John 19:38-42
They were unclean. Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin, and Nicodemus, a Pharisee, would not go to the temple that Saturday. Jewish Law forbid them from entering the temple, because they touched a dead body. As they carried Jesus to the tomb, they forfeited their weekly connection to God, exchanging it to take His Son to the grave.
Joseph’s high standing with the Jewish community gave him the connections to speak to Pilate about taking Jesus’ body. Normally, corpses would be left there for several days to send a message…and to rot. But Pilate wanted this off of his hands as quickly as possible. So there they were carrying Jesus to a new tomb, becoming unclean.
Just as His mother wrapped Him tightly in linen cloths as an infant, He was wrapped in linen at His death. Linen, the same cloth that sacrificial lambs, destined for sacrifice in the temple, were bound. Lovingly, His body was covered with the same gift that had been brought to Him as a child. Myrrh.
The infant, whose birth angels, shepherds, and kings lauded; the boy, who astonished His elders with His wisdom; the man, who never sinned and saw straight to the heart of what people needed, who taught and healed–was dead. His body lay across a stone table. And the last sliver of light vanished as the stone rolled shut.
Joseph and Nicodemus would be ceremoniously unclean for seven days. (Numbers 19:11) On the third day, they would begin the purification process, washing themselves with ashes from the burnt sin offering mixed with water. They didn’t know they’d already touched a cleanser stronger than water. The blood of Jesus–the final sin offering.
And The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7b
We too are offered this cleansing. Will we accept it?
Innocent Jesus,
I deserve the death You died.
I am unclean, not just physically, but spiritually.
Thank you for Your cleansing blood, shed for my sins.
In Your Life-giving name,
Amen.
Emmanuel Reformed Church 