Apicontent

“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.’ And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.’” —John 20:21–23

Again, the Lord Jesus speaks peace to the trembling disciples—peace, not blame; peace, not faultfinding; peace, not rebuke. His words of calm must have been as music to their ears, soothing their anxious thoughts and trembling hearts.

The very next words out of Jesus’ mouth are those commissioning the disciples as His ambassadors to go forth! Their real work is about to begin. He wants to dismiss the delusion that ease and reward have now arrived—that will come later. Their work of going forth to witness Jesus’ saving work will not be accomplished on an easy path. They are to be on a mission to preach His truth, in His name, equipped with His all-achieving power—it is the ultimate and highest calling. They are to proclaim in Jesus’ name the forgiveness of sins to a lost world.

This was the Apostle Paul’s passion! We find in 2 Corinthians:

“For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised. So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer. So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come! And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God!’ God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” —2 Corinthians 5:14–21

Finally, Jesus breathes on the disciples the power of the Holy Spirit to ordain the great work in which He intends them to do. This action was remarkably and symbolically emblematic. In Genesis we discover God breathing the breath of life into man formed from the dust of the ground:

“The LORD God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” —Genesis 2:7

Just as there was no life in man until God breathed it into him, it would appear that Jesus is teaching the disciples that spiritual life comes to the believer through the Holy Spirit being breathed into their hearts. The breath of the Savior gives life to His ministers to begin a new work. The Spirit is the gift of Christ! Those Christ sends forth, He clothes with His Spirit who provides power. 

Wind is also pre-eminently the emblem used of the Spirit in Scripture. Paul tells us:

“You, however, are not in the flesh of the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if indeed anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness. Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies life alive through his Spirit, who lives in you. —Romans 8:9–11

Become More

Each one of us is a vessel God chooses to use. The disciples were to go on where Jesus left off. Every subsequent generation of believers is to do likewise. Will those who come behind us find us faithful?

Further Reflection

“And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) —when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.” —Ephesians 1:13–14

“On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together, and locked the doors of the place because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” —John 20:19–20

It is amazing how fear and despondency can change to peace and joy in the blinking of an eye when our circumstances change. The phone call from someone that has been missing, the good lab report after a bad scare of a dreaded disease, the rebellious child returning at the doorstep seeking repentance, the wayward spouse wanting reunion—all of life is filled with these types of situations! Indeed, the proverb is true:

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”—Proverbs 13:12

But this longing is not just any kind of longing. It is a Biblical hope that clings to what we know to be true. It is not wishful thinking or simply optimism. This longing is based on the truth of God’s Word. It rests solidly on the promises of the One who does not change no matter what our circumstances! A firm belief in God’s Word and His faithfulness and unchanging love for us will keep us consistently even—particularly as we face trying and difficult situations. This is not to say life will be easy or without harsh trials and tribulations. Yet as God’s children, everything that happens to us has passed through His loving hands. He wants us to prove Him faithful during our fires. He desires for us to trust Him with our lives. We must choose to trust Him.

Biblical hope is the expectation that what has been promised will be fulfilled. God is good and loving all the time! But it is important to remember that God remains consistently and lovingly focused on our holiness and conformity to the image of His Son. He made us. He knows this is the ultimate way of life for us. That is the promise we find in Romans:

“And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” —Romans 8:28–29

“Could you ask for a better promise? It is better that all things should work for my good than all things should be as I would wish to have them. All things might work for my pleasure and yet might all work my ruin. If all things do not always please me, they will always benefit me. This is the best promise of this life.” —Charles Haddon Spurgeon

In our verses for today, even though Jesus had told them exactly what would take place, the disciples seem to be confused and full of anxiety—holed up in a locked room for fear of the Jews. Surely this is why our Lord enters their presence with the reassuring words, “Peace be with you.” The word peace means “tranquility, repose, calm, harmony, prosperity; it denotes a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being” (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible–New Testament Lexical Aids). It is a peace that is unearthly in its nature.

