Today’s Reading
The story of the passion has been told countless times. Sometimes when we hear the same story and recounting of the facts we can become complacent and not taking the full experience as it was originally felt. Over the last several weeks while preparing for the person of the week, I have had the chance to really meditate and revive the passion and the full breath of Joseph of Arimathea.
In today’s passage, the first person that we are introduced to is Simon of Cyrene. This is a man from the Northern part of Africa who has come to Jerusalem for the Holy Feast of Passover. He and his family are casually walking in the streets or marketplace and he is forced to take Christ’s cross. Let this sink in for a minute. This man was celebrating the highest of holy days with his family, then the armed guards takes him away from his family. He is probably dressed well and ready for celebrations. He is then taken and forces to carry a “criminal’s cross”. At this point Christ has carried the cross for some time and his blood has soaked into the wood. By Simon being forced into the role of cross-carrier, he grants Jesus the first Mercy. He has helped in a visceral way to complete the Passion of Christ. What if he had not obliged and granted the request? Who would have been the cross-carrier? Who would have given Christ some rest before his final hours?
The next several events are show the true sacrifice and pain that Christ endured
- Verse 34 : they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
- This was a typical antiseptic – to help easy the pain of the Crucifixion
- Verse 3 : And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.3
- Verse 37: Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
- Verse 38: Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.
- Verse 39 : And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
- Verse 40: 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’
- Verse 44: 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
After Simon has given Jesus a piece of grace, Jesus is being assaulted with some of the most vile and cruel items that would have broken many of us. This is the price that he cared for us. Then the Joseph gives Jesus his final earthly Mercy: Joseph took the body, prepared the body, and placed the body.
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. – Matt 27:57-60
Joseph took the body:
- Joseph breaks an important rule of Jewish law: he physically touched a dead person on the Sabbath, but prevents the curse of a dead man on the tree. Number 19:11-13 and Deuteronomy 21:22 -23
- Being a Pharisees, Joseph knew the letter and expanse of the law, but he knew the person of Jesus and understood the reward for his discipleship is greater than the punishment of man.
Joseph prepares the body:
- Joseph is the only that is mentioned in the gospels to have direct contact with body of the dead Christ. The other disciples were not at the crucifixion and the women were not allowed to be close to the body. Joseph was the last person to clean the wounds of Christ. He is the last one to apply balm and ointments to the body. He is the last one to wrap the body in clean swaddling linens. This preparation is one of the most intimate and profound responsibilities that one can have. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice by giving his life, Joseph had given Christ the best response by gently and compassionately preparing his body for the next phase of the Passion.
Joseph places the body:
- The final act of Mercy is that Joseph placed Christ in his tomb. This was a very powerful and meaningful gesture and example of his love. In the earlier centuries, there were not a lot of tombs for common people or people without means. Joseph had enough wealth, that he had this tomb prepared for himself many years of his expected death. Many times people would use tombs of their ancestors, similar to catacombs. But this tomb was fresh cut and had not had any pervious occupants. This was Jesus place of peace for three days.
Joseph, who shares the name of the step-father of Jesus, gives Jesus the same compassion and gentleness that Joseph did when he came into the world.
God has reveal many things in this passage:
- We may experience someone taking our cross when we are in the weakest parts of our journey
- While we are going through the midst of our hardest days the onslaught of worries, pain, defeat, criticisms, & meanness God has relief for us
- When we have finally gotten to the end of our journey: Christ will take our body, prepare our body, and place our body in a beautiful place where no one has been before.
Be Blessed