The Tomb | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: The Tomb | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lisa Marcelina
04/08/21
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

It was now 3 o’clock in the afternoon and the land was covered in darkness. The onlookers heard him call out, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”). They thought he was calling Elijah and waited to see if he would appear... but nothing. Then, with his last breath, he cried out, “It is finished!”

Jesus was dead.

The centurion in charge, looked on in amazement. Believing, he exclaimed, “truly, this man was the Son of God!”

The women, including Jesus’ mother, and John the disciple whom Jesus loved, stood looking on at a distance. There were two other onlookers as well. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both members of the Sanhedrin.

It was Friday, and in a few hours would be Sabbath. According to Jewish law, the bodies must not remain hanging from the cross overnight. They must be buried that same day.

Distraught, Jesus’ mother looked at John and pleaded, “don’t let them throw my son’s body away like garbage!”.

“But what can I do immah? Where shall we bury him? Even if we had somewhere to place him, Pilate would never give us his body”.

“No, not us, but maybe them?” She asked, looking across at Joseph and Nicodemus.

John nodded. He humbly approached them saying: “Sirs, I know you believed our Rabbi to be the Messiah. Help us claim his body and give him a proper burial”.

Joseph looked at Nicodemus. Nicodemus, seeing his doubt said, “Joseph, now is the time to show our loyalty. We could not stop his crucifixion so let us honor him in his death”.

“Yes”. “Yes, you are right Nicodemus. We don’t have much time. I have a tomb not far from here. We can bury him there. I will go to Pilate and ask for his body”. “While you do that”, said Nicodemus, “I will go get some spices I had put aside for my own burial”.

Pilate gave Joseph permission to take Jesus’ body. On his way back to Golgotha, he stopped to buy a long sheet of linen cloth. When he reached Golgotha, Nicodemus was there waiting. He brought with him seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.

With the help of the centurion, Joseph took Jesus’ body down. Together, he and Nicodemus wrapped the body with the spices and cloth, and carried it to the tomb. After laying the body on the bench, they exited and rolled the stone to seal the entrance. The women who followed saw the tomb and where they placed his body.

Early Sunday morning as the women were on their way to the tomb, there was a great earthquake! Suddenly, an angel came down from heaven, and as he descended, the stone began to slowly roll away from the entrance. As the stone stopped, the angel sat on it.

As the women approached the tomb, they noticed the stone rolled away. They were horrified! The angel, seeing them said, “Don’t be afraid!” “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where they laid his body”.

They entered the tomb and saw the empty linen cloth laying on the bench. The angel said, “Now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there". Frightened, yet filled with joy, they ran to give the disciples the angel’s message.

Meanwhile, at Nicodemus’ house, Joseph and Nicodemus sat discussing their future. They were no longer Council members, as their secret was now out in the open. Unexpectedly, Jesus appeared. Nicodemus said, “My Lord, please forgive us. We did not agree with the Council’s decision to have you crucified”. Jesus told them, don’t worry my friends, “all this happened so that everything written about me must be fulfilled.”

Jesus commanded them, “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Then Jesus disappeared.

This story was taken from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, New Living Translation.

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.