Earlier in John, Jesus said to His disciples:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your hearts be distressed or lacking in courage.” —John 14:27

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world.” —John 16:33

Because of our relationship with Jesus, we too can experience this kind of peace! It is His desire for all of His followers to experience the calm that comes from a heart that is too deeply rooted in God to be affected by the ups and downs of this life.

Become More

God often keeps testing us—seeking to get our attention. Remember: His ways are always aligned with our best interest even if we cannot readily perceive it.

“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:6–7

Hang on to God’s promises of peace—the wind will not always blow. God is always faithful to His Word.

Further Reflections

“Many people owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.” —Charles H. Spurgeon

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 8:35–39

“Now that very day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. While they were talking and debating these things, Jesus himself approached and began to accompany them (but their eyes were kept from recognizing him).” —Luke 24:13–16

The same day Mary Magdalene discovered the empty tomb and spoke with the angels, the same day Peter and John had a footrace to the tomb only to discover the grave clothes neatly folded and left behind, this same day we find two more of Jesus’ followers on the road to the village called Emmaus discussing the events that had taken place over the past few days. All of these events occur on the same day that Jesus rose from the dead and came out of the tomb! And in each one of these circumstances, we discover confusion and wonder mixed with discouragement and perhaps even despair and hopelessness. Talking among themselves, these first followers are seeking answers, comfort, and direction that only God can provide.

King David found himself in this same emotional turmoil. He and his troops had just returned from battle, only to discover their town had been raided and burned and all of the women in it, young and old alike, along with their sons and daughters, taken captive. And then the Bible tells us this:

“Then David and the men who were with him wept loudly until they could weep no more.” —1 Samuel 30:4

I would dare to say that confusion, disillusionment, despair, and hopelessness were the emotional state of David and his men. Always loyal to David, these men were now talking of stoning him due to the bitterness of their soul over the circumstances in their lives. We must remember when we are in severe emotional turmoil, chances are, like David’s men, our thinking will be clouded.

But instead of seeking answers or refuge or consolation from his counselors, David turns to the Lord for his strength!

“David was very upset, for the men were thinking of stoning him; each man grieved bitterly over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the Lord his God.” —1 Samuel 30:6

David was practicing one of his own life principles: Trust in God in all situations! We see in the Psalms his confidence in God’s deliverance:

“I sought the Lord’s help and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” —Psalm 34:4

“Taste and see that the Lord is good! How blessed is the one who takes shelter in him!” —Psalm 34:8

Walking along the road to Emmaus, discussing the events that had recently transpired, these two followers of Jesus were trying to make some sense of it all. The accounts that had been brought to them regarding Jesus’ resurrection had seemed to them as sheer nonsense. Approaching them to walk along the road with them, they were absolutely kept from seeing Jesus’ true identity. For all they knew, He was just a stranger on His way to Emmaus as well. How like Jesus to come into their midst!

Become More

We see in Scripture and also in the lives of those around us people seeking counsel from someone other than God. While the Bible instructs us to seek counsel from others, this comes only after we have sought the Lord first. Counsel from others often brings confirmation of the Lord’s guidance.

The next time we are disillusioned or facing a crisis, instead of turning to those around us for guidance and consolation, let us turn to the first to the Lord.

“LORD, in the morning you will hear me; in the morning I will present my case to you and then wait expectantly for an answer.” —Psalm 5:3

“Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me; I possess understanding and might.” —Proverbs 8:14

“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.” —Deuteronomy 33:12

Further Reflections

“Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things which you still do not know about.” —Jeremiah 33:3

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is an eternal God, the Creator of the whole earth. He does not get tired or weary, there is no limit to his wisdom. He gives strength to those who are tired; to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy. Even youths grow tired and weary, even strong young men clumsily stumble. But those who wait for the LORD’s help find renewed strength. They will rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.” —Isaiah 40:28–31

“Jesus replied, ‘Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them what Jesus had said to her.” —John 20:17–18

Mary’s actions remind me of the wonderful Hebrew word batah, often translated as “trust” in the Old Testament. It means “to attach oneself, confide in, feel safe, be confident, secure; the basic idea signifies firmness or solidity; denotes a confident expectation” (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible Old Testament Lexical Aids).

