What Can We Learn From Joseph Of Arimathea
We can learn at least two things from this man’s example:
1. God will give courage to those who are looking for His kingdom.Jesus had taught about worry and fear, saying: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you . The fact that Joseph of Arimathea took courage at the necessary time is an example of this truth in action. Courage was added as Joseph sought Gods kingdom, growing day by day in his walk with Jesus.
2. Riches can be used righteously.Money itself is not the root of all evil : rather, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil . Pauls instruction of Timothy includes advice for the wealthy: As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
It seems that Joseph was a future-minded man who had already prepared a tomb for himself in the inevitable event of his eventual death. But he was generous and ready to share by giving away his tomb to Jesus, his Lord. This is an example to believers that we should be eager to share with others as we seek Gods kingdom and keep an eternal perspective on our possessions.
Why Is His Action Significant
The timing of Jesus crucifixion necessitated urgency for the disciples seeking to bury him. When he died, it was almost the Sabbath and almost the Passover . This meant that work needed to cease very soon. Joseph used his influence with the authorities , his possession , and his newfound courage in identifying as a disciple of Jesus to make quick-thinking decisions in order to lay Jesus body to rest in a timely manner.
What Happened To Nicodemus And Joseph Of Arimathea
Here it was that Joseph of Arimathea, a noble senator, cut out of a rock that was in his garden, a place of interment, in which he, together with Nicodemus, the blessed Mary, and other women, buried form the cross by consent of Pilate, the body of Jesus, which they had wrapped up in fine linen, perfumed with myrrh and …
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What Happened To Joseph Of Arimathea After Jesus Resurrection
Scriptures do not give details of what happened to Joseph of Arimathea after the resurrection of Jesus. Some historians believe he became a missionary and preached the gospel in England.
Joseph is an example of how God can use any person to share His message. There may not be many details of the life of Joseph of Arimathea before or after the crucifixion. Yet, he was vital to fulfilling prophecy.
Jospeh Of Arimathea And The Burial Of Jesus
It goes without saying that, in order for Jesuss tomb to be empty, he would have had to be buried in a tomb in the first place.
As it turns out, this fact cant be taken for granted. Historians have shown that the bodies of crucified criminals were generally left on the cross to be eaten by birds or thrown in mass graves.
But those skeptics that appeal to the general case ignore the specific circumstances of Jesuss burial.
First of all, theres ample textual evidence that Jesus was in fact buried. For example, Corinthians 15:3which, we know from Craig Blomberg, was authored very shortly after Jesuss deathsays explicitly that Jesus was buried.
Second, the gospels corroborate the summary account one finds in Corinthians. In all four gospels, the authors mention that Jesuss body was turned over to Joseph of Arimathea and buried. Its especially important that these facts appear in Mark, which was the earliest of the gospels to be written and thus less vulnerable to later embellishment. And, according to the textual history of Mark, the story of Jesuss final weektermed the passion storywas taken from an even earlier.
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Was Joseph Arimathea Wealthy
The story of Joseph of Arimathea is told in all four gospels. Joseph was a wealthy man who came from Arimathea in Judea. He was a good and righteous man who managed to be both a member of the Council and a secret supporter of Jesus – which is why he did not join in the Council’s actions against Jesus.
The Story Of Joseph Of Arimathea
The story of Joseph of Arimathea is told in all four gospels.
Joseph was a wealthy man who came from Arimathea in Judea.
He was a good and righteous man who managed to be both a member of the Council and a secret supporter of Jesus – which is why he did not join in the Council’s actions against Jesus.
After the death of Jesus, Joseph asked Pilate for permission to take Jesus’ body and bury it properly.
Permission was granted and the body was taken down. Joseph, helped by Nicodemus, wrapped the body in cloth with the addition of myrrh and aloes.
They buried Jesus in an unused tomb that Joseph may have intended for himself, where it was protected by a heavy stone rolled against the opening.
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Early Life And Role In Jewish Council
Joseph was born in the Judean town of Arimathea under Roman rule. He was given the name Joseph, a very common name, given in patronage to the PatriarchJoseph, like others with his name.
It is likely Joseph served on a local Sanhedrin, whether that be specific to Arimathea or a nearby larger town. It is then likely that he gained a reputation and eventually was selected to be on the Grand Sanhedrin. During this time he would have moved to Jerusalem. Here Joseph bought a new tomb, which had to be cut out of rock, in a garden near Golgotha. At his appointment to the Grand Sanhedrin, Joseph was in the upper class. It is not known whether or not he inherited his riches, if he achieved them as a result of being on the Sanhedrin or both.
