DISCUSSION
Joseph of Arimathea had been a disciple of Jesus for some time, but he had done so in secret. You see, Joseph was a member of the Jewish Council called the Sanhedrin; the exact same Council that were responsible for arresting Jesus in the garden leading to His ultimate crucifixion. If it were made known that one of their own had become a disciple of Jesus, it would have surely resulted in severe punishment and possibly even death. However, after everything had been completed and Jesus’ body hangs lifeless between heaven and earth, Joseph could not be secret anymore. He goes before Pilate and humbly asked for the body of Jesus, so that He might give Jesus a proper burial. When Pilate grants his request, Joseph then proceeds to Calvary and removes the body of Jesus from the cross (Luke 23.53). He then, with the help of another converted Pharisee in Nicodemus, anointed the body of Jesus with special spices and then places him in a tomb that he had cut out for himself. I think it is kind of ironic that the one man who had served Jesus in secret this whole time is the only one who comes to care for His body, when all of the other disciples have now gone into hiding. Just imagine how powerful of a witness that made Joseph as he shared His story. His story offers hope to those who might not be out in the front lines of ministry, but still have a vital role in God’s plan!