Oh, the love Mary had for Jesus! With all her might, she wanted to hold on to Him! She simply never again wanted Him out of her sight. The thrill of seeing her Master alive and standing before her created within her an immense excitement and an extravagant joy. I wonder, do I love Jesus like that? Do you? 

No one had loved Jesus or clung to Him more tenaciously than she, and she was richly rewarded for this by being the first to see Him. Richard Cecil, an Anglican priest in the eighteenth century observed, “Singular honor is reserved for solitary faith. Mary has the first personal manifestation of Christ after His resurrection. She is the first witness of this most important and illustrious fact, and the first messenger of it to His disciples.”

Jesus forbids Mary to cling to His bodily presence as before, leading her rather to a spiritual communion which she will enjoy with Him even after His ascension. What perhaps seems harsh to us is actually Jesus lovingly pointing her to look higher. The best service she can now do for Him is to go and tell others. This was the very first work that our risen Savior proposed to John as well. Jesus calls Mary to active duty to others—to arise and be useful. He calls every one of us to this as well.

Mary becomes an apostle to the apostles in reward for her faithfulness in clinging to Christ. She was comforted by the sight of her Master and now she is sent with the good news to comfort others. 

Become More

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways and he will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5–6

“Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.” —Augustine

Further Reflection

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” —Isaiah 26:3

“So the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seating where Jesus’ body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the foot. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ Mary replied, ‘They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put him.’ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Because she thought he was the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher).” —John 20:10–16

In this passage, we see Mary’s deep love for Jesus. The going away of Peter and John highlights the fact that Mary stayed. She was the first to the grave, then she goes to tell the disciples, she returns to the grave with them, and at the grave, she remains without them—an unwavering love which, as we will discover, was richly rewarded by the Lord. As we in faith draw closer to Jesus, He will draw closer than anyone we have ever known. He will never leave or abandon us. Mary knew this.

“All believers have not the same degree of faith, or hope, or knowledge, or courage, or wisdom; and it is vain to expect it. But it is a certain fact that those who love Christ most fervently, and cleave to Him most closely, will always enjoy most communion with Him, and feel most of the witness of the Spirit in their hearts. It is precisely those who wait on the Lord, in the temper of Mary Magdalene, to whom the Lord will reveal Himself most fully, and make them know and feel more than others.” —John Charles Ryle

Jesus was the object of Mary’s affections. Her strong love for Him kept her at the tomb—while others left—with a flicker of hope that something or someone might turn up to explain where her Master’s body had gone. She could not tear herself away from the last place His body had been seen.

Become More

While Jesus’ identity may have at first been hidden from Mary’s desperate eyes, there was certainly no missing the sound of him speaking her name. One single word—one very personal word—was enough to deliver her from her present blindness. Jesus sees Mary’s genuine, persevering love for Him. He is the solitary aim of her soul and He rewards her consuming love. He always does.

“The LORD is compassionate and merciful, he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love … he does not deal with us as our sins deserve; he does not repay us as our misdeeds deserves. For as the skies are high above the earth, so his loyal love towers over his faithful followers. As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt our rebellious actions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on his faithful followers. For he knows how we are formed, he knows what we are made of … But the LORD continually shows loyal love to his faithful followers, and is faithful to their descendants, to those who keep his covenant, who are careful to obey his commands.” —Psalm 103:8–14; 17–18

Further Reflection

“We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.” —C.H. Spurgeon

“When they returned from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women who told all these things told this to the apostles. But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bending down and saw only the strips of linen of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened.” —Luke 24:9–12

