Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea                                       November 5, 2016 

Who was he?  He is not mention many times in the Scriptures, but we will find out many things about him from the Scriptures.  We get a fleeting glimpse of a great and courageous man, become center stage in the Scriptures for a few brief verses and then, just as quickly, disappear -- never to be heard from again.  He is mention in all four Gospel books in Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:43, Luke 23:50-53, John 19:38.  

Let’s use some reasoning and common sense and place ourselves during this time.  The Gospels shows Joseph’s character were similar, and said that he was from Arimathea.  All positive comments. 

Matthew 27:57-61 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  (58)  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  (59)  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,  (60)  and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  (61)  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. 

Joseph appears and then disappears or departed from the pages of the Bible.  The other 3 Gospels add details that Matthew doesn’t mention. 

Evening had come:  This was Wednesday afternoon, high day 

Rich man:  Very well off, Matthew (Levi) was a tax collector and he

was well off financially and said Joseph was rich.   

Joseph, from Arimathea: Gives his name and where he was from  

Joseph: was a disciple of Jesus 

Joseph went to Pilate:  Remember, Pilate was the representative of the most powerful Empire in the known world at that time main, Could we just walk in to see the President of the United States.   He had to have a very high position among the Jews and Romans, to be able to do this. 

Asked for the body of Jesus: to do this, he had to be a close relative, so Joseph must have been highly influential in his day.  

Also, to be able to obtain the body, he had to be a relative of Jesus, the male relative of a crucified person was obliged to deal with the body. Jesus' father was no longer around, so if Joseph did volunteer for the task, which suggests that he must have been related to Jesus in some important way. 

Jesus: and the extended family was not poor 

We know that he must have been high up because he went to the person who represented the ruler of the world and asked if he could have the body of Jesus. He besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus 

The only grounds which he could have had which would be in agreement with Jewish and Roman law and at the same time avoid giving offence to the chief priests, would be as the nearest relative of the dead man. 

Under both Jewish and Roman Law it was the responsibility of the nearest relatives to dispose of the dead, regardless of the circumstances of death. 

Mary, the mother of Jesus, would clearly be in no emotional state for such a task, which would have been considered "man's work" anyway. The brothers of Jesus as young men or teenagers would have lacked the maturity to perform such a duty, leaving Joseph (the uncle of Mary) the next in line. 

Unless Joseph had strong legal grounds, as described, for claiming the body, the Jews would have resisted the idea of a man (Jesus) -- whom they hated and had caused to be executed -- given the honor of being buried in a private tomb, instead of the official burial place for criminals.  The Sadducees were afraid of Joseph relationship with the Romans Leaders.

Under Jewish law the nearest male relative would have the clear responsibility to assist the widow and her children. As we saw earlier, this role would almost certainly be taken up by Joseph. 

Joseph was a rich man from Arimathea and a disciple of Jesus.  Arimathea was a town located within Judea, several miles north of Jerusalem, known today as Ramalleh. 

Pilate: commanded the body to be given to Joseph 

Joseph: wrapped the body in a clean linen cloth 

Joseph: placed the body in his new tomb 

Joseph: rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, (both older men) 

Departed – was the last time we heard of Joseph in the Scriptures.  

Mark 15:42-47  Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,  (43)  Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  (44)  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  (45)  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  (46)  Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  (47)  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses (Joseph) observed where He was laid. 

Preparation Day: that is, the day before the Sabbath (Wednesday, 1^st Day

of Unleavened bread. 

Joseph:  prominent council member Joseph (Sanhedrin with Nicodemus),  

Prominent:   decorous, noble (in rank) Latin title, designate An Official,

Under Roman Authority – Who was in charge of metal mining. The implication is that Joseph was a Roman Senator in charge of Rome's overseas mining interests. The office seems to have been a lucrative and much coveted one.  This is why he was able to go directly to Pilate. 

Council member:  member of the Jewish Sanhedrim, means

he had to be married (historical records said he one daughter) 

Joseph:  waiting for the kingdom of God 

Pilate: granted the body to Joseph. 

