Nov 25
30
Old Testament Reading: Psalm 16
“A MIKTAM OF DAVID. Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’ As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Luke 23:50-56
“Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 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 23:50–56, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
It was in Luke 23:46 that we heard about the death of Jesus. There we read, “Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46, ESV).
Where did the spirit, or soul, of the man Jesus go when he died? His soul went to Paradise (see Luke 23:43), that is, into the place of comfort within Sheol or Hades, which is sometimes called Abraham’s bosom (see Luke 16:22). Immediately before Jesus breathed his last breath, he committed his human spirit, or soul, to God the Father. And we know that God the Father was faithful to keep Jesus’ soul, for on the third day, Jesus was raised from the dead. His human soul, which was separated from his human body at death, was reunited with his resurrected and glorified body. This was to fulfill the prophecy of Psalm 16:10, wherein King David says, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol…” (Psalm 16:10, ESV).
But as you know, human beings are made up of two parts. We have souls, and we have bodies. And so it is with the man Jesus. So where did the body of Jesus go after he died? Answer: His body went where all human bodies should go when they die, namely, into the grave. So then, the soul of Jesus went where all souls would go before the resurrection of Christ, namely, into Sheol. And his body went where all human bodies should go after death, namely, into the grave.
You say, Why does it matter where the body and soul of Jesus went after death? It matters immensely! And the importance of this will become clear when we remember that Jesus was on a rescue mission. The eternal Son of God descended for us and for our salvation. He, being the eternal begotten Son from the Father, took to himself a true human nature, body and soul, so that he might redeem and rescue human beings, body and soul.
It was as a human being that Jesus kept God’s law and suffered to pay the price of our redemption. It was as a human being that he shed his blood to make atonement for the sins of many. And it was as a human being that Jesus Christ tasted death for everyone. This is what Hebrews 2:9 says:“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9, ESV).
What does it mean that Jesus tasted death? It means that he truly experienced it. Jesus really died on that cross. He suffered all the way to the point of death, and having breathed his last, he entered into death. Once his work was finished, his human soul was separated from his human body. His soul went to Sheol. His body was placed in the grave. And on the third day, it was from the dead that he was raised.
And why did Jesus have to taste death? Answer: So that he might defeat it for us. This is what Hebrews 2:14 says: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Hebrews 2:14–15, ESV). Friends, it was by tasting or experiencing death—it was by entering into it, body and soul—that Jesus Christ has defeated death for his people, and has thus freed us from the fear of death.
As I have said, we must remeber that Jesus was on a rescue mission. If hostages are taken by an enemy force, what will be required to obtain their freedom if negotiations fail? Special forces will need to be sent in to set the captives free. And it will not do for them to fight from a distance. They will need to go in—all the way in—to confront the enemy face to face, to defeat them, and to lead the captives to freedom. This is what Jesus did when he died. He did merely come close to death. He did not experience it only for a moment. No, he entered all the way in. He tasted or experienced death for his people. His soul went to Sheol. Why? So that he, having defeated sin and Satan through his obedient life and sacrificial death, might defeat death too, and open the doors of Sheol. And his body was placed in the grave. Why? So that he might open the doors of the grave. And to be clear, Jesus has opened the doors of Sheol and the grave, not for himself only, but for all who are united to him by faith. This is why he spoke to the Apostle John, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17–18, ESV). What do keys do except lock and unlock doors? And Jesus Christ entered into Sheol and the grave so that he might unlock the doors for his people and set the captives free.
It was in Luke 23:46 that Christ committed his soul into the hands of God the Father. Here in the text that is open before us today, we consider the body of Jesus. Just as Jesus knew that God the Father would not abandon his soul to Sheol, so too, he knew that God would not allow his body to see corruption or decay, but that his body would be raised on the third day (see Luke 18:33). This was to fulfill to the second half of Psalm 16:10, wherein King David, who trusted in Christ and was a type of the Christ to come, said, “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” (see also Acts 2:27-31, 13:34-39).
Dear friends, Jesus died to save his people from the fear of death by defeating death for us, In the text that is open before us, Luke presents two sets of witnesses concerning Jesus’ death. The first is Joseph of Aramethia and his companions. The second group is the women who followed close behind to see where his body was placed. We will briefly consider these two sets of witnesses, and we will learn some things along the way.
