What Difference Did the Cross Make for Joseph of Arimathea? – April 10, 2019 Scriptures: Matt. 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-53; John 19:38-42 Before the crucifixion Joseph, from a tiny town in the hill country near Jerusalem called Arimathea. He was a member of the council which plotted/planned the crucifixion of Jesus. We know from Matthew that Joseph had become a follower (disciple) of Jesus. John tells that Joseph of Arimathea “was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews.” Mark tells us that Joseph was a prominent and respected member of the Jewish religious council (the Sanhedrin, which functioned as the supreme court of Israel). He was of such a position that he had direct access to the Roman governor. Mark tells that he went to Pilate and asked for his body. Pilate first confirms that Jesus was dead already, then allows him to take the body. (Confirmed so that loved ones would not revive a crucified man). Joseph was a mover and a shaker in Jerusalem. Luke described Joseph as "a good and upright man." Luke tells us that Joseph had not consented to the decision and action of the Council. 1 - When the Sanhedrin bribed Judas to betray Jesus, Joseph did not consent. 2 - When the Sanhedrin sent armed troops to arrest Jesus, Joseph did not consent. 3 - When the Sanhedrin brought in false witnesses, Joseph did not consent. 4 - When the Sanhedrin conducted that illegal trial, Joseph did not consent. 5 - When the Sanhedrin incited the crowd to demand Jesus' execution, Joseph did not consent. During all of this, he did not consent; but there is no indication that he contested the actions either. No mention is made in the Bible that Joseph ever spoke one word. The turmoil must have been tremendous. He believed in Jesus, thought of himself as Jesus' follower. Yet he sat in silence and anonymity. His actions did not match his belief. He had a position where his words could have been important, persuasive. He could have taken a stand like another Pharisee (Gamaliel) did in Acts 5:17-42). Gamaliel said: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do...” He advised them: If their purpose is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them; you will only find yourselves fighting against God'" (Acts 5:35-39). 1) He could have cross examined the false, lying witnesses. 2) He could’ve challenged the legality/ propriety of the irregular proceedings. 3) He could’ve asked for evidence to support the charges. 4) He could’ve pointed out that Jesus' response to the high priest's questioning which brought the charge of blasphemy was not blasphemy. Blasphemy is to slander or (blaspheme) God or the Holy Spirit. It is to show disrespect to God. Jesus was asked, Are you the Christ, the Son of God? He said – “I am. And the future, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-64). While Jesus was being condemned by the Sanhedrin, Joseph sat quietly. What a difference he might have been. He could have spoken words of support for Jesus. He could’ve stood up for Him. He could’ve spoken words of love rather than hatred. He said nothing. He was afraid. Of course, it was God’s plan that Jesus die for us. But in the days to follow, Joseph would wrestle with his own guilt & remorse about the cross. He either: 1. absented himself to avoid the problem 2. abstained from voting (probably reasoning that one vote for Jesus against the Council wasn't going to do Jesus any good); or 3. for whatever reason, and though he did not consent to the proceedings or the verdict or the sentence, he nevertheless was silent. As Jesus was ushered out to the garbage dump for execution, as the Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to those beams, as the crowds taunted, as the sun turned to darkness, as he heard Jesus cry out, "I thirst," and plead with God, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"); as he watched Jesus breathe His last and heard Him declare, "It is finished" and as he overheard Jesus say, "Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit," Joseph knew that he had said nothing. The cock crowed for Joseph of Arimathea as well as for Peter, a denial by silence. After the crucifixion But after the crucifixion Joseph did an incredibly heroic act: he boldly went to the Roman Procurator Pontius Pilate to request permission to give Jesus' Body a decent, even honorable, burial. It was an act of bravery. It put Joseph at risk. The Council members who wanted Jesus dead would not regard giving Jesus a tomb and anointing His Body for burial as an act done by "one of us." Thus, Joseph's action would alienate him from those with whom he shared such a prominent position. The Roman authorities might look suspiciously upon one who cared that much for the executed Criminal. The crowds had turned against Jesus - "Hosanna!" had become "Crucify!" - and they might turn against one who stood up for Jesus. But notice when Joseph went to Pilate to request Jesus' body, no notice is taken that it is negative. Usually our fears are unjustified. I cannot ever recall being put down for my faith. It was an act of sacrifice. Most noticeably, it would cost Joseph a great deal of money. He provided the tomb and also accepted other costs of the burial. But even more, Joseph was sacrificing being able to celebrate the Passover. Anytime a person touched a dead body, he became religiously unclean - which meant that he could not participate in the community's worship ceremonies for a week. When Joseph tenderly took that lifeless, limp corpse of the Nazarene from the tree, he was forfeiting the chance to be a part of the most important religious festival for a Jew (and he was a leader). It was an act of love. Jewish law forbade executed criminals from being buried in family plots. In fact, most often their bodies were not buried at all but simply left for wild dogs and vultures to pick the skin off their bones. (This is one reason why some scholars think the place of execution was called Golgotha, the place of the skull, because of the skulls and skeletons which would be lying around after the wild dogs and vultures had picked the skin off the bones of the dead persons.) An agonizing, humiliating death would be followed by that further degradation. Joseph did not want that undeserved and ignoble fate to fall upon his beloved Jesus. It was an act of worship. Jesus was laid in Joseph's unused tome., which was the tomb appropriate for divinity or royalty. Myrrh and aloes, brought by another secret disciple (Nicodemus, who had visited Jesus once under the cover of darkness) were embalming spices designated for royalty. The spices were of such expense and quantity (75 pounds) as to be fit for a king. Jesus may have died like a criminal, but He would be buried like a King. Read Isaiah 53:9 – “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” It was a public act. The cowardly, secretive aspect of discipleship was over. Jesus' death had brought Joseph out of the closet. He declared himself as a Christian so that all could see. Private faith became full Christian faith. That was the difference the cross made! While Jesus was alive, Joseph was a disciple "secretly because he feared the Jews." But after Jesus' death as "the lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world," Joseph boldly declared himself in a manner any could see. Catholic history revals that Joseph became a missionary after the death of Jesus. For 6 months, he lived a solitary life, in grief. Like a time of penitence. He then became an apostle, one of the 72 who served with Peter. (Read He was sent first to Rome, and then to preach the gospel in England. He arrived at Glastenbury about three years after the death of our blessed Redeemer, being then in the forty-fourth year of his age, doing there such wonderful miracles, that he presently brought to the conversion of Christ above one thousand souls. Besides, as Eusebius, Sozomenes, and Ruffinus, three most faithful ecclesiastical writers, relate, he baptized at the city of Wells, which is within four miles of Glastenbury, eighteen thousand persons one day; Thus Joseph of Arimathea, by his godly life and good behaviour, having obtained the good-will of one Ethelbertus, a king then reigning in the western parts of England, and many other nobles, whom he converted to the Christian faith, he founded a most famous abbey at Glastonbury; which was the first Christian church in the world, and by the large endowments settled upon it afterwards by the Christian princes, it became one of the richest monasteries in Christendom. In the antient town of Glastenbury the holy Joseph of Arimathea continued till the day of his death, being forty-two years, so that he was eighty-six at his death; and so venerable was his person then held, that six kings of those parts honoured his corpse by carrying him on royal shoulders to the grave; which was made in the chancel of Glastonbury-abbey, and had a most stately tomb erected over him, with the following inscription: HERE LIES THE BODY OF THAT MOST NOBLE DISCIPLE, RECORDED IN SCRIPTURE BY THE NAME OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, AND NOTED BY THE FOUR EVANGELISTS, ST.