Preparation

Joseph of Arimathea requests the body of Jesus and arranges to have it buried.

Read Mark 15:40-47

Jesus’ execution has happened on a Friday, the day before Sabbath. Properly speaking, the sabbath would commence from the evening of that day.  It was not considered good for the bodies to be left hanging or the execution to be continuing into the Sabbath.  So, the deaths of the two criminals had been expedited.  Normally, criminal’s bodies would have been disposed of without ceremony.  However, Joseph wishes to ensure that Jesus is given a fitting burial in a tomb.

Mark wants us to spot that, yes preparation for the sabbath is going on but there is also something else happening.  Jesus’s death has been watched by the women who had been with him. Whilst men had betrayed, denied and deserted, the women were the last at the Cross, present to see where the tomb was and would be the first ones to go back to the tomb.

We are being prepared for what is to come.  It looks like this is the end. The disciples are scattered, the Jewish leaders, victorious, Pilate happy, Satan defiant.  However, a preparation is happening, not for the Sabbath but for the day after. 

Sunday is coming.