Tuesday - the righteous man

Prayer:  Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,  have mercy upon us.  Lamb of God, the well-spring of life, pour into our hearts the living water of Your mercy.  By Your love we know that we too are loved by You. Increase our faith, and grant that we may walk in the brightness of Your presence this day and forever.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Luke 23: 50 – 56  

This portion of scripture begins “there was a good and righteous man named Joseph….”  (Luke 23: 50  NRSV Nelson, 1989).      We learn that Joseph was a member of the council,  or Sanhedrin.   He was also longed for the coming Messiah.   Joseph did not agree with everyone else on the council concerning the death of Jesus.

Joseph went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate agreed.   Then Joseph took the body of Jesus down from the cross, wrapped the body in a linen cloth and laid the body in a tomb.  We read this statement and think,  ‘What a great guy Joseph was to remember his friend Jesus”.   But there is something more that has just happened here.   Joseph specifically asked Pilate for the body of Jesus.  For a body to be denied a burial was the highest form of indignity to a body.  Joseph provided Jesus with burial and thus,  honoured his friend. 

Joseph,  being a member of the Sanhedrin,  would have been known by Pilate.  As Joseph took the body of Jesus down from the cross,  Joseph becomes unclean.  Joseph was willing to help out this man Jesus by becoming unclean.   Joseph  also wrapped the body in a  linen cloth and laid the body in a tomb that had never been used before.  From this we learn that Joseph not only put his beliefs on the line by asking for the body of Jesus whom the rest of the members of council had called to be put to death but Joseph also spent money in providing Jesus with a burial in an tomb that had never been used before.    This indeed says a lot about Joseph as a good and righteous man.

Would we help out a friend today as much as Joseph helped Jesus?    Reflect today on the things that Joseph of Arimathea did for his friend Jesus.    Reflect today on the ways Joseph of Arimathea showed mercy and compassion for his friend.

Do we show such mercy and compassion for our family and friends?

Prayer:  Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,  have mercy upon us.  Lamb of God, the well-spring of life, pour into our hearts the living water of Your mercy.  By Your love we know that we too are loved by You. Increase our faith, and grant that we may walk in the brightness of Your presence this day and forever.  Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.