While serving on the Grand Sanhedrin Joseph of Arimathea rose to prominence on the council.
Joseph Of Arimathea In The Bible
The Bible references Joseph of Arimathea in Matthew 27:57, Mark 15:43, Luke 23:50-52, and John 19:38.
As a member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph would have been a resident of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ death, but he was born and lived previously in a Judean town called Arimathea. Scholars are divided on the location of Arimathea, but some place it at Ramathaim-zophim in the hilly region of Ephraim, where Samuel the prophet was born.
Joseph of Arimathea was a highly visible, distinguished member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council led by the high priests. The seventy-one members of the Sanhedrin were the wealthiest and most powerful men of Jerusalem and the surrounding region. Matthew calls Joseph rich, a fact which is verified by his ownership of a tomb carved in the rocks. Scripture gives no indication of what he did for a living, however, unsubstantiated legend has it that Joseph was a dealer in metal goods.
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The History Of That Holy Disciple Joseph Of Arimathea
The History of that Holy Disciple Joseph of Arimathea. Wherein is contained, The true Account of his Birth, his Parents, his Country, his Education, his Piety and how he begged of PONTIUS PILATE the Body of Our Blessed Saviour, after his Crucifixion, which he buried in a new Sepulchre of his own.Also the Occasion of his Coming to ENGLAND, Where he first preached the Gospel at Glastenbury in Somersetshire and where is still growing that noted White-Thorn, which buds every Christmas-Day in the Morning, blossoms at Noon, and fades at Nights, on the Place where he pitched his Staff in the Ground. With a full Relation of his Death and Burial.Printed and Sold in Bow Church-Yard. London.
O Lord! how marvellous are thy ways!FINIS.
What Does The Bible Tell Us About Joseph Of Arimathea
The life of Jesus was filled with pain, heartbreak, hope, faith, trust in His Father, and love beyond comprehension. Perhaps Joseph of Arimathea felt the devotion of Jesus to His followers.
Jesus obeyed His Father in every moment. His life provided the ultimate example of true dedication to God.
Jesus taught others, shared the message of His Father, and cared for the downtrodden, sick, lowly, and unwanted. Jesus spoke with people of all ages.
Joseph of Arimathea was one of Jesus followers. Some scholars say he may have been a secret disciple . Scripture says he was fearful of the Jewish leaders, even though he was in a powerful position.
The book of Mark states that Joseph of Arimathea was a respected member of the Sanhedrin . He was said to have been wealthy, good, and righteous. Did he help supply Jesus with food, travel expenses, or other needed things? The Bible does not give specifics about his daily interactions with Jesus.
Before the events leading up to the crucifixion had occurred, Jesus needed to be with His Father.
Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking His Father to let the cup pass from Him if possible and if it was what God wanted. The cup would not pass. Jesus would be tried and crucified.
Brought before Caiaphas, Jesus was interrogated, But Jesus was silent. . After the denial by Peter, Jesus was taken to Pilate.
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He Stood For What Was Right
In Luke 23:51, Joseph of Arimathea is said to have not consented to their decision and deed in regards to the Jewish councils crucifixion of Jesus. Imagine how hard it would have been to hear your fellow council members verbally attack Jesus and then finally see the culmination of their hatred towards Jesus at the cross.
Who Was Joseph Of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea was a secret follower of Jesus because he feared the Jewish leaders. He is probably best known for asking Pilate for Jesus body and then placing it in his own tomb.> > Get your free Bible study guide: A Bridge to a Satisfying Life
Joseph of Arimathea appears in each of the four Gospels specifically around the time of Jesus crucifixion and burial. These short verses in the Gospels reveal a surprising amount of information relating to Joseph of Arimathea and his characteristics which we will explore below.
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Do We Know What Happened To Him After Easter
There is nothing mentioned in the Bible about Joseph of Arimathea after the account given in the Gospels about his actions following Jesus crucifixion and death. Legend has him becoming the first Christian missionary to Britain and, according to the BBC, he carried the Holy Grail there and founded the Glastonbury Abbey. The only reliable, documented accounts of Joseph of Arimathea are found in the Bible, and Joseph would probably agree, that is enough.
