Read John 19:38-42. Circle the word(s) that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
38 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. 39 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. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 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. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Reflections on the Word.
Many of us have attended weddings and funeral services. We tend to sit up front for weddings and sit toward the back in funeral services. It’s the family who sits upfront next to the casket or the picture of the deceased.
The Day of Preparation was coming. The women had to return to their homes to prepare the Passover Meal. Or, did they? John doesn’t record in this chapter whether the women were present or absent in the burial preparation.
Unexpectedly and disappointing, the siblings nor the disciples asked for the body of Jesus. Surprisingly, it was Joseph of Arimathea who asked for the body of Jesus. Did someone prompt him to do it since he was known to Pilate as being part of the Sanhedrin? Nicodemus joined Joseph. Nicodemus brought 75 lbs of perfume and spices. The text doesn’t state when or how he got those things. Could it be that it was for Joseph, but now it was being used for Jesus?
The text says this, “With Pilate’s permission, he (Arimathea) came and took the body away. 39 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” (NIV).
According to Jewish custom, the person who touches a dead body was considered unclean. Joseph and Nicodemus could not celebrate the Passover with family and friends. As part of the Sanhedrin, they could have hired or asked someone to prepare the body of Jesus. They didn’t do that, but they did it themselves. The dried blood was hard to remove. The scars were deep. It must be difficult to wrap the body of Jesus. They loved Jesus that much that they were willing to be considered “unclean” for touching the body of Jesus.
When we hear of someone passing away in our family or in the church family, what do you and I do? Is it just news or information? Do we feel obligated to visit or call? How far are we willing to go to help the funeral service of our friend, or do we leave it for others to do?
One of the greatest ministries is help those going through the loss of a loved one. It is not just helping with the logistics of the service: setting up the flowers, ushering, speaking… It is weeping with those who weep. It is entering in their sadness, allowing ourselves to be a shoulder where our friends can cry upon and be comforted by us. Are you willing to
be “unclean” for the sake of others? Would we be willing to go the extra mile for others? Let’s comfort others by our words, deeds, and emotional presence and support.
-Kingston