Matthew 27:57-60: Joseph, Out of the Shadows

Sisto Badalocchio, The Entombment of Christ, 1610

“And Joseph took the body [of Jesus] and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud.”  Matthew 27:59

"I thank you for this. Tear off my old garment, for I will soon put on Christ's garment of righteousness."  (A Christian in India said these words to his persecutors as they skinned him alive; Radical, p. 35, David Platt.)

Joseph of Arimathea is one of the New Testament’s most overlooked saints, yet one of its most courageous. When it was evening  (v. 57) and his Master was crucified and dead, Joseph’s mind was a whirl of emotions. But his convictions would lead him to only one conclusion and one obvious action, even if it may cost him everything. 

Joseph was broken-hearted.  “This is the last straw,” he probably proclaimed to himself while gazing up at the lifeless corpse of Jesus.   Joseph had heard about the mockery of a trial that the fellow members of the ruling council of the Jews had given Jesus the night before.  He knew that they spit on Him, beat Him, mocked Him and found Him guilty of blasphemy and decided to put Him to death (see 26:65-68), even though the outcome was determined before the trial even began.

Or maybe Joseph was at the trial and was one of the few who, according to Luke 23:51 “had not consented to their decision and action.”    Regardless, Joseph was angry. And he no longer trusted those on the Council, of whom he was one. He was tired of their hypocrisy and power-plays.    Jesus was right: they are a “brood of vipers” (23:33).

Joseph was also scared.  What will they do to him when they find out he is a disciple of Jesus (v. 57)? Will Pilate hunt down His disciples and kill them too?  Maybe he should just slip away from Golgotha and disappear into the thinning crowd.  After all, being rich, from out of town (Arimathea was near Galilee) as well as a member of the Council, has its advantages. And Joseph doubted.  If Jesus was Messiah, then why was He rejected?  Why was the kingdom not restored to Israel?  Why did God let His chosen one die?

Yet Joseph was a righteous man, “looking for the kingdom of God,” (Mark 15:43; Luke 23:51). He surely drew courage from Moses who left Pharaoh’s household and decided rather to suffer “with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin,” (Hebrews 11:25).   There were men like Abraham, Noah and David, who followed God even at great risk and personal cost.   Even Jesus’ teaching about taking up one’s cross now had a whole new meaning as Joseph gazed upon him who they had pierced.  Joseph made up his mind to not be a man-pleaser but a God-pleaser (see Galatians 1:10).    His new resolve led him to insist that his Master have a proper and timely burial according to Jewish law (see Deuteronomy 21: 22-23).

Even though he “was a respected member of the Council” (Mark 15:43), Joseph had to summon all the courage he had as he went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus (v. 58).  Joseph was ready for whatever would be Pilate’s response.  Once his request had been given, Joseph closed his eyes and grimaced, expecting to be struck or seized, just like his Master had been the night before. Surprisingly though, Pilate ordered it to be given to him (v. 59). Pilate had not arrested him; Pilate even granted his request.   Joseph gave a heavy sigh; his faith had held.  

Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean, linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb which he had cut in the rock.  And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away (vv. 59-60). He received help from his friend Nicodemus who was also on the Council, and who was likely among the few dissenting voices Luke mentioned.  Like Joseph, Nicodemus was a secret follower of Jesus (see John 3:1 and John19:39).  MacArthur captures this irony:  “Those who had followed Jesus in the light had fled into the darkness and those who had followed in fear in the darkness, now stepped forward courageously into the light.”   

His Master was now receiving a proper burial.  Now all he could do was to wait on the Lord, even though he didn’t know how or for how long.  Through the brokenness, fear and anger, Joseph’s weak faith flickered anew.

How is your faith being challenged?  How is God telling you to leave the shadows and follow Him?  Joseph is now among the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us.  Therefore “let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is before us, looking to Jesus…”(Hebrews 12:1-2).