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I love Biblical accounts of people who took critical actions, often without a lot of press, turning the tide of God’s story. Examples include the young man who saved the Apostle Paul from ambush (Acts 23.11 – 22), Joseph of Nazareth who protected the infant Jesus (Matthew 1 and 2), and Barnabas, who led the acceptance of Paul (Saul of Taurus) (Acts 9.26 – 28) and later recalled Paul into active ministry (Acts 11.19 – 26).

This time of year it’s easy to overlook another Joseph, Joseph of Arimathea:

⁵⁰ Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. ⁵¹ He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵² This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. (Luke 23.50 – 53, NKJV)

Recalling yesterday’s blog on not following a crowd to do evil, that’s precisely what Joseph had done–not going along with the council. I understand that most crucifixion victims were just thrown into a common grave. That aside, a person of Jesus’ means would not have been buried in a tomb hewn out of a rock. But Joseph provided Jesus a rich man’s burial, fulfilling Isaiah 53.9: “And they made His grave with the wicked– But with the rich at His death.” And Jesus’ burial in a real, identifiable tomb made possible the discovery of the empty tomb and the resurrection.

¹  Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” ³ Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. ⁴ So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. ⁵ And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. (John 20.1 – 8, NKVJ, emphasis mine)