“And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb” (Mark 15:46 ESV).

The prophet Isaiah prophesied about the death and burial of our Lord. He said in Isaiah 53:9, “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.”

The Pulpit Commentary says the phrase “made his grave with the wicked” refers to Christ being executed with two criminals or malefactors. It also says that, “crucified persons were buried with their crosses near the scene of their crucifixion by the Romans.” This statement does not pose a discrepancy since He was crucified with wicked men, and there was expectation from the Romans that they would bury Him with these thieves.

Isaiah makes reference to a rich man, and so does John the apostle. This rich man is the subject of our study today. Who was this rich man that John says begged for the body of our Lord?

According to John 19:38, Joseph of Arimathaea was a disciple of Jesus. He was not one of the twelve chosen to travel with Jesus, but he was a follower of our Lord.

Joseph, according to John, kept his discipleship a secret because he feared the Jews. According to history, Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest governing body of the Jews during the time of Christ. It was composed of 71 members, including the high priest. The high priest was the president of the council. They had the power to say they wanted someone to die, but they could not execute the sentence of death. That could only be done by Rome.

Joseph was a wealthy man, a man in a position of authority, respected by the Jews; and he was a student of Jesus Christ. He put aside his fear and went to Pilate to beg for the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave it to him.

When we read the account from the book of Mark, we learn some interesting things about Joseph. The fact that he bought a linen shroud is not so amazing since he was a wealthy man, but it would appear that he went himself to buy it.

The verse also tells us that he took the body of Jesus from the cross himself. John 19:40 tells us that he had some assistance with this task, but Joseph put forth the physical effort it took to ask for and take Jesus’ body from a cross.

A man named Nicodemus helped Joseph wrap Jesus’ body in the linen clothes and the spices that were customary for a Jewish burial. This Nicodemus is the same man that came to see Jesus at night. He was also a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews and probably also afraid of the other Pharisees (John 3:1-2).

So here are these two officials lifting the body of Jesus from the cross, tenderly wrapping His bloodstained body in new burial clothes and laying Him in a new tomb. They were truly risking their own lives as they performed the necessary task of burying the Messiah.

Joseph then rolled a stone in front of the opening to protect the body. It appears that, with his own hands, he performed the difficult task of securing the physical body of Jesus.

I am amazed at this passage. Joseph went to Pilate himself. Joseph bought fine linen himself. Joseph took Jesus down from the cross himself. Joseph laid Him in his own tomb himself. Joseph rolled the stone himself. He did it himself!

How many times have we been asked to perform some act of service only to say, “Let someone else do it”? We excuse ourselves by saying that we are tired, have been doing it for a long time, it is someone else’s turn, or I’m too old.

The truth is, our service to God isn’t over until we can no longer physically or mentally perform these tasks. People will always need to be visited. Food will always be needed for families with new babies, sickness, and death. Cards will always be needed to encourage, console, celebrate, and sympathize. Visits will always be needed, and help will be needed for many other reasons.

I often hear people complain that no one visited them in the hospital, sent a card, took food to them, visited to pray with them, or showed any act of kindness during a death or illness. That is not what the Lord intended.

In speaking of the judgment Jesus said to those who will be sent into eternal punishment, “For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me” (Matthew 25:42-43). Those to whom He was speaking wanted to know when they saw Him in such circumstances. Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me” (Matthew 25:45).

Let’s follow the example of Joseph and do it ourselves. Let’s not make excuses or depend on someone else to do what needs to be done.

Sandra Oliver