Holy Saturday

In Matthew 27, we see that Jesus, the Son of God, indeed the Lamb of God, has been crucified and, after giving his Spirit up, has died. Believe me, the earth itself felt this – and Matthew records that there was a great earthquake, rocks had split, tombs had opened, and the curtain of the Temple had been torn from top to bottom – man did not tear that curtain, only God Himself could have done this. Be not mistaken, the King had left the people He had come for, and the earth groaned. The inner circle of disciples had scattered, and in the evening, Joseph of Arimathea, whom Matthew identifies as one discipled to Christ and Luke identifies as a member of the Sanhedrin who had disagreed with the council’s Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:51), petitioned Pilate for the body of Jesus. Looking across the Gospel accounts, we see that once granted his request, Joseph took the body, and the Gospel of John records that Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin whom we recall speaking with Jesus under cover of night in John 3, joined Joseph. Together, they wrapped Jesus in linen cloths with myrrh and aloe spices (John 19:38-40) and finally, they laid Jesus’ body in a new tomb belonging to Joseph, while Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, sat opposite the tomb watching.

See this clearly. A week earlier, crowds had greeted Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with the shout of “Hosanna to the Son of David” and waving tree branches. Yet now, the disciples who had walked with Jesus and witnessed His healings, exorcisms, miracles, and teachings have fled. Ironically, those who bury the mutilated and crucified body of Jesus are members of the Sanhedrin who are followers of Jesus, and those we recognize from the ministry years of Jesus are the two women sitting in proximity. The story is upside down. The tomb with Jesus' body in it is sealed the next day by Pilate’s officials, and all hope is gone.

Can you imagine? The Incarnation of Jesus was celebrated with the singing of angels, a star in the skies, wise men visiting with gifts, and now – darkness. Yet this darkness leads to the realization that without Jesus, we are hopeless. Without Resurrection Sunday, we have nothing but despair. Only through the redemptive power of Jesus, realized when He overcame death and left the tomb, can we also walk out of darkness into His glorious light.

Prayer

Precious and Holy God, we are a hopeless lot without you. We recognize our fallen state, our inability to redeem ourselves, and the necessity of the death and resurrection of Jesus. When our world is dark, we remember that Jesus was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so that we, too, can walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:4). We rejoice in our hope that is only found in You and we thank you. We ask you, Holy Spirit, to remind us that the dark tomb becomes an empty tomb and that You are our only hope. Amen.

Carrie Wood, Ph.D., serves as assistant professor and director of the Master of Divinity programs for the Regent University School of Divinity.