How many of the following descriptions fit you? Are you rich, a good, righteous, and respected member of the community, and a fearful secret disciple of Jesus who is able to act courageously? Do you look for the coming of God’s kingdom?
Those are all descriptions of Joseph of Arimathea from the four gospels. He asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body down from the cross and then buried Jesus in his own new tomb. July 31st is the day Joseph, who was from 20 miles northwest of Jerusalem and served on the Sanhedrin.
Walter Wangerin, in his book “The Book of God” vividly describes Joseph using a rope and a claw to pry out the nails from Jesus wrists and feet. When the task was done, “Joseph of Arimathea was holding his whole treasure in all the world - this world and the next one too.”
Nicodemus, another secret disciple, helped. When Jesus was laid in the tomb, Joseph rolled the large stone across the entrance of the new tomb and “went away.” Richard Crashaw (1613-1649) wrote a brief poem in which he noted that Jesus was born of a virgin womb and buried in a virgin tomb and a Joseph was betrothed to both.
Jesus is able to use all his disciples to serve him, the church and the world. Indeed we are not always courageous, nor rich, though we are rich in his grace, nor are we always good and righteous, save that we have Jesus’ goodness and righteousness. How might Christ be planning to use you in his service today?
By Rev. Ronald Jansen
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