Death of Christ and Silent or Black Saturday #1 Abandonment and burial

We have come to the point where the people in Jerusalem had seen that the man of flesh and blood, Jeshua ben Josef, also known as the son of man and son of God, came to his death at the wood of execution.

When Jesus walked around preaching about his heavenly Father and times to come, many wondered who he was and what gave him the authority to speak about the prophets and God. Several people found it weird that this Nazarene could do such strange things, like making blind see again, and paralysed people walk again. Jesus never claimed that it was by his power that he did such wondrous works.  It annoyed many that he claimed he was doing those miracles by the power of God. How could a man claim to do something by God’s Power or even claim that he could unveil things because “his father in heaven” allowed it?
His claims to come from God and to do works God gave him to do, made many angry and gave reason for them to kill him.

“Everything has been given me by my Father. No one perfectly knows the Son but the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father perfectly but the Son; and whom ever the Son wishes to unveil Him.” (Mt 11:27 mhm)

“Upon approaching Jesus he said to them, “All authority in heaven and upon earth was given to me.” (Mt 28:18 mhm)

“17  However, Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working to the present, and I continue to work.”18 Therefore, because of this, the Jews were seeking for a way to kill Jesus because they thought he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also he was saying The God was his own Father, making himself equal to The God. 19 Therefore, Jesus answered them:

“I tell you this truth: The Son is unable to do anything from himself unless he sees something the Father is doing. For whatever that One may do, it is possible the Son also may do likewise.20 For the Father has affection for the Son and He is showing the Son what He is doing. And He will show the Son even greater works so that you may struck with awe.21 For just as the Father raises the dead and makes them alive, so also the Son makes alive those he wishes.22 Because the Father judges no one, but all the judgment He has given to the Son,23 so that everyone may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The person not honoring the Son is not honoring the Father who sent him.24 I tell you this truth: The person who listens to my word and continues to believe in the One who sent me possesses endless Life. And so that person does not come into condemnation, but has crossed over from the Death unto the Life.

25 “I tell you this truth: The hour is coming, and is now present, when the dead will listen to the voice of the Son of The God, and those who have responded will live.26 For just as the Father has Life within Himself, so also He gave to the Son to have Life within himself.27 Also, the Father has given to the Son to perform judgment because he is the Son of Humankind.28 Do not wonder about this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear the Son’s voice29 and those having done good things will come out unto a resurrection of Life. Those who have habitually done corrupt things unto a resurrection of condemnation.30 I am not able to do anything from myself. Just as I hear I judge, and my judgment is just because I am not seeking my own will, but the will of the One who sent me.

31  “If I ever testify about myself my testimony is true.32 There is someone else who testifies about me and I know that his testimony about me is true.33 You Jews sent representatives to approach John, and he has testified regarding the truth.34 However I do not accept human testimony, but these things I tell you are so that all of you might be saved.35 John was the burning and illuminating lamp, and all of you wished to rejoice facing toward the light in him for an hour.36 But, I possess a testimony greater than John, for the works the Father has given to me so that I might complete them–these works that I am doing–testify that the Father has sent me forth. (Joh 5:17-36 mhm)

“27 Peace I leave you. I give you apostles my own peace. I am not giving it to you as the world of humankind gives it. Do not let your hearts be troubled nor cowardly.28  You apostles heard that I said to you, ‘I am departing and I am returning to you apostles.’ If you loved me you would certainly rejoice, because I am going toward the Father, because the Father is greater than me.29 And now I have told you apostles before it happens, so that whenever it does happen you should believe.30 I shall not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world of humankind is coming, and yet he has nothing on me.31 But, so that the world of humankind may realize that I continue to love the Father, and just as He gave me a commandment, just so I am doing. Rouse yourselves, and let us continue from here.” (Joh 14:27-31 mhm)

Jesus was taken and judged to be killed. He was brought to Golgotha to be impaled as a murderer or a dangerous criminal. When he was hanging there at the torture stake, people mocked with him and asked him, when he would have connections with God, to come from the stake and to save himself.

“and calling out, “The person who said ‘tear the Temple down and in three days’ –save yourself! If you are a son of The God come down from the stake.”” (Mt 27:40 mhm)

“Now it was nine in the morning when they impaled Jesus.” (Mr 15:25 mhm)

“Now let Christ the King of Israel come down now from the stake so that we may all believe!”” (Mr 15:32 mhm)

“Observe carefully the Arch- Leader and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus–who endured execution because of the Joy that lay before him–disdained the humiliation of the stake. He has sat down on the right hand of the Throne of The God.” (Heb 12:2 mhm)

Several people saw in Jesus a con-man or imposter. Also today there are lots of people who do not want to believe who Jesus really was or is. There are also a lot of people who minimalise the deed Jesus did, giving his won life to do the Will of God instead of doing his own will. They say Jesus is God, but in such case, Jesus would always have done the will of himself, though in the olive garden he prayed to God with the words:

““Father, if you wish remove this cup from me. However, let Your will occur and not my own will.”” (Lu 22:42 mhm)

Jesus one moment at the stake thought to have been abandoned by his heavenly Father. It also looked like some of his close friends had abandoned him, like Peter not daring to say he was with Christ. It looked like nobody wanted to come to his defence when he was on trial. At the stake, Jesus called to his heavenly Father, making it clear he is not that person like so many so-called Christians claim.

