Why Were the Women Afraid

from Google Images

When the women came to the sepulcher where Jesus was laid, they found the stone that sealed the tomb (Matthew 27:66) was rolled away (Luke 24:2-3). Luke tells us that the women were perplexed (G1280). That is, didn’t know why the tomb was empty (Luke 24:4-5). In other words, the thought that Jesus had arisen from the dead, hadn’t even occurred to any of them. The Greek word (G1280) is used of Herod being in doubt of who Jesus was in Luke 9:7. It is also used for the confusion of the chief priests and the captain of the Temple when they found out the Apostles had escaped their prison cell and were teaching in the Temple (Acts 5:34).

 

How Was Jesus Buried and When?

from Google Images

A man named Joseph took upon himself the responsibility to bury Jesus (Luke 23:50-53). He went to Pilate and all three Synoptics declare he asked, perhaps begged for Jesus’ body, that it would be given him for burial (Luke 23:52; cf. Matthew 27:57-58; Mark 15:43-45). According to the Gospel of John, Joseph had been a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one, who came to Jesus at night (John 19:38). It is interesting that none of the Synoptics tell us that his relationship with Jesus was a secret one. They say only that Joseph was a righteous man (Luke 23:50, a rich man and a disciple (Matthew 27:57), and that he waited for the Kingdom of God (Mark 15:43). It is almost as though the author of the Gospel of John makes a confession about himself.