Bible Study series: Mark 14:42-47. Certain women followed from a distance to find out where Joseph of Arimathea buried him.
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Scripture: Mark 15:42-47
42 Then as evening came, since it was the preparation day, which is before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council, who was himself expecting the kingdom of God, came and boldly entered Pilate’s palace, and he asked for the body of Jesus. 44 But Pilate was amazed that he had already died. He summoned the centurion and asked whether he had died for some time. 45 And when he had learned this from the centurion, he gave the corpse to Joseph. 46 He had bought a linen cloth. He took him down and wrapped him with linen cloth and placed him in the tomb, which had been cut out from the rock, and rolled a stone over the entrance to the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, were observing where he was placed. (Mark 15:42-47)
Comments:
42-47:
Arimathea: the exact location remains unknown (BTSB on Luke 23:51), but the best guess is Ramathaim, also known as Ramah (1 Sam. 1:19; 2:11), the birthplace of the prophet Samuel. It is located in the hill country of Ephraim, twenty miles [32 km] northwest of Jerusalem and east of Joppa (Strauss). You can google these locations.
Joseph was a prominent member of the Jewish council and court (Sanhedrin). He did not consent to the condemnation of Jesus (Luke 23:51). John 19:38 says that he was a disciple of Jesus, but only in secret, because he feared the Jewish leadership. Luke 23:50 says that Joseph was a good and righteous man. One way we can know he was good and righteous is that he did not agree with the Sanhedrin’s plot and action to execute Jesus. And he showed kindness to Jesus’s body. Who knows? Maybe Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection and thanked him for his kindness.
Joseph was expecting or waiting for the kingdom of God. This expands the definition of why he was considered a good and righteous man. He probably did not know what the kingdom really was, but he sensed that Jesus was the main source of it. Now what would happen to his kingdom expectation? He may have not considered the resurrection, so his hopes must have crashed and burned. Yet, he had the courage to get the body.
Speaking of courage, he approached Pilate and asked for the body. Pilate must have thought about it. Did the governor shake his head in disappointment that he got involved in the whole sorry “trial”? Or did he just say yes and told Joseph to go? His heart was softened, because he was surprised that Jesus had died so quickly. Mark includes this datum to signal us that Jesus surrendered his life by breathing his last. No one really took it from in, in the final analysis. Usually it took two or three days for a crucified man to die (Lane’s comment on vv. 42-43)
No doubt, since Joseph was rich and it took more than one man to physically move the body, he had his servants take down the cross and level it on the ground, the lifeless body moving, the head bobbing with the descent of the cross. Then Joseph ordered his servants to unfasten the body by pulling out the spikes. Mark omits the fact that Joseph probably washed the body first and covered it with cloth and added spices to hide the stench.
The rock-hewn tomb was probably specially chosen for Joseph. It would have included a stone bench. In any case, no other body was lain there before (Luke 23:53), not even Joseph’s family (Matt. 27:60). This act of generosity showed extra kindness and respect.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses (Joseph) were devoted followers of Jesus. They wanted to be sure that they knew where he was buried. Evidently, they planned to visit the tomb immediately after the Sabbath (16:1).
GrowApp for Mark 15:42-47
1. Joseph boldly or courageously asked Pilate for the body. Can you see yourself asking for the body of a condemned and executed man in this story?
2.. If so, where does courage come from?
RELATED
10. Eyewitness Testimony in Mark’s Gospel
2. Church Fathers and Mark’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
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