The Steps of Jesus by Joseph F. Roberts, ThD, PhD - HTML preview

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Introduction to Chapter 13

Jesus has died but is still hanging on the cross. A high sabbath day is rapidly approaching. The bodies of those hanging on the three crosses must be taken down and something done with them. A secret disciple of Jesus goes to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. He has a new tomb, built for himself, that is nearby to Calvary. He wants to bury Jesus in this new tomb. Pilate is surprised that Jesus is already dead. He grants Joseph of Armathaea the right to take the body of Jesus down from the cross, prepare it and then place it in his own tomb. John writes that Nicodemus assisted him by bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, “…about a hundred pound weight.” John writes in John 19:40, The took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

I now want to go outside of the Scriptures in order for us to gain an insight of the burial methods and traditions during this time period. These are details that the Scriptures do not reveal to us.

By the time Jesus was teaching in and around ancient Jerusalem in the first century A.D., the Hebrews, or Jews -- the ethnic group descendant of the patriarch Abraham -- had already been influenced by Greek and Roman culture. But the Hebrews didn't adopt the burial traditions of these cultures, which typically involved cremation rather than burial. The life, teachings and death of Jesus Christ help bring these Hebrew traditions to light.

Time of Burial

The Hebrews buried their dead immediately, no later than a day after the person passed away. According to the "Jewish Encyclopedia," this custom stems from the Mosaic Law, which ordered that any person hung from a

"tree" or "cross" as a form of execution, should be taken down and buried within a day after death. And while this law applies directly to the bodies of executed criminals, the Hebrews generally applied it to everyone. Jesus Christ, after he died from execution on a "tree" or "cross," was buried within a day.

Burial Preparation

The Hebrews didn't practice embalming in the way other cultures did, such as the Egyptians. They did, though, traditionally put spices and aromatic ointments on the dead bodies in order to help remove unpleasant odors. In fact, after Jesus died, a man named Joseph of Arimathea, according to the Bible writer John's gospel account, requested permission to prepare Jesus' body "just the way the Jews have the custom of preparing for burial," using myrrh, aloes, spices and linen bandaging.

Place of Burial

The Hebrews seemingly kept their burial places simple and less ostentatious than those from surrounding cultures, who often decorated grave sites with paintings and other ornamentations. A person was buried either in the ground or in a memorial tomb. Having a place of burial among the Hebrews was significant, and generally represented that a person was not a criminal outcast and had the hope of being resurrected by God. Some persons who weren't considered worthy of a burial place were pitched into the Valley of Hinnom, outside of Jerusalem's city walls, to be burned along with the city's refuse.

Post-Burial Tradition

Hebrews viewed grave sites as unclean. Because of this, the Jews would whitewash grave markers and tombs to alert passersby of the fact. Anyone who touched a grave became ceremonially unclean, something avoided especially in the season of the Hebrews' celebration of the annual Passover, when they celebrated God's deliverance of the Hebrews from Egyptian oppression. Jesus referred to this tradition when comparing the hypocritical religious leaders of the day to whitewashed graves -- "clean" on the outside but dirty on the inside. https://classroom.synonym.com Let us consider some more details that are not listed in the Scriptures but were traditions and customs of burying by the Jews.

Jesus of Nazareth was condemned to die by Pontius Pilate. Like a common criminal, he was executed by crucifixion -- he was hung upon a cross, with nails driven through his hands and feet. A Roman soldier stabbed him in the ribs with a spear. He died after hours of torment and exposure to the elements, with his followers at his feet. Many of his followers and disciples came together to plan and execute a proper burial for their beloved messiah.

Joseph and Nicodemus

Although it was not traditional for executed Roman prisoners to be given back to their families, Joseph of Arimathea a wealthy man from Judea, asked for the body of Jesus and was granted this wish by Pontius Pilate.

According to the Gospel of John in the New Testament, Joseph, along with Nicodemus, brought Jesus' body away from the crucifixion site to prepare him for burial rather than leaving him exposed like other crucified people.

Wrapping

Jesus was washed although there is no explicit detail in the New Testament about what was used to clean his body, which was covered in blood and other soil from his time on the cross. After washing Jesus, Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped his body carefully in linens, according to Jewish practices of the time. Each of his limbs was wrapped and his entire body was encircled in a shawl. The linen was of good quality, and roughly 75

pounds of spices were used to soak the cloth and anoint the body. Joseph and Nicodemus used myrrh and incense to mask the odors of death and prevent decay. Unlike pagans of the time, Jews did not practice cremation and embalming or removing the organs was only an Egyptian practice at the time of Jesus' death.

