Holy Saturday…the Sabbath…Jesus was in the tomb…a very long day about which there is nothing in the gospels. NO ONE was expecting the resurrection. The women saw where he was laid the day before the Sabbath, and they went there the day after the Sabbath “to anoint his body…”

And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. (Mark 15.42 – 16.2, ESV, emphases mine)

We know, to paraphrase Tony Campolo, “It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s comin’,” but they didn’t. (By the way, if you haven’t heard Tony’s classic sermon, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’,” click the link and listen to it. It’s long but worth it. If you want to hear just the Sunday’s comin’ part, go to about 49:35 into it.)

Back to Holy Saturday. Deathly quiet. Deathly still. As the brother said in Luke 24, “We had hoped…” Feel it with them as we wait.

The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. (Luke 23.55, 56, ESV)

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. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19.41, 42, ESV)