December 14

Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. — Mark 15:43 BSB

Joseph had been a follower of Jesus for some time, but he hadn’t had the courage to openly declare it. He was rich and influential, and he feared the consequences of publicly identifying with Jesus. But now, Joseph cast aside his fears and stepped forward as a friend of Jesus. He did this at a time when the other disciples, even the apostles, were paralyzed with fear. He did it when Jesus’ name was being shamed and opposition against Him was strongest. He did it when all hope seemed lost, and when there was no possibility of gaining anything by aligning with Jesus.

There were reasons why Joseph made this bold move. First, his love for Christ couldn’t remain hidden forever. Seeing Jesus suffer stirred his loyalty, and when he saw Jesus dead, his long-hidden affection awakened. He realized how unworthy he had been in keeping his friendship for Christ a secret, and this act of courage seemed to be his way of making up for his earlier timidity.

We are grateful that Joseph gave Jesus a noble burial, but we also recognize that his love blossomed too late. His discipleship was incomplete, and he missed the blessing of open loyalty to Christ. Secret discipleship can’t remain hidden forever; at some point, it must be made known, no matter the cost.