Matthew 27:57-66

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57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. 

62 Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 63 and said, ``Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, `After three days I am to rise again.' 64 ``Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, `He has risen from the dead,' and the last deception will be worse than the first.'' 65 Pilate said to them, ``You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.'' 66 And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.

According to Jewish law, even a criminal's body might not be left hanging all night, but had to be buried that day. "His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day" (Deut 21:22-23). This was doubly binding when, as in the case of Jesus, the next day was the Sabbath. According to Roman law, the relatives of a criminal might claim his body for burial, but if it was not claimed it was simply left to rot until the scavenger dogs dealt with it.

A rich man who had become a follower of Jesus went to Pilate and requested the body for burial. This is a most revealing look into the nature of the followers. What is missed most often is that Jesus was Jewish and was actually another of many rabbis who presented their teachings, looking for followers. Through His teachings and accompanying miracles, Jesus' ministry had spread to a variety of levels of society. All of this becomes more clear as the letters to the churches are sent out. There you'll find slaves, noblemen, Roman soldiers, religious leadership, business men and women, and the formerly disabled, lame and blind.

This is the same today when Jesus is turned loose into society. Our responsibility is to get out of the way and trust Jesus to do His work among our friends and family-in our churches, synagogues and mosques, in the corporate marketplace and throughout our communities. Jesus is even more relevant and resonating to individuals of all cultures, religions and ethnicities than he was, even from the beginning.

This is why we must take upon ourselves to advance the conversation of Jesus into every crevice of society. And, Jesus will bring new life to any and all who seek to know Him personally.