[Charles Henrickson]

Luke 23:50-56 (ESV)

Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

[Charles Henrickson]

Ping.

[occu77]

That was most excellently expressed.

[lightman]

Toward the beginning of that gospel, in the account of the birth of Jesus, we have heard Luke say something very similar. There at that time, at the time of Jesus’ birth, there was another good and righteous man by the name of Joseph, who likewise was used of God to take care of Jesus. At Jesus’ birth, as at his burial, the body of Jesus was wrapped and laid where no one else had been laid. In chapter 2, Luke writes: “and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” In chapter 23: “and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid.”

The irony of the parallel of Jesus's birth and death is compounded by the fact that Bethlehem of Judea was the burial place of Sarah, wife of Abraham, father of the faithful. The first real estate and dwelling place of the old covenant was the cave purchased for her burial. The first dwelling place of the bringer of the New Covenant was a borrowed cave/stable....in Bethlehem, "the house of bread"...the first earthly tabernacle of the Bread of Life.