With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He 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.
Two men of high standing and wealth. Both know each other. Both serve on the Jewish Council that has condemned Jesus to death. Both are disciples of Jesus.
It is late in the day. A day that has seen our Lord taken prisoner in the night, tried before the governor in the early morning, flogged and then crucified by midday. By late afternoon Jesus is dead. Certified dead. Instead of breaking his legs they ran a spear through his liver and lungs to make sure.
Almost miraculously, Joseph of Arimathea gets permission to remove the body of Jesus before the sun sets. Meanwhile, Nicodemus has to obtain burial materials. A large quantity of myrrh and aloes.
How did these two men come to know each other was a disciple?
How did they come to be comrades in a mission to bury Jesus?
Why is this important?
Both were disciples in secret. Both were afraid of the Jewish leaders. If they could figure out that each other was sympathetic to Jesus’ cause, why did others on the Council not see it?
Application: There is strength in fellowship. These two men overcame their fears and risked everything the world holds dear to honor Jesus with a decent burial. The Bible does not tell us what happens to these men after they choose to associate themselves with our Lord. It is hard to imagine that their lives were not changed for the better, and forever.
Food for Thought: What brought Joseph and Nicodemus together?
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Jesus can divide or unite. We need to make a decision about Jesus. If we decide to follow Him it unites those with a common cause and tends to put them at odds with those who follow the world. These men were followers of Jesus and it united them while putting them at odds with the other Jewish leaders. I think the same thing tends to happen today.