And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good man and a just
The crucifixion is over and the disciples have scattered. Then Luke introduces a man we have never met: a member of the ruling council who had refused to go along with the vote against Jesus. Why does this man step forward now, and what does Luke want us to see in him?
Luke calls Joseph "a member of the council." The Greek word behind that phrase names a seat on the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council that had just condemned Jesus.
bouleutes (βουλευτής): a member of the Sanhedrin. Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50.
Luke fills in the man's character, his home town, and his hope.
Luke adds a few other details about Joseph, quite fitting to his Gospel. He was "a good man and a just," one who, as a counsellor, had not agreed to the council's decision and act. His city, Arimathea, is "a city of the Jews" — that is, in Judea. With Mark, Luke tells us that he waited for the kingdom of God.
Joseph had believed for some time without ever saying so publicly. The moment when his fear should have been strongest is the moment his silence broke.
Joseph of Arimathea had waited for the kingdom of God for some time. He was a good man and just, and a real believer, though he had shrunk from confessing the Lord Jesus openly. But now, when fear might have worked more than ever to keep him back, grace made him bold. This, at least, was quite right, and like the God of all grace. If the death of our Lord does not unlock a man's heart and tongue, I do not know what will.
Rank was no advantage here. It was a weight. Stepping forward would cost Joseph his standing among his fellow council members.
Then came Joseph, and he was an honourable man and a counsellor. If he had thought about his reputation among his fellows, he would have stayed at home that day. But he drops every thought of self. The secrecy of his discipleship must end — and that at the very moment when we would have expected him to be most anxious to hide it.
Joseph acts for someone who can no longer thank him, notice him, or repay him. One writer sets this rich man beside the poor widow whose small offering Luke also recorded.
The same writer who in this chapter of his record has recorded the offering of the "poor widow" tells us in another (Luke 23:50 and following) of the loving service given to the Master by one of the rich class spoken of here, "who was looking for the kingdom of God." That service came when He was no longer on the scene to acknowledge it. And we may well suppose that he will have a place in that kingdom.
Joseph's arrival was no accident. Scripture had said long before that this Man would be with a rich man in His death, and God saw to it.
Everything Jesus had been along His path suited God completely. Here we see that God's own care for His body in death was tied to the beauty of His life. Let us not forget it. The Spirit of God did not write carelessly, "with the rich man was his tomb, because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth." I do not think anyone else could be described that way.
Wolston quotes an older translation of Isaiah 53:9. The ESV reads: "And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth."
Joseph was not alone that day. Two men buried Jesus in daylight, in front of enemies still burning with hate.
In the face of that fanatical hate, these two disciples paid their homage to our Lord in the full light of day, with no secrecy about it. They buried His holy body with reverence. It was a noble sight, and the record of it soothes and comforts all who love the Lord. Millions of Christians have blessed their names from that day to this. Is it not a witness to secret believers, timid disciples who keep in the shadows, that they should come out boldly into full daylight and confess their Saviour and Lord?
- Held back. Joseph sat on the very council that condemned Jesus. He was a real believer who waited for the kingdom of God, but he kept it quiet.
- Held apart. He refused to agree with the council's decision and act — his conscience was clear before his courage was.
- Made bold. The death that scattered the others unlocked his tongue. Grace brought him out, not his own nature.
- Counted the cost. A man of rank had to abandon every thought of his own reputation to claim the body of a crucified man.
- Honoured by God. He served when the Master could no longer acknowledge it — and through him Scripture came true: Christ was with a rich man in His death.
(this [man] had not assented to their counsel and deed), of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who also waited, [himself also,] for the kingdom of God
The men who condemned Jesus acted together, yet one of them had refused to go along. Luke pauses at the burial to name him, to say what he would not join, and to say what he was waiting for.
Each Gospel adds its own line to this man's portrait, and Luke's contribution is the note about his vote.
He is mentioned in each of the Gospels, and each supplies us with some special detail concerning him. Matthew tells us that he was rich and a disciple. Mark calls him an honourable counsellor who waited for the kingdom of God. Luke says he was a good and just man. He had not consented to the decision and deed of the great majority of the Sanhedrin in putting Jesus to death. John admits that he was a disciple, but a secret one for fear of the Jews.
Joseph sat on the council that planned the death of Jesus — the ruling body of the nation.
The second half of the verse names what Joseph was waiting for.
Joseph was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, the council guilty of plotting the death of the Lord. But Joseph's character was honorable, and he had not consented to the evil purpose of his fellow council members. But the cross brought him out clearly. He was more than a man who was not against the Lord. He now stood fully on the side of the One whom His own people had murdered. Joseph waited for the kingdom of God. Clearly the death of the Lord Jesus did not stop that hope. Instead, one would say, it brought his faith in a God of resurrection into living action.
Luke's phrase describes a man who stayed out of a wrong. The next verses show him doing more than that.
Now he takes his stand, identifying himself openly with Christ rejected and crucified! Precious energy of faith! This was clearly God's work in his soul.
Joseph steps forward at the moment when everyone else has run.
Split 58-word sentence; restores Nicodemus so the later naming is sourced and a real believer, though he had shrunk back from openly confessing the Lord Jesus. But now, when fear might naturally have held him back more than ever, grace made him bold. If the death of our Lord does not unlock a man's heart and tongue, I do not know what will.
Joseph does not appear by accident. He arrives at the point where a promise about Jesus' grave called for a rich man.
The prophetic writings had said, "You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me" (Psalm 88:18), but they had also said, "they made his grave … with a rich man in his death" (Isaiah 53:9). If verse 49 gives us the fulfilment of the one, verses 50-53 give us the fulfilment of the other. In every emergency God keeps an instrument in reserve to carry out His purpose and fulfil His word.
Joseph and Nicodemus buried the body of Jesus in daylight, while the hostility was still at full heat.
In the presence of that fanatical hate, these two disciples acted in the full light of day, with no secrecy about it. They paid their homage to our Lord in the reverent burial of His holy body. It was a noble sight, and the record of it is soothing and comforting to all who love the Lord. Millions of Christians have blessed their names from that day to this. Is this not a message to secret believers, the timid disciples who keep in the shadows? They should come out boldly into full daylight and confess their Saviour and Lord.
- Hidden. Joseph was a real believer, but he kept his faith out of sight. Fear of the Jews had held back his confession.
- Refusing. He would not consent to the council's decision and act. He was a good and just man inside a guilty council.
- Waiting. He was looking for the kingdom of God. The death of Jesus did not end that hope; it stirred his faith in a God of resurrection.
- Bold. The cross scattered the others. It made Joseph step out and side openly with the One his nation had murdered.
- Ready. God kept this man in reserve, and the word "with a rich man in his death" came true to the letter.