Hurrying away from the tomb, astonished, amazed, bewildered, and afraid, yet all the while filled with joy, these women experienced the entire range of emotions. They had a story to tell the disciples and they were ready to tell it in reverential fear. I think it was wonderful of God to allow these women to be the first ones to bring the good news of His story. While I realize this is not true in every case, and I am certainly not meaning any offense, women in general are better in giving the details of a story than men. We enjoy hearing and telling all the little particulars—all the nuances to every detail. They had just experienced the supernatural and they were stunned. Mark tells us in his gospel:

“Then they went out and ran from the tomb, for terror and bewilderment had seized them. And they said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” —Mark 16:8

The word translated “bewildered” is from the Greek word ekstasis meaning: “Astonishment, amazement, bewilderment; it is a sense of breathtaking and profound amazement coupled with exquisite dread at the sight of something remarkable, incredible, strange, or supernatural; the gripping fascination with some enthralling phenomenon which drives one from his powers of reason in order to encounter it; the word portrays someone as being carried away out of mind, being so psychologically and emotionally moved by some fantastic sight that he loses all sense of his present situation. He is held captive by it and falls under its sway because it is beyond his power to impose rational controls on the object of wonder.” (Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids)

Unfortunately, the report the women gave was not well received. Rather it seemed to the disciples as idle talk and sheer nonsense.

“They thought it was only the fancy of the women, and ascribed it to the power of imagination; for they also had forgotten Christ’s words. One cannot but be amazed at the stupidity of these disciples—who had themselves so often professed that they believed Christ to be the Son of God, had been so often told that he must die and rise again, and then enter into his glory, had seen him more than once raise the dead—that they should be so slow to believe.” —Matthew Henry

Slow to believe. Is it not amazing, when the day is cloudy and dark, how forgetful we become of the obvious? Not comprehending the Master’s plan, Peter leaves the tomb scratching his head and wondering. Who would have just stolen the body and not the grave clothes—not to mention leaving them folded so neatly behind? Who moved the stone and chased away the powerful Roman guards?

Become More

I find comfort in the disciple’s confusion. If Peter and John, who had both walked so closely with Jesus, could be baffled on that dark day, then my confusion seems understandable as well. It is easy to believe in Jesus when the day is bright, but let the winds and rain clouds come and it is quite another story. We are then often left forgetful of the promises of our Lord.

Having a firm grasp of God’s Word is critical when the storms of life begin to blow. That is how we are able to rest secure in Him … and that is His desire for all of His children.

“The beloved of the LORD will live safely by him, he protects him all the time, and the LORD places him on his chest.” —Deuteronomy 33:12

“Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong.” —1 Corinthians 16:13

Further Reflections

“I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:13

“Now is the time for feats of faith and valiant exploits. Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as He built the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in thy weakness, and magnify His might in the midst of thy distress.” —Charles H. Spurgeon

“Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in dazzling attire. The women were terribly frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ Then the women remembered his words.” —Luke 24:1–8

These faithful female followers of Jesus were the first to find the empty tomb. Showing their love for the Lord, their desire was to demonstrate their commitment to Him by bringing expensive spices to the tomb that they had prepared for His burial. Oh that all of our passions and desires would always lead us to Jesus!

There is a difference between simply knowing Jesus as a person and passionately loving Him as our Lord. When we are inspired with love and delighted by His presence, it is not a compulsion but a pleasure to walk with Him. Just as a child who adores their father’s company, our delight in Him should be prompted by joy.

