A 5-day per week study.

Jesus is crucified between two criminals. He suffers death and God’s wrath for all who will believe in Him, and then He breathes His last and dies. Darkness, earthquakes, and the Temple veil split in two. We saw different reactions in those who watched the crucifixion.

Vss. 23:50-55.

Joseph, a good and righteous man who was a member of the Sanhedrin, but who had NOT voted against Jesus, went to the governor to request Jesus’ body for burial.

According to Mark 15:43-45, Pilate was surprised that Jesus was dead already. Crucifixion could take days to kill, and Jesus was dead after six hours. (Of course, Pilate didn’t know that Jesus had earlier claimed that “No man takes My life, but I willingly lay it down,”(John 10:18). Jesus had accomplished the work His Father had given to Him. Then He died.)

Pilate sent and asked the Centurian in charge of the execution. The soldier verified that Jesus was dead after piercing His side and seeing both blood and water come out. Joseph was given permission to take down Jesus’ body.

Joseph tenderly wrapped the ravaged body of Jesus in a linen shroud and laid Him in a tomb cut in the stone, where no man had ever yet been laid. (Matthew 27:60 tells us it was Joseph’s own tomb, which he’d only recently had made for himself.) John 19:39-40 tells us that another “secret disciple,” Nicodemus, joined Joseph, bringing a large amount of spices to wrap with Jesus’ body. They rolled the heavy stone in front of the opening and left before the Sabbath began.

The woman who had come with Jesus from Galilee, disciples themselves, followed the men and saw the tomb, and how the body was laid. They planned to return after the Sabbath and finish preparing Jesus’ body with spices and ointments they’d made.

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And so, along with all the other observing Jews in Israel, Jesus rested on the Sabbath.