Joseph Of Arimathea
The man named Joseph is introduced in verses 50-51. Luke tells us a few things about him: One, Joseph was a Jew from the town of Arimathea. Two, he was a member of the council, that is to say, the Sanhedrin, who had unjustly condemned Jesus and pressured Pilate to put Jesus to death. Three, he was a good and righteous man. This does not mean he was sinless or righteous before God in and of himself, but that he was good and righteous, relatively speaking. He was not a wicked hypocrite like most of the other members of the council. His faith was sincere, and his heart was relatively pure. His goodness and his righteousness were shown in that he, fourthly, “had not consented to [the council’s] decision and action…” (Luke 23:51, ESV). I think you will agree that this was a bold and courageous act. When the majority is moving decisively in one direction, it takes courage to stand against them and to withhold consent, and this is what Joseph of Arimathia did. He did not believe that Jesus was guilty or worthy of death, and so he opposed the majority. Fifthly, Luke tells us that this Joseph “was looking for the kingdom of God” (Luke 23:51, ESV). This means he was looking for the arrival of the Messiah, the son promised to King David, whose kingdom would never come to an end (2 Samuel 7:12-13), and for the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34)—all of which were promised in the Old Testament Scriptures. When Luke tells us that Joseph of Aramathia was looking for the kingdom of God, it not only tells us something about him (that his faith was sincere), but it also implies that most of the others serving on the council were not really looking for it. Their eyes were fixed on this earth and the kingdoms of this earth. Their treasure and their hope were here on earth, and so they put Jesus to death, because he was a threat to them. But Joseph of Arimathea was a spiritually minded man. He was looking for the kingdom of God (see Matthew 6:25-34).
We learn a little more about this man from the other Gospels. Mark tells us that he was a “respected member of the council” (Mark 15:43). This indicates that he was well respected by the others on the council. His decision to withhold his consent was significant, therefore, but it did not stop the bloodthirsty majority from committing this heinous act. Matthew tells us that he was a rich man (see Matthew 27:57). Matthew also says that Joseph was “a disciple of Jesus” (Matthew 27:57). And John says the same thing in his Gospel, but he adds this remark: “but secretly for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38).
[This is fascinating to me. We know that twelve followed Jesus closely in the days of his earthly ministry. We know that there were seventy other disciples besides the twelve. We also know that hundreds, and at times, perhaps thousands, followed Jesus at a distance. But here we discover that some were disciples of Jesus secretly. These heard the teachings of Jesus and considered his works from afar. At some point, they came to believe in the mind and heart, but kept it private. This was the case with this wealthy and highly respected member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. For some time—we do not know how long; was it days or months? The Scriptures do not say—Joseph “was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews…” (John 19:38, ESV). Dear friends, though it is possible to be a disciple of Jesus privately for a short time, it is impossible to remain private about it (see Matthew 10:32-33). At some point, a true disciple of Jesus will openly identify with their Lord and Savior. At some point, the faith that is hidden in their heart will need to be professed (see 1 Timothy 6:12). At some point, the one who believes in the heart must confess that Jesus is their Lord. As the Scriptures say, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Romans 10:10, ESV). Under the New Covenant, this public profession or confession is made, not only with the lips, but once through water Baptism, and again and again at the Lord’s Table. It may be that some listening to this sermon are, up to this point, secret disciples of Jesus. Friend, if this describes you—if you are a disciple of Jesus secretly in the heart—the time has come for you to profess your faith and to openly confess that Jesus is your Lord. A true disciple of Jesus may keep their faith hidden and private for a time, but no true disciple of Jesus will keep it hidden for long. Those who trust in Jesus truly and love him sincerely will not remain silent about their devotion to him.]
Joseph of Aramathia knew that the time had come for him to cease being a secret disciple of Jesus and to be open about it. And consider the bold and courageous way in which he emerged from the shadows. In verse 52, Luke tells us that “This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.” This proves that Joseph was a powerful and well-respected man—he had access to Pilate. Mark tells us in his Gospel that “Pilate was surprised to hear that [Jesus] should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead” (Mark 15:44, ESV). This was likely the same centurion who oversaw the crucifixions that day, and when he saw Jesus breathe his last breath, he gave glory to God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!” (Luke 23:47, ESV), and “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54, ESV). Notice this, brothers and sisters: It was not the close, intimate disciples of Jesus who testified to Jesus’ death, but those on the outside—a Roman Centurion and a respected member of the Sanhedrin. Jesus really died. The Gospel writers want us to be sure of that, and so they present credible witnesses—the Roman centurion and Joseph of Aramathia, a respected member of the council who had much to lose by identifying with Jesus by showing him honor in his death.
It was Joseph of Arimathea who went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. And after Pilate had investigated to be sure that Jesus was really dead, he permitted Joseph to have Jesus’ body so that it might be properly buried. Verse 53: “Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid” (Luke 23:53, ESV). It should be clear to all that it would have been impossible for Joseph to take the body of Jesus down from the cross of his own. Others (perhaps Roman soldiers) must have helped him. If Jesus was not dead, these others who handled his body would have known. And John tells us in his Gospel that Nicodemus, who was also a ruler of the Jews, “who earlier had come to Jesus by night [see John 3:1-15], came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight” (John 19:39, ESV), and they they, together, “took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews” (John 19:40, ESV). When Jesus was placed in this grave, which was likely owned by Joseph of Arimathea, it fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9, which says, “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:9, ESV).
The Women
There was another group of people who could see that Jesus was truly dead and witnessed his burial in that tomb, namely, the female disciples of Jesus who had followed him from Galilee. In verse 54 we read, “It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 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 23:54–56, ESV).