“Beyond all measure it is desirable that we, as believers, should have the person of Jesus constantly before us, to inflame our love towards Him, and to increase our knowledge of Him … But to have Jesus ever near, the heart must be full of Him, welling up with His love, even to overrunning; hence the apostle prays ‘that Christ may dwell in your hearts.’ ‘That He may dwell’; not that He may call upon you sometimes, as a casual visitor enters into a house and tarries for a night, but that He may dwell; that Jesus may become the Lord and Tenant of your inmost being, never more to go out … We should pant after love to Christ of a most abiding character, not a love that flames up and then dies out into the darkness of a few embers, but a constant flame, fed by a sacred fuel, like the fire upon the altar which never went out. This cannot be accomplished except by faith. Faith must be strong, or love will not be fervent; the root of the flower must be healthy, or we cannot expect the bloom to be sweet … If love be cold, you can be sure that faith is drooping.” —C.H. Spurgeon

Very early in the morning, approaching with their spices, these women discover … an empty tomb! Where could the body have gone? Who has moved the heavy stone away? What has happened? They had been eyewitnesses to the crucifixion and to the burial preparation. So certain were they that He was dead that they had gone to extravagant measures to prepare a proper burial. John tells us their reaction to this scene:

“Now very early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. So she went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, ‘They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’” —John 20:1–2

When they arrive at the tomb and see that the stone has been rolled away, this is, of course, a great wonder to them! But the angels remind them of Jesus’ words to them that He would be delivered into the hands of sinful men, crucified, and raised again!

Become More

“All the powers of death and darkness are under the control of the God of light and life. An angel from heaven has power to break the seal, though it was the great seal of Israel, and is able to roll back the stone, though ever so great. The angel’s sitting on the stone, when he had rolled it back, is very observable. There he sat, defying all the powers of hell to roll the stone to the grave again. The angel sat as a guard to the grave, having frightened away the enemies’ black guard; he sat, expecting the women, and ready to give them an account of His resurrection.” —Matthew Henry

Further Reflections

“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives!” —Gloria and Bill Gaither

“To know a crucified Savior as having crucified all my sins, is a high degree of knowledge; but to know a risen Savior as having justified me, and to realize that He has bestowed upon me new life, having given me to be a new creature through His own newness of life, this is a noble style of experience: short of it, none ought to rest satisfied. May you both ‘know Him, and the power of His resurrection’. Why should souls who are quickened with Jesus, wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen.” —C.H. Spurgeon

“After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate if he could removed the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he went and took the body away. Nicodemus, the man who had previously earlier had visited Jesus at night, accompanied Nicodemus carrying mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Then they took Jesus’ body, and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. Now at the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, where no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus’ body there.” —John 19:38–42

Once a secret disciple for fear of the Jews, Joseph now boldly asks Pilate for Jesus’ body. Some followers of Jesus may in lesser trials be quite fearful, yet in greater difficulties display tremendous courage. This we find in Joseph who honored Jesus’ body when he could seemingly do nothing else for Him. Circumstances often bring out character in unexpected ways. The other Gospel writers tell us that Joseph was a wealthy, good, and upright man who was waiting for the Kingdom of God. He was a prominent member of the Council but had not consented to their decision and actions regarding Jesus. Interestingly, Joseph of Arimathea is not mentioned in any other places in the New Testament, Only in the burial of our Lord do we read about him. Certainly, there are many Christians in this world about whom very little is known.

Out of love, Joseph took off his cloak of secrecy and came forth publicly in humble service for our Lord. He did not hesitate to confess his association with Jesus at a time when the Romans and Jews alike viewed Jesus as a criminal. Joseph’s actions may have rendered him a marked man among the Jew; he most certainly ruined his character with the high priests and ruling council. And yet, his actions stand in Scripture as a memorial to him. Surely it is the hope of the Church that in every age there are hidden servants unknown to the world yet known well unto God. Joseph is memorialized in all four Gospels as showing kindness to the Lord Jesus for no other reason than love.

Not too dissimilar to Joseph in his secrecy while Jesus was alive, we see Nicodemus now coming forward as a volunteer to aid in the burial of Jesus. They both demonstrated more reverence and love towards our Lord when He was dead than they had when He was alive. Nicodemus did not shrink to take part in this good work. Had these men not come forward, Jesus’ body may have been buried in a common grave for criminals. But that was not God’s plan. He had allowed as much to be done to His Son’s precious body as was going to be done. The Father therefore empowered and emboldened these once timid followers—at this perfect time—to demonstrate their compassion and mercy for Jesus. God always supplies the grace sufficient to meet a specific need at an appointed time!

