The time is now the ninth hour or, by modern time, 3 p.m. and God’s Son hung dead on the cross. The whole atmosphere was filled with the results of the storm and the earth trembled. The centurion in charge by orders from Pilate, stood agape at what he saw and heard. It is no wonder then that he would exclaim: ‘Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matt. 27:54, Mark 15:39). Both Matthew and Mark use the exact words.
Luke in compiling his record leaves it thus: “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus he gave up the ghost (died). Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned (left). And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things, Luke 23:47-49.
The chief of the Jews were ever so anxious to change the mental misgiving of the people and get on with the anticipation of the Feast of this High Sabbath: “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was a high day—) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him (Jesus). But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs; but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forth with came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, ‘A bone of him shall not be broken’. And again another scripture saith they shall look on him whom they pierced. John 19:31-37 One should give God thanks that he has provided us with such proof that Jesus was truly His Son. It was David who recorded the vision of Christ’s death—Psa. 22. About no bones broken, verse 17. Also Psa. 34: 20. Zechariah 12:10.
This was the Passover week, celebrated once during the year when the great, the noble as well as the common people came before God—first to remember that God spared the first born of the Jews in Egypt on the fourteenth day of the month and, secondly, the feast day on the fifteenth day of this first month to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt: “These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s pass-over. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.” Leviticus 23:4-6.
It also was in the plan of God that this day would be the day His Son would be offered for the “sins of the world” therefore the Jews crucified the greatest object of the Passover—Jesus the Lamb of God.
From this time forward the servants of God would refer to the “Lord’s Supper” (Passover) as the Communion or “Breaking of Bread.” A time when the drinking of wine would symbolize the blood of Christ that was shed for sin and the bread as a token of his broken body.
Because Jesus rose on the first day of the week it was chosen by the Apostles as the day of remembrance. “I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51.
The Jews that Jesus addressed could not comprehend the meaning of such words: even some of the disciples would not accept the saying. “These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” John 6:59-60.
God made provision to save the body of His Son from desecration, in the person of Joseph of Arimathaea. There was no possible chance that the enemies of Jesus would ever be able to say that he did not rise from the dead for God would provide witnesses for every move that was to happen just as He had for the capture and crucifixion of His Son.
“And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night (John 3:1-2), and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.” John 19:38-42.
It would seem appropriate that the record Luke left should also be entered here to support the truth of Christ’s burial: “Joseph went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped in in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned (to their dwelling) and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.” Luke 23:52-56.
While Joseph and Nicodemus had not ventured forth in the face of fierce opposition while Jesus was yet living, they came forward to rescue the body of Jesus after God’s mighty demonstration of His power, “when the earth did quake, and the rock rent.” There is no doubt that the spectators became fearful and soon hastened to their homes or other places of refuge at the feel of an angry earth.
There is no record as to just how Joseph secured the body of Jesus—it could have been by recognition that Joseph was a leading citizen or there is the possibility that Joseph paid Pilate bribe money. This is clear: Joseph and Nicodemus cast aside any fear of what the chief priests might do against them. There is no record of their ever being punished for self defilement from handling a dead body. Pilate must have been surprised that a Jew would request the body of Jesus, notwithstanding he sent an officer to verify if Jesus were indeed dead. “And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.” Mark 15: 44-45.
There was little time left before the sun would be down so it was with haste that Joseph and Nicodemus, perhaps aided by servants, prepared the body for burial using the myrrh and aloes provided by Nicodemus; after which they placed it in the sepulchre and rolled a great stone to block the entrance.
There were none left to guard the sepulchre, as Joseph and Nicodemus departed, for certainly by now the ram’s horn had sounded the approach of the sabbath. The faithful followers from Galilee, lingered yet a moment to decide their next move: “And the women also, which came with Jesus from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.” Luke 23:55. Then they too were off to keep the sabbath.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One