REPOST - Holy Saturday
Holy Triduum - Part 3
We left off in Part 2 of Good Friday at the death of Christ on the Cross. That’s where we will pick up for Holy Saturday.
The Body of Christ is taken down from the Cross by Joseph of Arimathea, and some of the disciples made sure His Body was properly cared for and treated with the reverence and honor due.
Matthew 27:57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.
Mark 15:42 When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the Kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus. 44 Then Pilate wondered if He were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether He had been dead for some time. 45 When he learned from the centurion that He was dead, he granted the Body to Joseph.
John 19:38 After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the Body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed His body.
Luke 23:50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the Council, 51 had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the Kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus.
This was a very brave and courageous act by Joseph of Arimathea. All of the Apostles except one had run away. Jesus had just been executed. Something to note, it says that Joseph did not agree with the Council’s plans against Jesus. Yet from the trial, we know the verdict was unanimous.
Mark 14:64 You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned Him as deserving death
So Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Council, but he did not agree with them on this. Yet all the Council condemned Christ to death. So it is most likely that he was not at the trial of Christ, and he was probably intentionally excluded if he had already voiced opposition to their plans to kill Christ.
It took real courage to ask for His Body and risk accusations of being treasonous and supportive of someone just condemned and executed for blasphemy. He risked being shunned by all society. He risked being kicked off the Council and losing his wealth and prestige. But that didn’t stop Joseph from asking for the Body of Christ and caring for Him properly and reverently.
We now see Nicodemus arrive to help Joseph care for the Body of Christ.
John 19:39 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. 40 They took the Body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now there was a garden in the place where He was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Matthew 27:59 So Joseph took the Body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock.
Mark 15:46 Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the Body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.
Luke 23:53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.
Nicodemus brings an EXCESSIVE amount of myrrh and aloes to prepare the Body of Christ for burial. One hundred pounds of ointments is a LOT of ointment. That’s what we should always do with God. We should bring Him our best and not just what is left over.
One other thing to take note of, is that one of the ointments Nicodemus brings is myrrh. Remember that myrrh was one of the gifts given to Christ and His Mother by the Three Magi. Myrrh was used to embalm and preserve bodies making them ready for burial. Even at His birth, the death of Christ overshadowed His entire life. Now that gift of myrrh appears again, ready to prepare Him for burial.
One last point on this is the Gospels make sure to stress that the tomb Jesus was laid in was a new tomb which had never been used. Just as the Blessed Virgin Mary was a spotless and uncorrupted virgin free from all sin, we see that His new resting place of the tomb is also virginal and has not had anyone in it before. And just as the Blessed Virgin Mary remained a perpetual virgin, the same is true of His tomb. It was used only once for Him and now it has the Church of the Holy Sepulchre over it. The abode of God is for Him alone and not to be used for common usage. The same is true of His burial cloth, which is also brand new, clean and fit for giving to God.
Now remember that the day is quickly ending and the Sabbath is arriving. They are forbidden to work on the Sabbath, so they must hastily prepare Christ for burial and place Him quickly in the tomb. They plan to come back after the Sabbath to attend to Him and make sure His Body is treated properly and buried with every good custom and ointment they can find. Once His Body is in the tomb, Joseph secures the tomb by sealing with a huge stone.
Matthew 27:60 … He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
Mark 15:46…He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the Body was laid.
Luke 23:54 It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with Him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His Body was laid. 56 Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the wife of Clopas (who is the aunt of Christ) are at the tomb and in heart-wrenching fashion wait patiently with His Body to just make sure He is properly cared for and buried appropriately. They also plan to bring back more spices and ointments to further anoint His Body. (Always remember, the word Christ means “anointed one”.)
Now we see the Council make sure that there is no chance of subterfuge or trickery by His disciples to take and hide His Body.
Matthew 27:62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while He was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise His disciples may go and steal Him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
So the tomb of Christ was not only secured by Joseph of Arimathea with a huge stone, but the Roman guards were placed at the tomb and put a seal on the tomb to prevent anyone from taking His Body.
They were not ready for what came next.
Mark 16:1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
Matthew 28:1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
Matthew 28:1 After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb
Now right here we see that all four Gospels agree on the events so far. What is about to happen is the most monumental event in all of human history. It is shocking, stunning, mesmerizing and dumbfounding. It is beyond the comprehension of human minds to even understand. Now when the most important and shocking event in all human history happens, things are going to be chaotic. People will bounce back and forth between believing what your eyes are telling you and your brain telling you it is not possible.
Lots of unbelievers try to claim that the apparent discrepancies in the four Gospels about the Resurrection means that it is false and never happened. This is silly on multiple levels. First, this event shocked everyone. So the time where it takes a person to accept what has happened can take some time. (The Apostle Thomas is called Doubting Thomas for a reason.) We must also remember that writers at this time wrote differently than we are used to now two millennia later. They were not as concerned with keeping things and events in order but more concerned with telling the facts of the story with a certain theme or with only certain information.
For example, if they tell us that Mary Magdalene visited the tomb but don’t mention anyone else with her, that doesn’t mean the writer is telling us that she was alone. They were just telling us that Mary was there. This is why so many think there are contradiction in Scripture when there are none. Additionally, these same people who claim there are contradictions are the same ones who say the gospels were copying from the same source material, and yet believe they intentionally put in contradictions instead of just taking the info from the source material! It’s mutually exclusive, you can’t have both. The Gospels are in harmony, we just have to understand them properly.
With that said, let’s continue. Christ has Resurrected and the tomb is empty!
Matthew 28:2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from Heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
Note that this does not say that the women were there when the earthquake happened or saw the angel roll back the stone. Just that it happened. It’s most likely that they were on their way to the tomb but not there yet. Now we see the women arrive at the tomb.
Mark 16:3 They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.
Luke 24:2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
John 20:1 … and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.
So now the women find the tomb with the stone rolled away. To clear up any confusion, there are two angels at the scene. One who sat down on the stone and one in the tomb. Remember, writers at that time didn’t negate something just because they didn’t mention it.
Matthew 28:2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from Heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.
Mark 16:5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
Luke 24:3 but when they went in, they did not find the Body.
John 20:11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the Body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.
Some point out that the angels are at different places, but that’s entirely plausible. Angels are capable of movement. At one moment one is on the stone and then he moves inside the tomb. The Gospel of John isn’t saying that the angel wasn’t on the stone, just that at some point he was also in the tomb. Remember, the Gospel of John was written decades after the other three Gospels. The Apostle John has read them hundreds of times by then. He knew what was in them and didn’t contradict them., He counted on his audience knowing them as well and was filling in the Gospel story more.
The angels then begin to address the women…
Mark 16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; He is not here. Look, there is the place they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.”
Matthew 28:5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He has been raised, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him.’ This is my message for you.”
Luke 24:4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified 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 risen. 6 Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered His words,
John 20:13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
After this, Mary Magdalene addresses the angels, and guess WHO makes an appearance…
John 20:13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to Me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
Matthew 28:8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to Him, took hold of His feet, and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.”
And now the women go to the Apostles and tell them. The Gospel of Mark mentions that they told no one, but what it means is that they didn’t tell the general public. They only told the Apostles. From their reports, Peter and John leave to go check the tomb. The others didn’t believe them.
Luke 24:9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the Apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
Mark 16:8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
John 20:18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that He had said these things to her.
John 20:2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.
JESUS IS RISEN! THE TOMB IS EMPTY! CHRIST IS RESURRECTED!
Matthew 28:6 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! HAVE A MOST BLESSED PASCHAL FEAST!
🙏Christ has risen alleluia!
He is truly risen alleluia!