Out of great love, we see in our verses for today, Joseph and Nicodemus together taking Jesus’ body down from the cross and carefully wrapping it in strips of clean linen on which myrrh and aloes have been laid. John is the only one of the Gospel writers to include the amount of Nicodemus’ sizeable offering of spices for the holy work of burying Jesus. Nicodemus’ actions are in contrast to his first timid visit with Jesus when he came to question Him under the cloak of darkness, fearful of his associates. Nicodemus’ actions show his rapid growth in grace, faith, knowledge, and courage in a short three-year span.

Become More

What we see here is Joseph and Nicodemus selflessly loving Jesus with seemingly no apparent gain for themselves and certainly some loss in reputation. It is important to remember that this kind of service can never be done in our own strength or we will quickly lose our courage. We will weary from the task; we will become bored or burdened or disgruntled or afraid. True love is a love born of God, not of man. It is a love that esteems, cherishes, favors, honors, respects, accepts, prizes, and relishes. It comes from God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If our actions are not motivated by this kind of empowered love, we will soon become discouraged.

God’s love and power are gifts from the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to fill you with His strength and grace.

Further Reflections

“By this they showed the value they had for his person and doctrine, and that it was not lessened by the reproach of the cross. They showed not only the charitable respect of committing his body to the earth, but the honorable respect shown to great men. This they might do, and yet believe and look for his resurrection. Since God intended honor for this body, they would honor it.” —Matthew Henry

“In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and give honor your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 5:16

“And all those who knew Jesus stood at a distance, the women who had followed him from Galilee, saw these things.” —Luke 23:49

Those who knew and loved Jesus stood at a distance trying to understand what they were seeing. However, what appears to be the worst they could have imagined, is in actuality the very best that can possibly be! Is not this life for many of us? We stand in a bereaved silence, stunned, staring at a particular circumstance that has crossed the path of our lives and quite literally taken our breath away. How can something so devastating turn out to be good? Though we know God has good plans, the “whys” of life often echo loudly in our minds, drowning out any thoughts of a higher purpose for good, oftentimes leaving us without hope. 

Paul’s words encourage us:

“For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known.” —1 Corinthians 13:12

“Now” we suffer from incomplete knowledge. It will only be when “now” becomes “then” that we will understand fully and have all of our questions answered. The “in part” that we can comprehend and hold on to is His faithfulness to us, love for us, and intentions toward us.

God always has our best interest at heart! The message of the Old Testament reminds us:

“So realize that the LORD your God is true God; the faithful God, who keeps covenant faithfully with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.” —Deuteronomy 7:9

Throughout our seeming devastation, God is in the business of making beauty from our ashes. Indeed, Jesus’ “job description” covers that very issue. We are told by the prophet Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, because the LORD has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners, to announce the year when the LORD will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn, to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the LORD to reveal his splendor. —Isaiah 61:1–3

Jesus reads these very words from a scroll handed to Him in the synagogue, proclaiming to His hearers that these words have been fulfilled in their hearing:

“Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and, found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the LORD is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to tell them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled even as you heard it being read.’” —Luke 4:16–21

Jesus came to proclaim the good news, release the captive, set free the oppressed, and proclaim God’s favor—all of this coming our way by way of the cross.

What appeared as devastation to the onlookers mentioned in today’s verses becomes life to the full.

Become More

Sometimes it is hard for us to understand God’s higher purposes for good when calamities occur. We must hold on to the promise of God’s Word that He will use these things for our good and for His glory. God has a plan and it is always for our good!

