Mark 15:42-47
42 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44 Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45 So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.
Even after death Jesus fulfills this Old Testament prophecy:
And they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
(Isaiah 53:9 NKJV)
Normally, Jesus’ body would have been thrown into a mass grave with the two robbers. God, however, took care of His Son’s body through Joseph of Arimathea. Having finished all of the redemptive work to acquire man’s salvation, Jesus’ body is wrapped in fine linen and laid in an unused tomb.
Even as Jesus’ body most thoroughly observes a resting on the Sabbath, thus fulfilling the 3rd Commandment of God, He brought it to rest there for you! Not only did a transition take place from the Old Testament Temple to Jesus body as the temple that would be destroyed and He would raise it up again in three days. But He has now transitioned the Sabbath rest to be located within Himself now as well.
What a blessed freedom Christ’s fully atoning merits have ushered in for His believers. As all of God’s Commandments bring conviction and point out how man’s sinful flesh will never fulfill them. So the relief of them being fully observed comes through Christ Jesus! Do you desire to not have any other gods? Then get in Christ Jesus! Do you desire to not misuse the name of the Lord your God? Then get in Christ Jesus! So it goes with keeping the Sabbath. Get in Him! Jesus is the Mercy Seat to which sinners flee in faith for refuge.
Let us pray: O God, creator of heaven and earth, grant that as the crucified body of Your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this Holy Sabbath, so we may await with Him the coming of the third day, and rise with Him to newness of life, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
