Page 144 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

the Father. The Prince of Life laid down His physical life in the darkness. The witnesses to this event
must have been amazed at how nature responded to Christ’s death, and certainly the religious leaders
should have been fearful that certainly they did crucify the Son of God. The thick temple veil between
the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was miraculously rent in two from top to bottom, another
testimony to of the religious leaders of their horrific crime.

Not only was it dark, but the Gospels say that there were earthquakes and tremors that split the rocks
and hundreds of people who had died was raised from the dead and walked around in Jerusalem. These
physical signs drew many onlookers to faith, including a Roman centurion who has been assigned to the
detail conducting the crucifixion.

Jesus died around 3:00 PM and the Law demanded that He be buried before Passover began at 6:00 PM.

Jesus’ Body Placed in the Guarded Tomb (Matthew 27:57-60, Mark 15:42-46, Luke 23:50-54 and John
19:31-42; Matthew 27:61-66, Mark 15:47 and Luke 23:55-56)

Joseph of Arimathea received permission from Pilate to receive the body of Jesus. He and Nicodemus
(who had come to Jesus by night, a member of the Sanhedrin) placed Jesus’ body in a tomb belonging to
Joseph after they had wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. Joseph was a wealthy and good and upright
man. The tomb was not very far from the site of the crucifixion. A group of women, including Mary
Magdalene, observed the burial of Jesus.

Following Jewish custom, they wrapped the body in strips of linen and mixed in myrrh and aloe.
Because they had so little time, Joseph and Nicodemus hurriedly placed Jesus in Joseph’s own tomb,
located in a garden a short distance from Golgotha. Joseph and Nicodemus probably did not know of
Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Jesus’ death.

Isaiah 53:9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done
no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

This is one of the many prophecies concerning Jesus’ death that has confirmed Jesus’ identity as the
Messiah and Son of God.

The day after Jesus’ burial, the chief
priests and Pharisees went to Pilate to
request that the stone Joseph had
placed in front of the tomb be sealed,
and a guard posted, for three days. They
cited Jesus’ assertion that He would rise
after three days and claimed the
disciples might attempt to steal the
body in order to fabricate a resurrection
(Matthew 27:63–64). Their precautions
were for naught, as Jesus rose from the
dead on the third day, just as He had
predicted (Matthew 28).

Gordon’s Tomb very close to Calvary

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