“About three in the afternoon Jesus screamed in a loud voice, “Eli, eli, lama sabachthani?” (or, “‘My God, my God, why have You abandoned me?’”)” (Mt 27:46 mhm)

“And at three in the afternoon Jesus screamed in a loud voice: “Eloi eloi lama sabakhthani?” (which means when translated: “‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”)” (Mr 15:34 mhm)

God cannot die, so if Jesus would have been God, he clearly would been an imposter, faking that he died at that wooden pole on Golgotha. Not being God, Jesus got wounded by the nails through his hands and feet and by the spear in his body.

When Jesus for a second time called on his Father, he gave up the spirit, which means that he died.

“Now after Jesus again cried out with a loud voice he gave up the pneuma.” (Mt 27:50 mhm)

“Now Jesus screamed in a loud voice and breathed his last.” (Mr 15:37 mhm)

“Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit!” And having said this, Jesus expired.” (Lu 23:46 mhm)

We can read in the gospel of John that when Jesus had received the sour wine, he considered his work here on earth finished.

“Therefore, when he had received the vinegar, Jesus said, “It has been accomplished!” And then his head fell and his last breath escaped.” (Joh 19:30 mhm)

Jesus was placed on this earth in a special way for a certain task and now his task had come to an end. When going around Galilee he had tried to show people that he is the way to God (and not to himself, what he would have done if he would be God).

“Jesus said to Thomas: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one can approach the Father, if not through me.” (Joh 14:6 mhm)

He who wanted to show his Father, Jehovah God, was now dead, not belonging to living anymore, and got put in a grave.

“He placed the body in a new memorium which he had quarried out of the rock. He then rolled a great stone at the opening to the memorium and departed.” (Mt 27:60 mhm)

“These went their way and secured the grave, sealing the stone with the custodial guards.” (Mt 27:66 mhm)

Jesus was put in a grave in a garden near the place where he was impaled. Normaly This tomb Joseph from Arimathea as a rich man had provided and prepared that sepulchre for himself, as was not uncommon among the Jews. In this tomb Luke and John inform us that no man had been laid.  It was a clean, uncontaminated unused or immaculate tomb. In the providence of God, it was foreseen that Jesus would be put between the rich.

“He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isa 53:9 NIV)

None of the people who knew Christ and had seen him from close by, could find any wickedness in him. He always had spoken with a soft voice, except when he was cross with the sellers in the temple and when he threw them out of that holy place.
His disciples also were convinced that Jesus had not committed any sin, and that no deceit could be found on his lips, him always telling the truth and defending the poor and those who could not speak.

“Messiah never committed a sin, nor was deceit ever found in his mouth.” (1Pe 2:22 mhm)

The fulfilment of the prophecy that Jesus would make his grave with the rich in his death is the more remarkable, because during his life he associated with the poor, and was himself poor.

That the tombs or sepulchres in Judea were commonly caves, hewn out in the rock in groves, and mountains was a common way of constructing places to bury the dead. Those burial chambers were cut horizontally in the rock beyond the walls of the cities in which they dwelt, or were excavations made in the sides of hills, or sometimes in solid rocks and were sometimes of great extent. The bodies were laid in niches in the walls or on flat slabs. After the first had been laid in the grave, a large heavy stone was rolled in front of the entrance.

Joseph with the help of some of Jesus’ followers laid the dead Jesus in his new family grave, i.e., not yet used. Because Jesus had been condemned as a criminal the law forbade the owner of a grave to use it again, and therefore we know Joseph sacrificed his own tomb to give Jesus an honourable grave.

Had Jesus been buried in the common burial-ground of the malefactors, his resurrection could not have been so distinctly remarked, as the chief priests would never have thought of sealing the stone there, or setting a watch; but now that the body is got into the hands of a friend, they judged it necessary to make use of these precautions, in order, as they said, to prevent imposture; and from this very circumstance the resurrection of Christ had its fullest evidence, and was put beyond the power of successful contradiction.

“62 Now on the morrow, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, 63 saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive, After three days I rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: and the last error will be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a guard: go, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.” (Mt 27:62-66 ASV)

The sealing of the stone and putting official guards in front of it, was intended to secure the place as much as possible, so that nobody could take the body away to declare afterwards that he would have been risen or taken up to heaven.

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Previous articles

Matthew 27 – The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – Bible Students Intro

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #1 Matthew 27:1-2 – Priests Hand Jesus Over to Pilate

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #2 Matthew 27:3-10 – Judas Hangs Himself

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #3 Matthew 27:11-14 – “Are You King of the Jews?”

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #4 Matthew 27:15-23 – Barabbas or Jesus?

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #5 Matthew 27:24-26 – “His Blood Come Upon Us!”

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #6 Matthew 27:27-31 – Jesus Afflicted by Troops

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #7 Matthew 27:32-37 – Executed at Golgotha

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #8 Matthew 27:38-44 – The Mob’s Abuse

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #9 Matthew 27:45-50 – Jesus Expires During a Darkness

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #10 Matthew 27:51-54 – Temple Curtain Torn in Earthquake

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #11 Matthew 27:55-56 – The Women Who Witness the Execution

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #12 Matthew 27:57-61 – Jesus’ Body Given to Joseph of Arimathea

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #13 Matthew 27:62-66 – Guards Seal the Tomb Against an Imposter

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Additional reading

1. When you believe Jesus is God, do you think he died?
2. The day Jesus died

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3. Mark 15: 42-47
4. Mt 27.57-61 The Burial of Jesus
5. The Deafening Silence of Black Saturday
6. Black Saturday – Christ’s work continues
7. Holy Saturday (Artful Devotion)
8. Sepulchre of Life