Anchor My Faith

Previous Lesson
Next Lesson
Author: Stephen Weller
848 words, 4 minutes read time

Seeking Permission to Remove Jesus from the Cross

Scripture: Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50-51; John 19:38

With the previous lesson we finished the section in which we witnessed the death of Jesus. With this lesson we begin a new section in which we watch Jesus being removed from the cross and placed in a tomb.

^{Mt 27:57} When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, ^{Lk 23:50} a good and righteous man, ^{Mt 27:57} who also was a disciple of Jesus, ^{Jn 19:38} but secretly for fear of the Jews. ^{Mk 15:43} [He was] a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God. ^{Lk 23:51} [He] had not consented to their decision and action. ^{Mk 15:43} [He] took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

It was Jewish custom to remove a crucified body from the cross and bury it before sundown, especially before the Sabbath. However, Matthew mentions that it was already evening when Joseph went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Mark also indicates that evening had come when Joseph went to Pilate. Based on these two witnesses, it must be assumed that custom was violated in order to remove Jesus from the cross, prepare his body, and place him in a tomb that evening. However, there could have been enough time between 3:00 and sundown to accomplish this needed work.

Joseph was a respected member of the Sanhedrin council, who is described as a good and righteous man. However, he did not consent to the decisions and actions of the council against Jesus as he was a secret disciple of Jesus. His high standing within the Jewish community probably gave him access to Pilate for the needed permission to remove the body.

Joseph was further described as one looking for the kingdom of God, which we need to consider what he was looking for. Is the kingdom of God the same as the kingdom of heaven? Is it an earthly kingdom or a heavenly kingdom? Looking at cross references in Matthew, we find the kingdom of heaven referenced 31 times as opposed to only 5 times for the kingdom of God. A possible reason for this is that Matthew was writing to a Jewish population and for them heaven was a more acceptable that using the name of God. However, they are two terms used to express the same thing.

Is the kingdom earthly or heavenly? The Jews were well aware of the kingdom of Rome who maintained control over them. They were also familiar with a kingdom that David was king over and they knew the Scriptures spoke of a king like David who would set up an everlasting kingdom here on earth. That king they referred to as their Messiah and as they got to know more about Jesus, who performed miracles, they at several points sought to make him king but Jesus refused to allow this to happen.

One day when Jesus was passing through Jericho, he met a rich man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector in the area for Rome. He was hated by the Jews and seen as a sinner to be avoided but when Jesus saw him he said to Zacchaeus, “I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5 ESV). If Jesus was to be their king and lead them against Rome then why was he treating Zacchaeus as a friend and not as an enemy? I believe this may have been a turning point for the Jews as Zacchaeus repents of his sin and promises to make right that which he may have wronged.

I believe Jesus was using this time with Zacchaeus to point out that the kingdom of God was not first to be an earthly kingdom but a kingdom of born-again believers being gathered in heaven. In a way it was already here on earth but in the hearts of believers and would one day come to earth with Jesus Christ as its king. It was the formation of this kingdom in heaven before coming to earth that was not understood by the Jews, and it was this misunderstanding that caused them to have Jesus nailed to a cross to die.

This kingdom of God is a kingdom that is now a heavenly kingdom being populated with those who by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ are born again. Are you a member of this eternal kingdom? If not now is a good time to become a member by confessing your sin and accepting the gift of eternal life.

Conclusion

Jesus has died and now there is pressure to remove his body from the cross and not leave him hanging there over the night. Joseph, a secret disciple of Jesus, is a highly respected member of the Sanhedrin, goes to Pilate to obtain permission to remove Jesus from the cross and place him in a tomb.