Working as unto God and not as unto Men: Lessons from Joseph of Arimathea - Episode 1

Philip Afeti Korto

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).

In our daily lives, we interact with people in high positions who make certain decisions that impact on the lives of others. It could be a chief of your community, your personal banker or a Public Servant working in the hospital, education office, a district assembly, in the courts or in any of the sector ministries.

You might have met or encountered such position holders who work from their hearts just to glorify God or they just like doing good to people. Such God-fearing position holders choose to be non-conformers so they do not just follow the crowd. They do not engage in bootlicking. The role of Joseph of Arimathea in the story of the passion of Jesus Christ provides some lessons in this regard. Who was Joseph of Arimathea? Was he a traitor or he was just a God-glorifier and a non-conformer to societal dictates? What lessons can we learn from Joseph of Arimathea? The article discusses these matters and provides answers to the questions, after which I have offered an Easter prayer for you. Yes, my prayer for you!!!

Who was Joseph of Arimathea?

According to the four Canonical Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John, so many people played different roles in the life of Jesus here on earth from the beginning to the end. Whereas some were with Jesus in the beginning, some joined Him in His Ministry and worked with Him until His death. Others joined Him for Ministry (the disciples) and deserted Him before His crucifixion (Mark 14: 50). Some (Veronica) also wiped His face on His way of the cross while others (Simon of Cyrene) were compelled to help Him carry the cross. In the case of Joseph of Arimathea, he appeared from within the Pontius Pilate-led Council only after Jesus died and his concern was to bury the holy body.

The four Canonical Gospels made us understand that the person who buried Jesus’ body was Joseph and this Joseph was from a Judean city called Arimathea, hence he was called Joseph of Arimathea to possibly differentiate him from other Josephs in Biblical time. The Gospels posit that it was with permission from Pilate based on a confirmation from the Centurion (the commander of a century in the ancient Roman army) that Joseph removed Jesus’ body from the cross and buried it in a new tomb cut in the rock. No one had yet been laid in this tomb meant for Jesus. The Galilean women accompanying Jesus into Jerusalem witnessed the crucifixion, removal and burial of the body.

Mathew 27: 57 describes Joseph as a rich man from Arimathea who had become a disciple of Jesus.

Mark also describes Joseph of Arimathea as a respected member of the Council who himself was looking for the Kingdom of God. The Council here means the same Sanhedrin that crucified Jesus, with Pontius Pilate as the Head.

In the words of Luke, Joseph of Arimathea was a rich and upright member of the Council who had not consented to the decision and action of killing Jesus.

Just as Mark indicates, Luke also identifies Joseph of Arimathea as a good and religious member of the Council who hailed from the Jewish town of Arimathea and was expectant of the Kingdom of God. Luke further posits that even though Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Jewish Council, he did not agree with the other Councillors’ decision to kill Jesus.

Does it mean Joseph was a believer of God who was in the midst of non-believers just as Lot was in Sodom and Gomorra? As a Councillor, Joseph had easy access to the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate so the former easily sought permission from the latter in conducting and overseeing the burial of Jesus’ body.

The Gospel of John also indicates that Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple of Jesus because he feared the Jewish leaders. John added that Nicodemus assisted Joseph in performing the Jesus burial rites. John says Nicodemus brought a 70-pound mixture of myrrh and aloes, which they smeared on the body before wrapping it with a new linen purchased by the rich and generous Joseph of Arimathea.

It would be recalled that Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees and a member of the Jewish ruling Council. He had earlier visited Jesus at night and stated emphatically that he and others (we) knew that Jesus was a teacher from God. According to him, no one could perform the miracles Jesus performed if God was not with the person. Jesus then discussed with Nicodemus, matters relating to being born again of water and the Spirit. He informed Nicodemus about how He (Jesus) would die. He said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3: 14). By this, Jesus meant that he would be crucified or be hanged on a tree (cross).

As indicated earlier, Joseph of Arimathea buried Jesus’ body in a new tomb in a garden and he did so with assistance from Nicodemus. “Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid …and they laid Jesus there” (John 19:41-42).

Joseph of Arimathea was not a previously heard of figure in the Jesus story. However, Joseph performed a very brief but crucial role in the Jesus story. He removed the holy body of Jesus from the cross and carried out the burial. But for this crucial role of Joseph of Arimathea, there would not have been an “empty tomb.” As indicated earlier, no one heard of Joseph of Arimathea before this burial event and there was nothing about him after this role. Would you say that Joseph of Arimathea was a traitor or he only chose to work as unto God but not unto human beings? What lessons can you learn from Joseph of Arimathea and what is my Easter Prayer for you? Watch out for Episode 2 of this article.

~Asante Sana ~

Author: Philip Afeti Korto

Email: [email protected]