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MARCH 20
42 Now when evening had come, because it for some time. So when he found out from
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was the Preparation Day, that is, the day the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.
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before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a 46 Then he bought fine linen, took Him down,
prominent council member, who was himself and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid
waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of
taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked the rock, and rolled a stone against the door
for the body of Jesus. