THEY HAVE TAKEN THE LORD

THE EMPTY TOMB JOHN 20:1-10

 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance.  She went running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.”

Then Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb. The two of them were running, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and saw the linen wrappings, but he did not go in. Behind him came Simon Peter, and he went straight into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth which had been round Jesus’ head. It was not lying with the linen wrappings but was rolled up by itself.

 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, he saw and believed. (They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.) Then the disciples went back home.

 

HE WAS BURIED

 THEY BURIAL OF JESUS

JOHN 19:38-42   After this, Joseph, who was from the town of Arimathea, asked Pilate if he could take Jesus body (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but in secret, because he was afraid of the Jewish authorities.) Pilate told him he could have the body, so Joseph went and took it away.  Nicodemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night went with Joseph, taking with him about 30 kilogrammes of spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes.

 The two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen with the spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial.  There was a garden in the place where Jesus had been put to death, and in it there was a new tomb where no one had ever been buried. Since it was the day before the Sabbath and because the tomb was close by, they placed Jesus’ body there.

(Matt. 27:37-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-58) 

Two prominent men who were afraid to identify with Jesus; we must commend Peter for his courage, though he denied Christ. We all have denied him in one way of another. No one could speak to defend His innocence and His good deeds to humanity. Till date we are ungrateful to God for sending Christ to redeem us.

 Why did they come after His death? Perhaps they felt guilty for not identifying with Him, for not defending Him. The evil deeds done, and the belief that all has ended. They might as well bury Him, bury His name, His mission buried also with him.

 Evil can never conquer goodness, nor triumph over goodness. The plan of God remains; that is why God lies hidden. No man can ever discern God’s thought or God’s ways.  He directs and controls the affairs of men. God and His Son only knew their for restoration and redemption of humanity.