Thursday: THE BURIAL OF JESUS

Apr 6, 2023
2 min read

John 19:36-42

These things happened so that scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Jesus desired to glorify His Father, and His heart delighted in fulfilling the prophecies in Scripture. Three times this passage mentions that Scripture was fulfilled: Jesus declared His thirst and they gave Him vinegar (Psalm 69:21), His bones were not broken (Psalm 34:20), and they will look on the One they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10).

God had a plan for where Jesus was to be buried. God called Joseph of Arimathea to provide his own tomb for Jesus. A man called Joseph was chosen to be present at Jesus’ birth, and another man named Joseph was to be present at His death.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS: When someone close to me dies, I grieve. My grief arouses many emotions, which leads to feelings of denial, anger, and depression.

How much greater is my grief when I believe that my hope has died. Feelings of hopelessness overwhelm me, sending me into a very depressed mindset. However, God knows my state of weakness and shows me that my hope is still alive: my Hope is in Jesus Christ.

I have a reason to hope today, and I know this hope in Jesus has the power to overcome my current state of mind. For He has led me through trials before, and though this trial is enormous, He has the power to get me through it.

Lord, I desire to focus on You today. I pray to You today and read Your Holy Word. I confess I am a sinner and rejoice in Your Holiness and Goodness. Through all of this, I put my hope in You alone. Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman