Passion Week: Saturday - The Tomb is Sealed

The Saturday following Jesus’ crucifixion might be the most unique and overlooked day in the history of the world. It is the day between Jesus’ death and His resurrection. Less is written in the Gospels about this day than any other in the scope of this week known as Passion Week. But what makes it so unique is this: it is the only full day in history where the body of the crucified Son of God lay dead and buried in a grave. The day before, He was crucified. The following day He would rise from the grave. But what happened on Saturday? Though we may not know much about this day, when we look at the few verses the Gospels give us accounting for it, we find it was by no means a forgotten day to the Chief Priests who had handed Jesus over to death.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus said many times that He would die in Jerusalem at the hands of the Chief Priests, but on the third day He would rise again (Matthew 12:40, Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:34). Of course, the Chief Priests scoffed at this. But they didn’t forget it. On the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Jesus’ prediction preoccupied their thoughts in such a way that they couldn’t leave it alone. Matthew 27:62-66 tells us the strange story of how the Chief Priests simply could not dismiss the possibility that Jesus might have known something they didn’t. They went to Pilate and explained that while Jesus was clearly an imposter, His disciples might try to steal His body and fake a resurrection. Pilate’s response was laced with poetic foreshadowing when he said, “Here is a guard of soldiers. Make the tomb as secure as you can.”

Already, two of the hardest people to reach or come to Jesus for salvation, the rich and those who are religious, have openly professed their faith in Jesus Christ, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. No doubt they both were at the council that had condemned Jesus but possibly did not vote with the rest to have Jesus crucified. But at the same time, we have no record that they spoke up for Him.

I believe that they must have witnessed the Roman soldiers mercilessly scourged Jesus with a multi-lashed whip containing imbedded pieces of bone and metal with 40 lashings (Matthew 27:26).  And watched as they pressed the crown of thorns into Jesus’ head, mock and spit on Him and ridicule him before they dragged Him to Golgotha. They witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus with the two thieves. They heard Jesus say, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” They saw the bright noonday sun go black…. And in that terrible darkness they heard the Savior cry out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken Me?”

At 3pm in the midst of the darkness, as they stood nearby, they heard the voice of Jesus one last time as He cry out, “It is finished” and “Into thy hands I commit my spirit.” And He breathe His last! And they saw Jesus die!!!!!!!!! They felt the ground quake!!!!

It is possible that they encountered each other at the cross when Jesus died and together decided to publicly take their stand with Him. Joseph might have said to Nicodemus, “I have a tomb nearby that Jesus can borrow for a couple of days, He said He would rise again on the third day, would you help me take Him down from the cross and bury Him?”  

You can see why the Pharisees and the Pilate were concerned. That Saturday, as His body lay wrapped in linen in a grave, there were many around Jerusalem who sat with uneasy questions about whether or not there would be another chapter in Jesus’ story. His uncommon strength, coupled with the supernatural darkness that settled over the land during His crucifixion (Matthew 27:45), set on edge those who wanted Him dead, even after they’d succeeded. A resurrection would only cause people to believe in Him more.

Yes, it is Saturday, but Sunday is coming!!!! Today, let us prepare for Sunday and the celebration of the greatest day in human history, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

God bless!