Matthew 27:57-66: “Joseph of Arimathea Obtains Jesus Body And
Places It In A Tomb / The Pharisees Place A Guard”
by
1.
INTRO
1.1.
In our last study we looked at the crucifixion of
Jesus
1.1.1.
We saw many prophesies of the Old Testament fulfilled
in these accounts from Matthew concerning Jesus
1.1.2.
We saw the supernatural activity of God that occurred
during that time
1.1.3.
We also talked about the importance of the crucifixion
of Jesus
1.2.
In our study today we are going to look at the burial
of Jesus
1.2.1.
We will see again that there were several prophesies
from the Old Testament that were fulfilled in these accounts from Matthew
1.2.2.
We will look at what is known as the “providence” of
God in preordaining circumstances in order to bring about His will
2.
VS 27:57-60 -
“57 And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named
Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.58 This man went to
Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given over
to him.59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,60 and
laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a
large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.” - A man named Joseph of Arimathea asked for and
was given the body of Jesus, and he laid it his tomb
2.1.
We see God working behind the scenes and through circumstances in this
study.
2.2.
God’s “providence” is where He works through circumstances that occur
which were foreknown before the foundation of the world, and in doing so brings
about His purposes. The “Miraculous
Activity” of God is where He supercedes the very scientific laws of nature (as
we call them) to bring something about.
However, in “providence” He preordains circumstances to occur which were
not accidental, and these align to bring something about according to His
plan. Many of acts of “providence”
occurred when Jesus was buried.
2.2.1.
God knows the end from the beginning in all things. In Rom. 8:28-30, we read how that God
foreknows all that will happen and thus He also foreordains things that will
happen, “28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good
to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.29 For
whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His
Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;30 and whom He
predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified;
and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
2.2.2.
From the book of Esther we learn about the life of a young Jewish girl
named Esther who lived in
2.2.3.
In Genesis we read the story of Joseph, one of twelve sons of Jacob. His brothers became very jealous and angry
with him because he told them of some dreams which he had in which all of them
were bowing down to him and paying homage to him. So, at first they decided to slay him, then
through the intercession of one of the brothers ended up selling him as a slave. Joseph then ended up in
2.2.4.
In John 19:31-37, we read that scripture was fulfilled in that the Roman soldiers chose
not to break Jesus legs before they took Him down from the cross, “31 The
Jews therefore, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies
should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high
day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be
taken away.32 The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first man,
and of the other man who was crucified with Him;33 but coming to Jesus, when
they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs;34 but one of
the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out
blood and water.35 And he who has seen has borne witness, and his witness is
true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may
believe.36 For these things came to pass, that the Scripture might be
fulfilled, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture
says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.””
2.2.4.1.Psalm
34:19-20 is
a verse that was fulfilled by this circumstance arranged from all eternity by
the Lord, “19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the Lord delivers him out of them
all. 20 He keeps all his bones; Not one of them is broken.”
2.2.4.2.Also, in Num. 9:9-12, we read that when the
Israelites observed the Passover meal and ate the lamb, who is a symbol of
Christ, that they were not to break a single bone of it as they ate it, so this
scriptural type was fulfilled, “9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,10 “Speak
to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations
becomes unclean because of a dead person, or is on a distant journey, he may,
however, observe the Passover to the Lord.11 ‘In the second month on the
fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it; they shall eat it with
unleavened bread and bitter herbs.12 ‘They shall leave none of it until
morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute of the Passover
they shall observe it.”
2.2.4.3.Also Zechariah
12:10 was
enable to be fulfilled because of the Lord arranging this circumstance. In that verse it is foretold that the nation
of Israel who would reject their Messiah (as was also prophesied to occur)
would one day turn to their Messiah Jesus and be saved, for they would look on
Him whom they have pierced, “10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and
on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so
that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him,
as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the
bitter weeping over a first-born.”
2.2.4.4.It has been preached for
centuries that upon the cross of
2.2.4.5.The fact that Jesus side
poured out blood and water when speared indicates to us that He was already
dead and that the blood had settled in his heart.
2.2.5.
Jesus had to spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth
in order for His own prophesy concerning Himself to be fulfilled in Matt. 12:40, “40 for
just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster,
so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the
earth.” So, we see God’s aligning of
circumstances when the Romans decide to take Jesus down from the cross well
before the end of the day which began when the sun went down.
2.2.6.
We see the Lord aligning circumstances in that the Romans were willing to
give up the body of a man who had been crucified for a private burial. It is unusual that Jesus’ body would be given
to any but direct family, and often times the Romans would show their
vindictiveness towards offenders by throwing them in a common open grave. However, the Lord arranged this circumstance
from all eternity so that the scripture in Isaiah 53:9 could be fulfilled that the
Messiah would be with a rich man in His death, “9 His grave was assigned with
wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no
violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.”
