salvation of men. We not only see a marvelous display of the absolute sovereignty of

60:21 God in the affairs of men, but a marvelous display of the manifold grace of God in the conversion. The salvation of men is grace in who was converted. Didn't Jesus say how hardly shall a rich man enter the kingdom? And yet Matthew says the Sanhedrin is made up of the chief priests and the elders and their scribes. He indicts them with more scathing language than he uses anywhere

61:01 in all of scripture, and yet a long hill of religious godhood. He grows a man looking for the king who does not consent to their counsel and deed. He is a good and righteous man who is a disciple. God's grace was converted. Consider God's grace in how he was converted. He had early

61:38 life privilege as a Jew. He came into contact with Jesus. There was a movement of his heart to attach himself to some degree to Jesus. But that movement was not strong enough to break through the cost of open identification with Jesus.

61:56 Yet when crunch time comes and the Sanhedrin will now plot for his death, he will not consent. He becomes bolder. And now when the scripture brings him into focus before us, what do we find? We find a man who is prepared to accept all of the liabilities of identification with Jesus. When his own disciples have forsaken him and fled.

62:29 In the face of the rejection and suffering of the cross, it is a dead, blood-spattered, bruised, and torn corpse that becomes the occasion of triggering, confessing grace in the heart of Joseph.

62:46 Because it seems he can give in power of Jesus to action and death.

63:08 He comes forward at the time when he's rejected.

63:16 A corpse on a cross caked in blood. Grace uses to trick. Confessing grace.

63:29 Become ceremonially unclean. Become identities to bring down the wrath of cohorts and those in his social and religious standing. It is the grace that triggered that boldness.

63:48 That manifold grace in who was converted, how he was converted, and in the time of his conversion. Think for a moment. Suppose God had triggered confessing grace in Joseph this time. Who would have been able to come forward and claim his body and have a tomb and have money enough to buy clean linen and be friends with another wealthy man who could buy spices?

64:20 You see, the Lord waited to give grace. ...in Christ Jesus unto good works which God before ordained that we should walk in them.

64:33 And the first good work of confessing grace in Joseph was to ask for the body of Jesus and to give him a decent burial that the ancient prophets would have made. That the ancient prophets would have made. That the ancient prophecies might be fulfilled. That we might sit here this morning and say, Jesus of Nazareth is a bona fide saint.

64:54 Blessed be God for grace.

65:00 That not only sin, yet grace intruded upon him to the place where that measure of grace needed, without which neither we nor others can judge us to be the real thing. Open confessing grace is given, for if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. With the heart man believeth,

65:43 with the mouth confession is made. Was Joseph a true believer prior to this? Every indication he was. But he would have no grounds for assurance, nor would we have grounds to consider him a true believer till he was willing to confess Christ.

65:58 Are there some of you saved sitting here who have not openly confessed Christ? I have reason to believe there are. But neither you nor I can regard you as converted. So you're ready to confess it.

66:11 That's the teaching of the Bible. You say, well, am I saved by confession? No, you're the grace of Christ. But you'll only know you have that grace unto salvation when it becomes not only believing grace, but confessing grace.

66:26 Thou shalt believe.

66:29 That's the teaching of the Bible. We see that grace displayed, and the timing of it is marvelous. Just one of the manifold ways God converts sinners. But it's interesting, is it not, that in a sense Joseph becomes the prototype of every believer subsequent to the cross.

66:53 You see, his confession of Christ was drawn out in the context of the sight of Christ crucified. However, in the full New Testament sense the word, it will be as you behold in Christ crucified, your only hope of life and salvation. And you're prepared to be identified, no matter what, whether in Pakistan or in Bloomfield.

67:37 Consequences with God. You have no grounds to believe your...

67:41 For the scripture says, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant seeking pearls, who when he finds one pearl of great price, sells all that he may obtain it. May God grant as we meditate upon the burial of our Lord Jesus, not so much the time, though that is emphasized, but this person who is central to the...

68:04 the whole complex of events that we shall see in this man, Joseph. A marvelous display of the sovereignty of God and of the grace of God. Comfort as we rest in that sovereignty. Find, magnify the grace.

68:27 Peace to marvel in the richness of your holy word. We praise you for this account of the burial of our Lord Jesus. We thank you for your...

68:52 Your mighty sovereignty that restrained and withheld and ordered and guided all oceans of mind and heart and judgment and decision in the case of Joseph and Pilate and the centurion, ordering all things that your son might perfectly fulfill all scripture. Thank you for the display of grace in the life history of Joseph of Arimathea, O Lord, may that be a transcript of your work in every one of us. Write then your word upon our hearts.

69:32 We may know thatchment to Jesus, which Joseph knew, and that we may be prepared at any cost to live with the implications of that attachment as we plead these mercies in Jesus' name.