The Women

Several women, followers and family of Jesus, came from Galilee to mourn their savior and prepare the body. They saw that Nicodemus and Joseph had already anointed Jesus with spices and perfumed oils. The women mentioned specifically in the Bible are Mary, Salome and Mary Magdalene, although it is implied that others may have been present to help prepare Jesus for burial. Since the day after Jesus' death was the Sabbath, the women rested rather than adding additional ointment and perfume to his body on that day. When they returned on the first day of the week, the tomb was empty.

The Tomb

In addition to retrieving the body of Jesus and helping to prepare him for burial, Joseph provided an elegant tomb for Jesus. The tomb had been his own, located in a garden and cut from stone. Once they placed the body of Jesus in the tomb, they rolled a large stone in front of it to seal the tomb.

A guard was put in place to keep people from stealing or vandalizing the grave site.

https://classroom.synonym.com/how-was-jesus-prepared-for-burial-12085435.html

Thus, the body of Jesus was carefully laid in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.

It was on Wednesday afternoon, drawing close to the going down of the sun, which would begin a new day. Because Thursday was a High Sabbath because of the Passover Week, the bodies had to be taken down and properly disposed. This was not a regular Sabbath day, Saturday, but rather one of the sabbaths that was considered a High Sabbath, or a Holy Convocation, that could occur on any day of the week.

Three Days and Three Nights

The prevalent and most popular teaching concerning the resurrection of Jesus is that He was crucified on Friday and resurrected early Sunday Morning. The Bible lists several references as to how long Jesus was to be in the grave, three days, and three nights. Let us see how long Jesus was really in the tomb of Joseph.

For calculations sake, let us set the “going down of the sun” at 6:00 PM. Let us also, for calculations sake, say that Joseph and Nicodemus finish placing the body of Jesus in the tomb at around 5:00 PM. Remember, the new day begins at 6:01

PM. That would make it Thursday. Wednesday 5:00 PM to Thursday 5:00 PM

would make one day and night. Thursday 5:00 PM to Friday 5:00 PM would make two days and nights. Friday 5:00 PM to Saturday 5:00 PM would make three days and nights. This means that Jesus took His life back up at 5:00 PM

and came out of the tomb at that time. My setting of these times is just to make it easier to calculate the amount of time. From whatever time Jesus was put in the tomb on Wednesday, three days, and three nights from that time on Saturday, He would arise, just as the Bible prophecies say He would.

Events That Take Place During Jesus Entombment

Several things took place after Jesus was put in the tomb and before He arose on Saturday afternoon. Because Thursday was a High Sabbah there was not anything that took place on this day. On Friday, the chief priests and Pharisees go before Pilate to demand that a guard be placed at the tomb to make sure that Jesus’

disciples did not steal away His body and then claim that He had arisen on the third day. Pilate granted their wish, so a guard was placed.

This is all that is recorded that took place on Friday. Friday was the only day in the three days and three nights that was not a Sabbath. Thursday was a High

Sabbath, Friday was a regular day, Saturday was a regular sabbath day. At “the going down of the sun” began a new day, Sunday.

It was early Sunday morning when the women came to the tomb. Angels came and rolled back the stone that had sealed the tomb. The angels tell them to not be afraid but go and tell the brethren and the remainder of the disciples that Jesus has arisen and will meet them in Galilee as He had before instructed them. The guard faint dead away at the appearance of the angels. The guard go to the chief priests and Pharisees to tell them what had happened. They were instructed to say that they had fallen asleep, and the disciples came and stole His body while they slept. This was a problem for them because being asleep at one’s post was a death penalty. They were offered a great sum of money and were told that if Pilate or any official would hear about it, the chief priests and Pharisees would take of it for them. They accepted the money and went out and were so effective in their telling of the story that Matthew writes the people believed it until the writing of Matthew’s Gospel.

Jesus appears to the women and instructs them to tell the others. They did as they were told but the rest did not believe them. Peter and John ran to the tomb, John arriving first and then Peter. They witness the fact that indeed the stone that had sealed the tomb was rolled away and the tomb was empty. At some point on this day, Mary Magdalene saw Jesus and thought He was the gardener. She did not recognize Him until He spoke to her. She started to rush to Him, but He forbade her to touch Him. He had not yet ascended to the heavenly Holy of Holies to place His blood on the altar there. He instructs her also to go to Galilee where He will meet them. She goes and tells the remainder, but they do not believe her either. This all happened on early Sunday morning.