2.2.6.1.In Luke 23:50 we read that
Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Sanhedrin but he had not voted to put
Jesus to death.
2.2.6.2.In John 19:38 we read that
Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple of Jesus.
2.2.6.3.God arranged circumstances
so that Joseph of Arimathea was in place at the right time, asked for the body
of Jesus (probably not believing even that he would be granted his request),
and then that it was his tomb in which Jesus was laid.
2.2.7.
In John 19:38-40 we read that Nicodemus, the Jewish leader who came secretly by night to
Jesus in John 3, came to the tomb where Jesus was being buried with 100 pounds
of spices and they wrapped the cloths around Jesus with the spices, “38 And
after these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret
one, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of
Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. He came therefore, and took away His
body.39 And Nicodemus came also, who had first come to Him by night; bringing a
mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight.40 And so they took
the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the
burial custom of the Jews.”
2.2.7.1.The women who had followed
Jesus left Jesus’ tomb that Thursday evening and went and began preparing
spices so that they could come back on Sunday after the Sabbath and make sure
that Jesus’ body was buried with the proper respect and care appropriate to
their devotion to Jesus.
2.2.8.
We even see God’s aligning of circumstances in that the chief priests and
scribes actually came on the Sabbath to Pilate, which is something that they
would never do on a Sabbath. However,
because of their hatred of Jesus and because they wanted to make sure that the
movement which Jesus had started would die with Him, they violated their
Sabbath to come and ask Pilate’s permission to have Jesus’ tomb guarded in case
Jesus’ disciples might steal away His body and then say that He had raised from
the dead as He promised, and by doing so lead more Jews astray.
2.2.9.
We even see God’s aligning of circumstances in that there was a large
stone nearby which they could roll against Jesus’ tomb and keep it airtight and
restrict access. When the angel of the
Lord appeared the next day and rolled this stone away in the midst of the Roman
guard around the tomb we can see God’s providence in providing this stone
nearby.
3.
VS 27:61 - “61 And
Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.”
- Mary and Mary were also at Jesus’
grave
3.1.
Jesus’ disciples had fled after His arrest with only Peter and John
attending His interrogation, and then John showing up before His cross. However, we see here that many of the women
who loved Jesus and followed Him were devoted to Him to the end as their Lord
and teacher.
3.2.
We can only imagine the thoughts that were going on in the minds of those
who had followed Jesus and seen Him do the works which no man had done and had
heard Him teach as no other man had ever taught. Jesus had told them that the
3.2.1.
How could this man who was the only and unique Son of God be taken away
from us?
3.2.2.
What was to happen next?
3.2.3.
Where was God in all of this?
4.
VS 27:62-66 -
“62 Now on the next day, which is the one after the preparation, the chief
priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate,63 and said, “Sir, we
remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I
am to rise again.’64 “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure
until the third day, lest the disciples come and steal Him away and say to the
people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than
the first.”65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as
you know how. 66 And they went and made
the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.””
- The chief priests and the Pharisees
determine to place a guard at Jesus’ tomb
4.1.
It is interesting that Jesus’ enemies seemed to have paid more attention
to Jesus’ teachings than His disciples.
Jesus’ disciples were not even considering the possibility that Jesus
might actually raise from the dead in three days as He had told them plainly
that He would do, however the chief priests and Pharisees decided to make sure
that Jesus’ disciples wouldn’t try to steal Jesus’ body and say that He rose
from the dead.
4.1.1.
In Matt. 12:38-40 we read of Jesus’ prophetic words concerning His resurrection from the
dead, “38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered Him, saying,
“Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”39 But He answered and said to them,
“An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign shall be
given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;40 for just as Jonah was three
days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of Man
be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
4.2.
The Roman guard which was placed at the tomb consisted of at least 3 to 5
soldiers, and these men were in full armor and as trained warriors would each
have been prepared to defend themselves against the onslaught of dozens of
untrained people who would attack them.
So, to think that the disciples somehow came and overpowered the guard
at the tomb and stole away the body of Jesus is not very logical.
4.2.1.
Besides not being trained military men, the disciples were not motivated
to steal away the body of Jesus. They
had fled away and were hiding out in fear of their own lives while they were
mourning the loss of their teacher as well as their own hopeless future without
Jesus. They may have even fled to their
own homes during this time.
4.3.
The Roman seal was placed on the stone against Jesus’ tomb, and this seal
let everyone know that to move that stone was to place yourselves at the mercy
of
4.3.1.
Regardless of the Roman guard present at the tomb and the kind of
resistance it would take to overpower them, to think that the disciples would
have the gall to move the stone with the seal of