The Power of the Cross
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. John 19:38, 39, NRSV.
With Joseph of Arimathea we have a new player in the gospel story. While he may have been a secret disciple up to the time of the cross, now he risks everything. He had no idea how the unstable Pilate would respond to his request to hand over the body of a man put to death for treason. On the other hand, he knew exactly how the Jewish leaders would react. For example, he could be certain that he would lose his standing in the Jewish community and his membership in the powerful Sanhedrin. Had he been a poor man he may have come out in the open sooner. But he had much to lose. After all, the Jewish leaders had agreed that those who became followers of Jesus should be put out of the synagogue--excommunicated (John 9:22).
And Joseph wasn't the only secret disciple to step forward at this hour of need. Nicodemus, whom we first met approaching Jesus at night (John 3:1-5) and later as he hesitantly speaks on behalf of Jesus (John 7:50-52), now comes boldly to the front. It was to Nicodemus that Jesus had first begun to develop the theme of His being lifted up in the same way that Moses had raised the serpent in the wilderness so that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life (John 3:14-16). Jesus later added to that teaching when He noted that "when I am lifted up from the earth, [I] will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32, RSV).
And now that prophecy is being fulfilled. All of the disciples of Jesus except John might have been hiding in fear of being identified as followers of Jesus, but the drawing power of the cross has brought these two rich members of the Sanhedrin into the open.
Joseph and Nicodemus may have feared any association while He was alive, but already the power of the cross was working to make cowards into heroes and waverers into individuals willing to make their faith known publicly. The cross had transformed them. The death of Jesus had done for them what His life had never accomplished. Their hearts broken in love, they were willing to risk everything for the One who had died for them.
They had discovered that no person can long remain a secret disciple. Eventually the secrecy will kill the discipleship or the discipleship will kill the secrecy.
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. John 19:38, 39, NRSV.
With Joseph of Arimathea we have a new player in the gospel story. While he may have been a secret disciple up to the time of the cross, now he risks everything. He had no idea how the unstable Pilate would respond to his request to hand over the body of a man put to death for treason. On the other hand, he knew exactly how the Jewish leaders would react. For example, he could be certain that he would lose his standing in the Jewish community and his membership in the powerful Sanhedrin. Had he been a poor man he may have come out in the open sooner. But he had much to lose. After all, the Jewish leaders had agreed that those who became followers of Jesus should be put out of the synagogue--excommunicated (John 9:22).
And Joseph wasn't the only secret disciple to step forward at this hour of need. Nicodemus, whom we first met approaching Jesus at night (John 3:1-5) and later as he hesitantly speaks on behalf of Jesus (John 7:50-52), now comes boldly to the front. It was to Nicodemus that Jesus had first begun to develop the theme of His being lifted up in the same way that Moses had raised the serpent in the wilderness so that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life (John 3:14-16). Jesus later added to that teaching when He noted that "when I am lifted up from the earth, [I] will draw all men to myself" (John 12:32, RSV).
And now that prophecy is being fulfilled. All of the disciples of Jesus except John might have been hiding in fear of being identified as followers of Jesus, but the drawing power of the cross has brought these two rich members of the Sanhedrin into the open.
Joseph and Nicodemus may have feared any association while He was alive, but already the power of the cross was working to make cowards into heroes and waverers into individuals willing to make their faith known publicly. The cross had transformed them. The death of Jesus had done for them what His life had never accomplished. Their hearts broken in love, they were willing to risk everything for the One who had died for them.
They had discovered that no person can long remain a secret disciple. Eventually the secrecy will kill the discipleship or the discipleship will kill the secrecy.
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