“Faith raises the soul above the difficulty, straight to God Himself, and enables one to stand still. We gain nothing by our restless and anxious efforts … It is therefore true wisdom, in all times of difficulty and perplexity, to stand still–to wait only upon God, and He will assuredly open a way for us.” —C.H. Mackintosh

Further Reflection

“To the child of God, there is no such thing as an accident. He travels an appointed way … Accidents may indeed appear to befall him and misfortune stalk his way; but these evils will be so in appearance only and will seem evils only because we cannot read the secret script of God’s hidden providence.” —A.W. Tozer

“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him along with two others–one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate also had a notice written and fastened to the cross. Which read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Thus many of the Jews read this notice, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, ‘Do not write “The King of the Jews,” but rather that this man said “I am king of the Jews.”’ Pilate answered, ‘What I have written, I have written.’” —John 19:17–22

The cross—an instrument of the most terrible and agonizing torture, commonly used by the Romans for slaves and criminals. Persons sentenced to crucifixion were first beaten and then compelled to carry their own cross to the place of execution. Crucifixion was reserved for the worst and most hardened of criminals and a sign was usually placed on the chest of or over the head of the one being executed. What humiliation Christ endured as our substitute.

Jesus was considered a sinner and a curse for us. He was the most significant sin offering ever to be seen—bearing our disgrace. In the book of Hebrews we find this summary:

“For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore, to sanctify the people by his own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. We must go out to him, then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse he experienced.” —Hebrews 13:11–13

We must choose to follow Jesus regardless of the humiliation or suffering that being His disciple might involve. We may be asked to leave the security of our traditions and ceremonies, or friends and family, or location and lands. We may be deserted by all, persecuted for our doctrine and practice, and yet we must be willing to stand alone. As we carry our cross, we embrace His rule over our lives and in so doing take hold of the life that is truly life. Whatever cross He calls us to, we must remember that He carried His cross first. He died with criminals, fulfilling the prophecy found in Isaiah:

“So I will assign him a portion among the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of the victory with the powerful, because he willing submitted to death, and was numbered with the rebel, when he lifted up the sin of many, and intervened on behalf of the rebels.” —Isaiah 53:12

How incredible that the words Pilate chose to place on the cross of our Lord would be the exact proclamation God would have the world to know! How symbolic that those words were nailed to the wood on which Jesus bore ours sins. How like God to use someone such as Pilate to accomplish His purpose!

“JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” the proclamation read. Jesus came to be a King, and as a King, He lived and suffered and died for His subjects. The sign eliminates any confusion about who He is. The myriads who pass by, those who witness the crucifixion, see that Jesus really did suffer. and that He was not at the last moment released, or another punished in His place, or His death taken away by miraculous intervention.

Jesus’ death blotted out the requirements of the law which were held against us. Paul tells us Christ nailed them to the cross:

“And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.” —Colossians 2:13–14

Become More

“The only ground on which God can forgive our sin and reinstate us to His favor is through the Cross of Christ. There is no other way! Forgiveness, which is so easy for us to accept, cost the agony at Calvary. We should never take the forgiveness of sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and our sanctification in simple faith, and then forget the enormous cost to God that made all of this ours. Forgiveness is the divine miracle of grace. The cost to God was the Cross of Christ. To forgive sin, while remaining a holy God, this price had to be paid. Never accept a view of the fatherhood of God if it blots out the atonement. The revealed truth of God is that without the atonement He cannot forgive–He would contradict His nature if He did. The only way we can be forgiven is by being brought back to God through the atonement of the Cross. God’s forgiveness is possible only in the supernatural realm … Once you realize all that it cost God to forgive you, you will be held as in a vise, constrained by the love of God.” —Oswald Chambers

Further Reflection

The crucifixion takes place prominently near the city where all those attending the Passover will pass by. Written in three languages—Hebrew (Aramaic), the language of the Jews; Greek, the language most known in all the eastern countries as well as the language of the educated; and Latin, the language of the Romans, the ruling nation of the world at that time—there is no confusion. All who read the sign understand and spread the news in their own language that Jesus–the King of the Jews—has been put to death by crucifixion at the Passover Feast.