In addition to the Roman centurion and Joseph of Aramathian and his companions, these women were witnesses to Jesus’ death and burial. They followed Joseph and Nicodemus to the tomb. They saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was laid. They were witnesses. And because it was the day of Preparation—that is to say, Friday, the day before the original, seventh-day Sabbath—and because the Sabbath was about to begin with the setting of the sun, they returned to where they were staying, and prepared spices and ointments, with which they intended to further honor the body of Jesus. But notice, they would not violate the commandment of God; rather, “On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56, ESV).
Luke’s emphasis on the timing of Jesus’ death and burial in relation to the Sabbath is interesting to consider. Luke stresses that, “It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning” (Luke 23:54, ESV). He informs us that Jesus was buried at the very end of the day of Preparation and just before the Sabbath began. These women did not have enough time to prepare spices and ointments and to return to the tomb before the sun set. They had to wait. And Luke informs us that the women allowed the body of Jesus to lie undisturbed in the tomb on the Sabbath day as they observed the Sabbath according to the commandment. Why all of this detail regarding the burial of Jesus in relation to the Sabbath?
Most fundamentally, it provides us with a timeline. Jesus died on Friday. His body was placed in the tomb before sundown. It lay undisturbed from sundown on Friday evening, and when the women returned at early dawn on the first day of the week, that is to say, on Sunday, they found the stone had been rolled away, and they did not find the body of Jesus, for he had arisen (Luke 24:1-3).
By the way, Matthew provides us with an interesting detail in his Gospel. In 27:62, he reports that “The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.’” (Matthew 27:62–66, ESV).
So, most fundamentally, Luke’s mention of the Sabbath provides us with a timeline. But I think there is also a theological and practical reason that Luke mentioned the Sabbath. Theologically, it is important to see that, even in his death, Jesus was faithful to keep the Sabbath. He finished the work that God gave him to do on the day of Preparation before the Sabbath began, and then he entered into rest. When Jesus’ soul descended to Sheol, it was not to work there, but to rest there, and to proclaim victory to those who were waiting for him. And his body was also laid to rest. When Jesus breathed his last, his work was finished, and he entered into rest, thus keeping and fulfilling the Sabbath command.
Practically, when Luke mentions that the women rested according to the commandment, it shows that the disciples of Jesus are to be concerned with keeping the Sabbath even still. Now granted, the Sabbath these women kept was the original, seventh-day Sabbath—the one that was instituted by God at the time of creation and reiterated through Moses after the Exodus and engraved by the finger of God as the fourth of the Ten Commandments. Friends, we do not keep the seventh-day Sabbath anymore, for, as has just been said, Jesus kept it and fulfilled it by accomplishing his work and entering into his rest. But a Sabbath-keeping remains for the people of God (see Hebrews 4:9). According to the law of Christ, being moved by our gratitude for what Christ has accomplished, we rest and worship on the first day of the week, which is called the Lord’s Day (see Revelation 1:10), and then we work diligently for six days by the strength that Christ supplies. Notice how diligent these women were to keep the Sabbath day holy. Not even their desire to care for the body of Jesus would lead them to violate God’s moral law. No, they prepared all they could on the day of Preparation. “On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment” (Luke 23:56, ESV). And only after the Sabbath had ended did they return to the tomb. Luke 24:1 says, “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:1–3, ESV). And it is here at this moment that the Sabbath day shifts from the seventh day to the first.
The seventh-day Sabbath commemorated the original creation and agreed with the terms of the Covenant of Works. Work to enter God’s rest, it said. Well, Jesus, the second and greater Adam has succeeded. He accomplished his work and has entered into rest. And when he accomplished his work of redemption, he ushered in a New Creation and New Covenant. The terms of this New Covenant could not be more different than the terms of the Covenant of Works. We do not work to enter God’s rest. No, we enter God’s rest by trusting in Jesus and the work he has done for us, and then we work (obey) out of gratitude for all he has done. The first day, Lord’s Day, New Covenant, Christian Sabbath, agrees with this arrangement. The work that Jesus has done brings us rest. First, we rest in him. After that, we strive to obey him out of the strength he supplies, because we are grateful. On the first day of every week, let us do what these disciples of Jesus did: “at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:1–3, ESV). In other words, with our hearts, minds, and bodies prepared for worship, let us assemble together, not on the seventh day, but on the first, to give Jesus, our crucified, dead, buried, risen, and ascended Messiah, the worship he commands and deserves.
Conclusion
Dear friends, Jesus truly died for sinners. He tasted death and has won the victory over it, for God did not abandon his soul to Sheol, or let his holy one see corruption (see Psalm 16:10). And for this reason, those who trust in Jesus are no longer in bondage to the fear of death. If God did not abandon Jesus’ soul to Sheol, and his body to decay in the grave, then he will not abandon us either, provided we are united to Jesus by faith. For “in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:20–23, ESV).
