Luke 23:50-56 Resting in the Tomb
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: December 24, 2018 Luke 23:50-56
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) The women had no control or power, only love. They could not control what was happening to Jesus’ body, but they followed the controllers so that when there was opportunity, they could take care of their Master’s body. They ministered to Jesus in life, and they wished to do so also in His death. It is ironic that in life, God allowed their ministration, but in death, He denied them the opportunity. Instead, He used their willingness to serve to announce the beautiful message that Jesus was no longer dead. Our preparations for service may seem to be wasted when the opportunity to serve is unexpectedly denied, but our willingness to be where we can serve can put us in the place where God can use us to further His plans. Thus, the unused preparations are not wasted because they were necessary to put us in the right place and the right time to serve in a different manner and to receive a blessing. With God, it really is the thought that counts although our actions will follow our thoughts.
(Understanding the Text) Joseph was part of the power structure of the Jews. He was a leader who had not rejected Jesus. He had not consented to Jesus’ death, but when the full council met, they made their judgment without the presence of Joseph or Nicodemus. I think that Joseph may have been one of the people beating his breast at the death of his people’s Messiah. He knew that he had been part of the group who had turned away from the God he served. He had not been able to stop his fellow leaders’ slide into apostasy or the execution of God’s messenger, but he had power to show honor to God after the death of the Messiah. He was openly displaying his allegiance and displeasure in the council’s actions by going to Pilate, but he did not count the break in alliances as a problem. He saw his duty and went forward with it using his power to gain access to Pilate to request Jesus’ body. Pilate was probably feeling guilty and was happy to grant a request that would assuage his guilt somewhat.
It was late in the day and Sabbath was approaching, so there was not time for a lot of preparation. Joseph (or his servants) wrapped Jesus’ body in a linen cloth and put a napkin over His face. He placed Jesus with honor into a new tomb as a king. It may have been the tomb that he had prepared for his own burial. I picture Joseph as an old man partly because of the power that he had accrued and partly because he had a tomb already prepared. Guzik says in his commentary of Luke 24:1, “A rich man like Joseph of Arimethea would probably have a tomb that was carved into solid rock; this tomb was in a garden near the place of crucifixion (Joh_19:41). The tomb would have a small entrance and perhaps one or more compartments where bodies were laid out after being somewhat mummified with spices, ointments, and linen strips. Customarily, the Jews left these bodies alone for a few years until they decayed down to the bones, then the bones were placed in a small stone box known as an ossuary. The ossuary remained in the tomb with the remains of other family members.” Joseph thought that he was giving his own tomb away to show honor to God; however, it turned out that he was only lending it to God for a while before it was returned back to him. I wonder if Joseph was laid in burial in the same place as his Lord, or if he felt unworthy to be there? I guess that is something to ask him during the thousand years when we are speaking to each other of our former lives. I wonder if the thousand years are therapy time for us to heal from our mental hurts and grief.
After the women had ensured that Jesus’ body was secure in its resting place, the women went home and used the little remaining time before Sabbath to prepare the spices they needed and made plans to meet and go to the tomb as soon as it was light enough on Sunday morning to see what they were doing. Then they rested. I think its interesting that Luke, a Gentile, adds according to the commandment. Luke must have rested on the Sabbath after his conversion also.
My application for myself is that I must be ready to serve and make the preparations, but I must also be willing to let those preparations either be unused or used for an alternate purpose as God directs. To do this, I must be open and listening to God and not letting my ego get in the way of God’s plans. I need to trust You that You know what You are doing and that You appreciate my efforts. I need to trust that You are not taking my work lightly, and that You value me as a servant. This is not to say that my efforts are great, but that service requires preparations and those preparations may never be used in Your service, but I know that the act of preparing is valued by You.