Lent Devotion – From the Cross to the Grave – Week 6
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Matthew 27:57-60
From the Shadows to the Cross
Have you ever hesitated before praying in a crowded restaurant? Or felt a knot in your stomach when a conversation turns to faith, wondering if you should speak up or stay quiet? It’s a common struggle, this tension between our faith and our public actions. We love Jesus, but we also fear judgment, misunderstanding, or simply being seen as different. In those moments of hesitation, it’s easy to let fear win and keep our faith tucked away.
On the darkest day in history, two men stepped out of the shadows. Matthew tells us of Joseph, but John’s Gospel adds that he was joined by Nicodemus, another prominent Jewish leader.
[Joseph] was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs (John 19:39-40).
These were not fishermen or tax collectors; they were respected, wealthy members of the Sanhedrin, the very council that had condemned Jesus to death. At a time when Jesus’ closest disciples were scattered and hiding in fear, these two men risked everything—including their reputations, their positions, and perhaps even their lives—to honor a man executed as a criminal on the “wrong side” of the ruling Romans they were so careful to avoid angering.
Why was this act so important for Matthew to record? First, it fulfilled God’s Old Testament prophesies. The prophet Isaiah had written that the Messiah would be “assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death” (Isaiah 53:9). Joseph’s tomb was the fulfillment of that promise. Furthermore, their actions provided undeniable proof of Jesus’ physical death. His body was officially requested, handled, wrapped, and sealed in a tomb, silencing any claim that he had merely fainted or “swooned” on the cross. His death was real, which makes the resurrection a true miracle.
This event also shows us a powerful picture of courage, especially when we consider the journey of Nicodemus. We first meet him in John 3, coming to Jesus by night, a curious questioner afraid of being seen. Aren’t we so often like Nicodemus? We start our faith journey “at night,” with quiet beliefs and private questions, worried about what others will think.
What changed for Nicodemus? He saw the cross. Beholding the brutal reality of the Son of God crucified for him, and for us, transformed him. This once timid and curious man was provided with the opportunity to showcase his faith through actions rarely (if ever) performed by a man of his status.
Meditating on Jesus’ actions has a way of widening our eyes. Contemplating Christ’s ultimate sacrifice turns what we know in our heads into what we do with our hands. In the face of such love, personal risk seems small. The cross calls us out of the darkness and into the light. May we give thanks for Christ’s sacrifice, which gives us the opportunity to live boldly through our actions, thankful for the forgiveness and eternal life he died to give us.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the example of Joseph and Nicodemus. Forgive us for the times we have let fear keep our faith hidden in the shadows. Fix our eyes on your cross, and let the ultimate sacrifice Jesus gave provide us with the courage to live our faith. May our gratitude for your love transform our quiet belief into bold actions for your glory. Amen.
Written by Alycia Cameron
