PT-2 "Christ's Power over Death was Manifested in His Burial" (John 19:38-42)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/22/2017 11:13 AM

My Worship Time          Focus: PT-2 “Christ’s Power over Death was Manifested in His Burial”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  John 18:38-42

            Message of the verses:  “38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. 39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.”

            After Pilate granted permission to Joseph, he and Nicodemus got the body of Jesus and rapidly prepared it for His burial.  John MacArthur states that the 100 pounds of items that were used to prepare the body of Jesus was probably only 65 pounds, but he also stated that this was the amount that would be used for the body of a king or a wealthy prominent person.  The spices used were to help control the odor as the Jews did not embalm their dead, instead used these fragrant spices.  Now as we read over this passage about the burial of Jesus we can see that neither Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, or later on the women who were going to do the same thing later on as seen in the other Gospels, thought that Jesus was going to raise from the dead.  If they would have believed Him they would not have taken the time to prepare His body for burial.

            John is the only Gospel writer who tells us that the tomb was near the place where Jesus was crucified.  Matthew tells us that the tomb belonged to Joseph.  Now because the Sabbath came at sunset having this tomb so close was very helpful.  MacArthur writes ‘“Therefore because…the Jewish day of preparation’ (Friday) was almost over, and ‘since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.’  As was commonly done, Joseph’s tomb had been carved out of rock, and was sealed by rolling a large stone in front of the entrance (Matt. 27:60).”

            John MacArthur mentions the prophecy that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 12:40 “for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”  This is why Jesus had to be in the tomb before sunset as the new day began at sunset.  I have to mention that in my early days of becoming a believer that I listened to two of my Pastors talk about this prophecy of Jesus being in the tomb three days and they felt that He had to be in the tomb for 72 hours just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish that long and so one of them felt that Jesus was crucified on Wednesday, and the other thought Thursday in order to get 72 hours accounted for.  Not sure that any of this is important as the important thing is that Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, for those who would receive Him as their Savior and their Lord, He was then buried, and then rose from the grave to show that God was satisfied with His sacrificial payment for our sins.  He then ascended into heaven where He is now sitting at the Father’s side interceding for all who have come to Him for salvation as our Great High Priest.  This I know it is true, but how many hours He was in the tomb I cannot say for sure.

            John MacArthur writes “Jesus needed to be buried while it was still Friday, so He could be in the tomb for three days (part of Friday afternoon, Saturday, and part of Sunday morning).  In His burial, as well as His death, Jesus orchestrated all the details to accomplish God’s already revealed purpose.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:   Now humanly speaking all that Jesus fulfilled seems to me to be much more difficult for the Lord than to care for the things that He has prepared for me to do as a believer in Jesus Christ to accomplish for Him.  This gives me confidence that as long as I submit to His will that He will use me to bring glory to my Lord.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  To seek my heavenly Father for a sick member of my family, that He will bring healing to his body which will bring glory to His name.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “An Elder” (1 Timothy 5:1).

Today’s Bible question:  “In the parable of the good shepherd, what did Jesus say the good shepherd would do for the sheep?”

Answer in our next SD.

5/22/2017 11:44 AM