God’s Work in Uncertain Times

Matthew 27:57–66:

The Burial of Jesus

“As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.”

The Guard at the Tomb

“The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.’

“‘Take a guard,’ Pilate answered. ‘Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” 

Let's take a deep breath as we take in all that happened before this passage. The intensity and emotions of the crucifixion are still running high. Jesus has paid the ultimate price and breathed his last breath on the cross. The veil was torn. There was a strong earthquake, and the scene in Jerusalem had to be one of chaos and confusion. I’m sure the disciples were wondering what happens next—if anything. And so they scattered.

These next two passages in Matthew, our scripture for today, hold a stark contrast in reactions to the cross. It's at this moment that two kingdoms—the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world—start jockeying for position.  

We see Joseph of Arimathea arrive on the scene, someone who we have never heard of before and who we will never hear of again. He was rich and a disciple of Jesus seeking the Kingdom of God. But while he was a follower he was still in hiding. Until now. 

The importance of Joseph’s role can’t be understated in the Easter story. For Jesus to rise he also had to be buried. But it was tricky. The Romans were in control, the Jewish leaders were nearby and Jesus’s followers (except for the Mary’s) were nowhere to be found. Enter Joseph, who was a man of means and influence which could be used to garner favor with Pilate to receive Jesus’s body. It’s hard to imagine any of Jesus’s other disciples having this much sway with Pilate but God had been preparing Joseph and he was ready.

There are three things that stand out to me about Joseph and the role he played.  

First, God always has someone who steps up and defends his Kingdom when things don’t look so good. We can go throughout scripture and remember the famous names of those who stood in the gap and obeyed God’s call. Joseph was another in a long line of divinely appointed people placed to fulfill a kingdom purpose. Interestingly, there are several Josephs who did this:  Joseph in Egypt, Joseph as Jesus’s earthly father, and this Joseph of Arimathea.

Second, I’m always struck by Joseph’s generosity in this moment. Seeing the opportunity, he quickly arranged for all the necessary burial spices and gave up an expensive tomb for Jesus to be laid. Of course, he might have actually understood (unlike the 11 disciples) that Jesus was only going to occupy the tomb for a few days, but nonetheless he was incredibly generous at the time.

Last, it says that Joseph was a rich disciple who was seeking the Kingdom of God but that his followership was in secret because he feared the Jewish leaders. He had much to lose. But now that the cross has happened, Jospeh courageously exposes himself as a true follower and approaches Pilate with an important request. It was the cross that finally got Joseph out of hiding and gave him courage to enter into the battle.

In the second half of this story we see the Pharisee and Chief Priests still conniving and planning to make sure Jesus’s body isn’t stolen. They are fearful that if this happens, then the situation will be worse than it was before. My first instinct in reading this passage is to laugh a little about their strategy and plans. They are playing right into the Lord’s hand and what the prophets foretold many years ago. The strategies are just foolishness. God is in control and he won’t be troubled by the enemy's petty plans.

At this moment between the cross and the resurrection, we see a glimpse into how the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of darkness will move forward. One will continue to move in fear and deception while the other moves with calculated strategy toward victory. I’m encouraged to know that our Lord has and will continue to place brave, courageous, and generous individuals in strategic areas to advance his agenda and push back the enemy. Those will be defining traits for his followers. It’s also encouraging to see that no matter the plans of the enemy, God always has the upper hand and renders their plans useless. These are themes we continue to live with even today, which give us great assurance and hope.

Resurrection day is soon approaching. The uncertainty of today’s events will be gone soon enough. More of God’s plan will be revealed, leading to great victory for all who believe.

Reflection:

Is there an area in your missional context that you need the Lord to give you an extra dose of courage to enter into?

How has the enemy discouraged you lately? What has he been doing? What do you perceive his plans are? Offer these thoughts to the Lord and ask him for guidance and encouragement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chris Marshall joined Novo’s Partner Development Team in 2019 with a primary focus on Middle East Initiatives. Today, he leads Novo’s Mission Advancement Team. Previous to Novo, he served for 14 years as VP of Global Advancement with Kids Around the World, a ministry focused on disciple making among children. During that time, Chris became passionate for the unreached and unengaged people groups around the world. Chris, his wife, Katie, and their four children live in San Clemente, CA.