Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:62-66
Historical Context
According to the Gospel of John, Joseph of Arimathea went to ask Pilate for Jesus’s body. He, along with Nicodemus not only retrieved Jesus’s body, but they hurriedly wrapped it in about 75 pounds of a mixture of myrrh and aloes. All of this had to be done before sunset according to Jewish law because the Sabbath was about to start. The Gospel of Matthew tells us they then placed his lifeless body in a tomb that Joseph had recently purchased near the place where Jesus had been crucified (27:59-60). Most “criminals” were not buried in a tomb but essentially dumped into a garbage heap outside of town. This burial is consistent with what was prophesied in Isaiah 53. Though Jesus was dead, the Pharisees were still afraid of an uprising of his followers. If someone could steal the body from the tomb, his disciples might claim that Jesus had risen. They needed Pilate’s help to make the tomb secure for three days. They needed Jesus not just to stay dead, but to stay put. Pilate gave them permission to take a guard to make the tomb secure in the best way they knew. So, after a huge stone was rolled over the entrance of the tomb, a seal was placed on the stone, and guards were put in place. This would likely have been a group of 16 Roman soldiers, preventing one person from falling asleep and missing something or concocting their own story of what had happened if the body went missing.
Devotional Reflection
Having won their victory; the Pharisees now went into a waiting game. They were waiting in hopes that this Jesus who had troubled them so much would soon be a forgotten myth, a legend of the past. If they could keep him from showing up on the scene in three days, he would be proven a liar or a lunatic. If he arose in three days, he would be proven Lord over death and solidified as the Messiah in the hearts of many. Meanwhile, the disciples waited to see if all they had witnessed and experienced in their time with Jesus was for nothing. Still not fully understanding his plan, they likely huddled together in a mass of emotions. They were confused because things had not gone as they had planned. They were afraid that they may face the same fate as Jesus. They were deeply saddened at the loss of both a good friend and the Rabbi they had followed for three years. So, they waited in mourning for what would happen next, not believing that it would be the resurrection of their Savior. Even the guards had to wait. It likely seemed silly to them to have to guard a dead man. They had probably never been assigned such a task. Maybe they thought this would be easy, boring, or unnecessary, but they did what soldiers do – they followed orders. For three days, everyone waited to see what a dead man would do.
Personal Application
Years ago, while traveling to Kenya with a Broadmoor mission team during Covid restrictions, our team had to wait. We had done all of the Covid tests and paperwork to travel and then had to be on a plane within 72 hours or our tests would expire. All 22 of us packed our bags, boarded the plane, and breathed a sigh of relief. As the pilot went through the preflight check, we heard the dreaded words – “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a mechanical issue with the plane and will need to head back to the gate.” Trying to re-book 22 people isn’t easy. We soon accepted the fact that it would be three days before we could get our entire team on a plane. We took our bags home, went through all the testing and paperwork again, and left three days later. Little did we know that this wait would allow us to be a part of things in Kenya we would have missed had we left on time! We all wait—for traffic to move, packages to come in, and responses to emails. To wait is to be human. Sometimes, we wait on people for trivial things—a refill of water at a restaurant. Sometimes, we wait on Jesus. We wait for Jesus to prove he is who he says he is. We wait to see what he will or won’t do next. Sometimes, we wait, knowing he can, but wondering if he will.
Prayer
Father, today, we remember how people waited on Jesus – either to disprove his claims or to prove his Lordship. The Pharisees and disciples waited with different hearts and minds, different hopes and emotions. We don’t wait for you to prove your divinity, but we do still wait on you – to answer a prayer, to act, to return. Calm our anxious thoughts in the waiting. Remind us now that the One who overcame three days in the grave is still at work. Help us not just to wait, but to wait well.
Going Deeper: Are you waiting well on Jesus today?
