Waiting in Hope

After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. ³⁹Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. ⁴⁰They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴²And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. John 19:38-42

After Jesus' death his followers were no doubt feeling a variety of emotions: grief, fear, disappointment, anger, despair and more. What do you do next? The one you believed was the Messiah has been crucified. How do you carry on? In the time between Jesus' death on Friday and the empty tomb on Sunday the disciples of Jesus must have truly struggled to understand what it all meant. Was this part of God's plan? Was Jesus a fraud? Was the end near? Would the Romans hunt them down?


In the midst of confusion and fear, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus cared for Jesus' body and prepared him for burial. Joseph was a disciple in secret and Nicodemus was a Pharisee, so they were not at risk of being arrested. Their simple act of kindness and care for Jesus spoke to their ongoing commitment to Jesus. We do not know what they said to one another or what they were thinking. What we do know is that in the midst of their grief, confusion, and fear they did what they could.


The time between Good Friday and Easter is a time of waiting. We wait not knowing; we wait in grief; we wait in hope. Looking back on Jesus' death and resurrection, it is easy to understand Good Friday as a victory. But at the time, it must have seemed a stunning rebuttal and defeat. In times like these we need to cling to hope. The time before it all makes sense; the time before it all works out; the time before grief has passed. Easter is a season of hope in the midst of death and despair. We know how the story ends, let us cling to this hope as we wait.