Why Did Joseph Of Arimathea Give Jesus His Tomb
The Bible tells that after the crucifixion of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the body. Pilate could have answered with a resounding no, but he did not. Pilate ordered the body be given to Joseph of Arimathea.
Scripture shares that Pilate wondered if Jesus was already dead. Perhaps Pilate thought Jesus may still be alive even after the horror on the cross. When Pilate learned that Jesus was dead, he granted the body to Joseph of Arimathea.
As a devoted disciple of Jesus, Joseph showed respect and love for his teacher.
The fact that he gave Jesus his tomb fulfilled a prophecy in the book of Isaiah: He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own tomb. Another man was there with him. Nicodemus also came to claim the body.
Why two men? Was it because the stone would be so heavy that two people needed to move it? Or was Nicodemus a witness to prophecy being fulfilled?
In the book of John, we learn that Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes to prepare the body. Jesus was placed in the tomb on the Jewish day of Preparation. Joseph and Nicodemus prepared the body of Jesus by wrapping Him in strips of linen and a mixture of myrrh and aloe.
Joseph was showing honor and respect for Jesus and also fulfilling prophecy.
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What Do We Know About Joseph Of Arimathea And The Easter Story
We know so little about Joseph of Arimathea, but the few details we see give an image of a man who loved Jesus and honored him in a special way after his death.
- Melissa HendersonContributing Writer
Although the Bible records little about Joseph of Arimathea, it does share his critical decision to request the body of Jesus after the crucifixion. God gives each person unique and special qualities to further His kingdom. Joseph of Arimathea was a dedicated follower of Jesus. His devotion was evident when he decided to ask for the body of Jesus and take care of His body after death.
What Does The Bible Say About Joseph Of Arimathea
Gospel narratives Matthew 27:57 described him simply as a rich man and disciple of Jesus, but according to Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea was “a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God” and Luke 23:5056 adds that he “had not consented to their decision and action”.
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The Case Of Joseph Of Arimathea
Those skeptical of Jesuss burial often highlight the implausibility that Saint Joseph of Arimathea would have arranged for the honorable interment of Jesuss body. This is because Joseph of Arimathea in the Bible was a member of the Sanhedrin, the council of Jewish leaders that voted unanimously to execute Jesus.
The gospel of Luke accounts for this twist with the addition of a key detail: Saint Joseph of Arimathea wasnt present at the vote to kill Jesus. Thus he may have been less indisposed toward Jesus than the rest of the Sanhedrin.
But there are other reasons to believe that this unlikely figure did indeed give Jesus an honorable burial. First of all, given early Christians anger toward the Jews for their role in Jesuss death, its unlikely that an author of the time period would give credit to a member of the Sanhedrin if it wasnt due. A second reason is that, for all the accounts of Jesus in both historical and Christian documents, theres no alternate story of Jesuss burial.
The Cost Of Following Jesus
Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me and said, A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher, and those who are like Christ will suffer persecution like Christ, although not to the same extent of course. This means, If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple , and Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple, so every Christian should know, if they dont already, that the narrow path to eternal life is difficult, and few will find it , So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple . By the time Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had died, they had surely found this out.
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Why Is Joseph Of Arimathea Important To Easter
Joseph of Arimathea is important for this holy day because of his reverence for Jesus, even for His body after death. Jesus was not left to hang dead on the cross nor be thrown into a pit with all the criminals. Joseph belied Jewish beliefs about the unclean nature of a corpse when he and Nicodemus touched Jesus dead body. Also, his stature as a rich man enabled him to wrap Jesus corpse in the traditional long strips of clean linen treated with a mixture of spices.
Had the body been left to the Romans to dispose, it would have been left to the elements and animals to clean up the remains. It then would have been tossed into the valley of Hinnom along with those bodies the people of the day considered rabble. A dusting of lime was thrown over the piles to keep the smell at bay. This, the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, was used in Old Testament times as a place of defilement, where people did detestable things . During the time of Jesus, it was called Gehenna, which is likenedbut not in the literal senseto the word, hell. Joseph of Arimathea, along with Nicodemus, showed utmost respect for and worship of the Lord with what they did and how they treated His body.
As we know, the only way in was through a supernatural act of God, and two of His angels were there to greet Mary the next morning John 20:1-18).
While there is not much written in the Bible about Joseph of Arimathea, what he did speaks volumes.