John 19:31-42 The burial of Jesus
31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. 36 For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”
38 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.
The devil presents himself as an angel of light. The devil appeals to the law so that those who reject God may silence their conscience with the bad reasoning of adherence to law. The Jews ask Pilate to finish the job quickly so that they can enjoy their feast day. Surely, it is their feast and not the Lord’s feast or they would have felt some pang of conscience from condemning the innocent. The devil subverts and subsumes everything he can. The law is good, but here it is twisted to evil. This may be the law they referenced. Deuteronomy 21:23, “his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.”
Since Jesus was already dead, his bones were not broken which is fulfillment of Psalm 34:20, “He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.” This also reflects the Passover lamb as in Exodus 12:46, “In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.” Instead, Jesus’ side was pierced as was prophesied in Zechariah 12:10, “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take Jesus’ body, wrap it and place it in Joseph’s own tomb. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 53, “And they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death”
Joseph and Nicodemus had both been members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews. They both knew that openly declaring for Jesus would mean being kicked out of the synagogue, off the council, and out of society. They were rich and powerful and stood to lose it all. Yet, when the eleven disciples were nowhere to be found they found their moment. We can never know which souls that faithfully sit every week in church we will never see in heaven nor which soul that shows no sign of interest in salvation will be with us forever. The Great Shepherd will separate the sheep from the goats and will lose none that belong to him.
All these events give us great certainty that Jesus truly died. It means that his sacrifice is complete and his resurrection sure. We can have confidence in the perfection of his work of salvation. Our hope of resurrection is made sure through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
brotherpayne 