PODCAST
Stepping out of the Shadows
April 16th, 2012
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were respected members of the highest Jewish council in Jerusalem. They disagreed with the council’s decision to arrest Jesus (Luke 23:50-53; John 7:51-52). Still, they kept their discipleship to Jesus a secret out of fear (John 3:1-2; 19:38).
But when these two men witnessed Jesus’ triumphant death in a cruel and humiliating Roman execution, a new boldness came over them. Joseph went to Pilate in broad daylight to request Jesus’ body. Nicodemus brought an enormous amount of spices fit for a royal burial.
The death of Jesus turned everything upside down for Joseph and Nicodemus. Most likely they were not expecting a resurrection. It was the death of Jesus that gave them a new outlook, a new set of priorities. Their social status, power, and prestige did not matter any more. What Jesus had said came true: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24, NRSV).
