Isaiah 53 tells us of the Messiah v.8 'He was cut off from the land of the living- the living one, in the abode of the dead. Though he died with the wicked, including the thief on the cross, Jesus was given a 'rich man's tomb at his death v.9. We are told in the Gospel that this tomb belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, the King of Kings, who as the Son of Man (another divine title) had nowhere to lay His head even in death lay in a borrowed tomb, Just a borrowed tomb for the King of Kings and creator of the whole universe. This is the true Sabbath, God resting on the Jewish Sabbath, laid in State.
The aroma in the tomb would be filled with the smell of the spices that the women had wrapped Jesus in. This speaks of two things, firstly, their devotion to Him, though the men had fled and were in hiding these women took time to wrap his body in burial clothes and spices, they were devoted to him. Giving of their time and money to serve Him in death. Yet it also speaks of their lack of faith, some of the women had seen Jesus raise Lazarus and had heard Him repeatedly say that after three days he would rise again- they are preparing His body so that it doesn't decay.
Where was His Spirit? While His body lay in state where was His Spirit? The Faith teachers are on record as saying Jesus went into Hell and suffered punishment from the demons. You may have read in some versions of the creeds that He descended into hell- this is a mistake-he descended into death is what the creed means. You'll not find the idea of Jesus descending into hell Scripture. As I mentioned yesterday the cry of the cross was a victory cry, "it is finished" or it is "accomplished" Also you'll that Jesus tells us the thief on the Cross that He would join in Him in paradise that very day. He went home but without His body, it's the intermediate state for Him.
One final thought, the disciples.
The disciples seem to have missed that Jesus said He would rise after 3 days but remember that the Religious leaders heard Him say that He would rise, they didn't believe him of course but they put His body on guard just in case. Judas who was instrumental in Jesus death was one of the twelve just a few days before, now in remorse (not repentance) had taken his own life and a Christ-less eternity. Peter perhaps filled with remorse as well, after all he too betrayed his best friend, denying he even knew him. All of them who a couple of nights before we prepared to die with Him now hidden away in great fear. Yet if we are to enter into their grief we must realise they didn't have ears to hear. They hadn't heard him when He told them He would rise. So they are grief stricken thinking that despite all they had seen and heard Jesus was a Messianic pretender. If only they had listened, they would be waiting with baited breath for Sunday Morning it seems to them that death has conquered and is therefore Lord. They unlike us were in a state of complete hopelessness. Believing Jesus would have made them hopeful and expectant. For His Church waiting for His return we too should be waiting full of hope and expectation.
May God Bless You this Saturday!
Stephen <><
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