Jesus Buried in Joseph's Tomb
57 Now when evening had come, 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 commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
Matthew 27:57–61 (NKJV)
The words in these passages display a striking parallel between Jesus’ birth and death. When Jesus was born, wise men from the East travelled a long distance to give him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. After Jesus was crucified, a rich man named Joseph travelled from Arimathea to offer him the gifts of clean burial linens and a new tomb. While Joseph’s wealth undoubtedly helped him build the tomb, it did not blind him to Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Joseph surely knew that Jesus was the Son of God, and he wanted to honor him one last time. In doing so, Joseph set the stage for the forthcoming resurrection of Jesus.
Imagine the King of the Universe, the Lord of all Creation humbling HImself to the point where He had no place to lay His beaten, bloody crucified body! Yet Paul says… who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:6–8 (NKJV)
This is the God who loves us, the Savior who died for us, the Risen King who has convquered all the powers of sin and death and ever lives to make intercession for you!
Greg Brunnick, Calvary Kids Ministry