Later that same day in the afternoon Jesus appeared to two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. They do not recognize Him. During the conversation with them, He tells them about the prophecies concerning Him, but they still do not recognize Him. He is invited to eat with them, and He accepts the invitation and stays with them to eat the evening meal. They do not recognize Him until He prays and gives thanks for the meal. He then disappears from their sight.

Jerusalem, The Upper Room, Sunday Night

The disciples once again gather together. The two from Emmaus returned to Jerusalem and told the rest of the disciples of their experience with Jesus. Jesus appears in their midst. They are afraid until He reassures them and shows them the scars in His hands and feet. He asks for something to eat and they give it to

Him. He expounds the Scriptures to them and fully opened their understanding of them.

The disciples tell Thomas, who had been absent at that meeting, but he does not believe them and states that until he can feel the scars in His feet and hands and the spear thrust in His side, he cannot believe. Eight days later, the disciples are meeting once again, and this time Thomas is with them. Jesus appears in their midst. All the doors and windows are closed, there is no way in. Jesus addresses Thomas and invites him to feel the scars. Thomas does not, but addresses Jesus as his Lord and God.

The Sea of Galilee

Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” Several of the others said they would go also. They fished all night and caught nothing. Come morning, they were close to the shore.

There they saw Jesus. Jesus tells them to cast the net over the right side of the boat. They do so and the nets are so full they cannot bring them into the boat.

They call for the others who are close by in a boat to come help. They come ashore where Jesus has a fire going and has some bread. He instructs them to bring some fish so that they can cook and eat. After they had eaten, Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him more than these. The Scriptures do not reveal what “these”

are, but we can ascertain that Jesus is asking Peter if he loves Him more than his life as a fisherman, his old life. Peter answers that he does. Jesus tells him to feed His lambs. Jesus asks Peter a second time and Peter replies that he does. Jesus now tells him to feed His sheep. Jesus asks Peter yet a third time, the same question. This grieves Peter. He replies to Jesus that he does and Jesus answers,

“Feed my sheep.” There is a good study of the words that Jesus and Peter used in this conversation. That is a subject within itself.

Galilee, Time and Place Unknown

In Galilee, sometime after the resurrection, on a mountain somewhere in Galilee, Jesus meets with the disciples as He had said He would. We know not where or when this meeting took place. The important thing is that He said He would meet them, and He did.

The Days Before Jesus’ Ascension

Jesus was on the earth for forty days after His resurrection. He was seen by many during this time. Rather than comment, I want to use the passages that refer to His appearing to many.

I Corinthians 15:3-6 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5

And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

We should note some things found in these verses. (1) Paul reaffirms that Jesus was in the tomb for three days and nights. He rose again on the third day, just as the Scriptures said He would. The Scriptures to which Paul was referring were the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection. (2) Jesus was seen by Peter (Cephas). (3) He appeared to over five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom Paul says were still alive at the time he was writing the book of I Corinthians, but some had died. (4) He was then seen by James. (5) He was seen by all of the apostles.

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

This passage gives us the proof that He was present and active for forty days after His resurrection. He gave many proofs that could not be disputed. There could be no doubt that He was Who He said He was and that He had indeed arisen from the grave. This passage also lets us know that He was actively teaching during those days.

The Mount of Olives, The Fortieth Day After His Resurrection Jesus and the disciples are probably in Jerusalem in what has become their regular meeting place, the upper room. Jesus gives them some final instructions such as the Great Commission and that they are to remain in Jerusalem until they receive the power, the ability, to start carrying out the Commission He had just given them.

He leads them out to the Mount of Olives near Bethany, and there He ascends to heaven. The disciples are so amazed that they stand there just looking up where He had disappeared from their sight. Two angels appear to them and tell them that He will come back just as He had gone away, but they had work to do in the meantime.

Conclusion to Chapter 13

John 20:25

And there are also many other things which Jesus did,

the which, if they should be written every one,

I suppose that even the world itself could not contain

the books that should be written.

Amen.

Zechariah 14:4

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east,

and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof

toward the east and toward the west,

and there shall be a very great valley;