Joseph: he bought fine linen,  

Joseph:  took Jesus down from the cross 

Joseph: wrapped Jesus in the linen. 

Joseph: laid Jesus in a tomb 

Joseph: rolled a stone against the door of the tomb 

Luke 23:50-56  Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  (51)  He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  (52)  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  (53)  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  (54)  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  (55)  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  (56)  Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. 

Luke: said Joseph was a good and righteous man, nice words about someone 

Joseph: had not consented to council decision, action and deed to the trial and to crucify Jesus. 

John 19:38-42  After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.  (39)  And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.  (40)  Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.  (41)  Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.  (42)  So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby. 

Joseph:  being a disciple of Jesus 

Joseph:  secretly, for fear of the Jews – the Jews refers to the Leadership 

Nicodemus:  bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds 

Joseph:  bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. 

What Joseph did was actually fulfilled a prophecy in the Book of Isaiah 

Isaiah 53:9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 

What have we found in the Scriptures about Joseph.  

·      Was a good and just man

·      Was a rich and influential man

·      Had direct access to Pilate

·      Was an honorable and respected member of the Sanhedrin Council

·      Was a secret disciple of Jesus

·      Waiting for the Kingdom of God

·      Disagreed with the decisions and actions of the Sanhedrin Council - owned Laid Jesus’s body to rest a new tomb

·      Courageous man who boldly requested Pilate for Jesus's body

·      Purchased fine strips of linen with spices for Jesus to be buried

·      Took Jesus down from the cross

·      Wrapped Jesus in the linen with spices with Nicodemus 

·      Rolled the stone over the entrance to the tomb of Jesus

·      They departed.

·      Had a good social standing 

What an incredible and compassionate person Joseph was and who cared about the Lord, Joseph must have been.   

I can't personally imagine what it must have been like for him to have taken the body of our Savior down and put it into the tomb.  Blood, carring him, cleaning and setting Jesus in the tomb.  Very disturbing to think of. 

Then after Jesus rose and the tomb was empty again... What possibly could have been going on in Joseph's mind!?!?   

We can only surmise...How awesome it must have been though! 

The Bible is silent about Joseph after Jesus’ burial so we cannot know for sure what path he took later in life, anything further is educated speculation from some historical records. 

According to the Talmud, Joseph was the younger brother of the father of Mary. He was her uncle, and therefore a great-uncle to Jesus."  The Harlein Manuscripts in the British Museum further support the claims that Joseph of Arimathea was uncle to Mary the mother of Jesus. 

Joseph was given a title in different manuscripts "the Great Lord Joseph of Arimathea," Why because he was of Royal Line, just like Mary, descended from King David and this title was in keeping with his birth as a prince of the House of David. That makes him related to the Jesus. 

Historical records show Joseph had the contract with the Romans to provide tin. 

Joseph achieved his wealth in the metals trade. Cornwall, England was a chief mining district and well-known in the Roman Empire for its tin. Somerset was renowned for its high quality lead. It seems Joseph have made many trips to Britain before coming to establish Christianity there. Joseph built Britain's first monastery in Glastonbury.  Jesus travel with Joseph.  Silent years for Jesus between ages of 12 and 30.  Missing 18 years.  Traditions have Jesus in Cornwell and the Isle of Avalon near Glastonbury in England tied to the tin mines of Cornwall. 

We looked at the life of one man, Joseph and as I said, there is not much said about him.  He was there defending Jesus at His trial, at His death, and being there at His resurrection.   

Remember, he was the one who was there: 

·      when the Jewish Leaders took Jesus,

·      during the trial,

·      was killed,

·      then took Jesus down off the cross,

·      carried him to the tomb,

·      cleaned Him, and

·      Closed the tomb with a stone.   

Can you imagine the emotions he went through seeing your nephew die this way? The witness you become because of what you did for Jesus. 

Not many verses but a lot said about this person, Joseph of Arimathea