Daily Scripture Reading John 19:38 - 20:18
We read in Matthew 10:32 and Luke 12:8 that if anyone confesses Jesus before men, then Jesus will confess Him before the Father. Likewise, if anyone denies Jesus before men, then Jesus will deny him before the Father.
That sounds very black and white. However, if a Christian businessman is on a business trip to a country that does not tolerate Christianity, will Jesus consider it a sin if the Christian businessman hides his faith so that he is allowed to visit the country? This topic has implications for people who desire to share the gospel with people who live in societies that actively prohibit proselytization.
Some Jewish leaders in the 1st century AD had this dilemma. Their story helps us think through how we should handle those situations in our lives.
Jesus was crucified on the afternoon before Passover. Since the Passover was a Sabbath, the Jews asked the Romans to break the legs of those on the cross so that they would die quicker. Jesus was already dead, so they did not break His legs. Instead, a soldier pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water came out.
John 19:38 ¶ Now after these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body.
Look at the word “disciple”. Joseph was a disciple of Jesus. Now look at the words “secretly” and “fear”. Joseph was afraid to let the Jews know that he was a disciple of Jesus. Mark 15:43 and Luke 23:50 tell us Joseph was a Council member. He was part of the Jewish inner circle. He had a lot to lose.
John 19:39 And Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about one hundred litras.
Nicodemus is mentioned in John 3 and John 7. John 3 records the occasion when Nicodemus went to Jesus at night. John 3:1 tells us Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews. Nicodemus also had a lot to lose.
John 19:40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.
The pronoun “they” is plural and refers to Joseph and Nicodemus.
This is a dilemma for us. Do we treat Joseph and Nicodemus as heroes or cowards? On the one hand, they deserve credit for giving Jesus a proper burial. That act was fraught with risk. On the other hand, they were afraid to publicly claim to be disciples of Jesus. That exhibits some fear and cowardice. The Bible does not appear to condemn them for acting secretly. However, Matthew 10:32 and Luke 12:8 tell us Jesus said He will deny anyone who denies Him before men.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us there is a time for everything. Perhaps there was a time for Joseph and Nicodemus to hide their beliefs and a time for them to act on their beliefs. By being a secret disciple, Joseph was in a position where he was able to give Jesus a proper burial. If he had not hidden his discipleship, he may not have been able to do that.
We have the same dilemma in our lives. Is there a time when God expects us to be bold about our faith regardless of the consequences? Are there times when it is appropriate for us to be quiet about our beliefs so that later we are in a position where we can act boldly?
John 19:41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
John 19:42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Matthew 27:60 tells us the tomb belonged to Joseph. While Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus, it took boldness to bury Jesus in his own tomb and thus associate himself with Jesus.
John 20:1 ¶ Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.
Note the phrase “while it was still dark”. This tells us Jesus rose from the dead before sunrise. This is a clue that helps us determine what day Jesus was crucified. Jesus said in Matthew 12:40 that the Son of Man would be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. If Jesus arose before sunrise, then Sunday can be one of the nights He was in the tomb, but not one of the days, meaning the first day He was in the tomb was Thursday, putting the crucifixion on Thursday.
John 20:2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
John 20:3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.
John 20:4 And the two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;
John 20:5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.
John 20:6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there,
John 20:7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but folded up in a place by itself.
John 20:8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed.
Pay attention to the phrase “he saw and believed”.
John 20:9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
Even though the disciples had observed many miracles and heard Jesus say He would die and rise again, up until the resurrection, they still did not completely grasp the truth about Jesus.
John 20:10 So the disciples went away again to where they were staying.
John 20:11 ¶ But Mary was standing outside the tomb crying; and so, as she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb;
John 20:12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.
John 20:13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
John 20:14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Mary was at the cross and watched Jesus die, so it is somewhat understandable that she did not grasp it was Jesus in front of her.
John 20:15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Whom are you seeking?” Thinking Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”
John 20:18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
Jesus said that if anyone denies Him before men, then He will deny that person before the Father. However, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council, was secretly a disciple of Jesus. The Bible does not appear to criticize him for hiding his faith.
If a person becomes a Christian, but knows his society will kill him if it knows he is a Christian, is it okay for him to hide his faith?
If a Christian businessman is on a business trip to a country that does not tolerate Christianity, will Jesus consider it a sin if the Christian businessman hides his faith so that he is allowed to visit the country?
What criteria should we use to determine when we should hide our faith and when we should be bold about our faith?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”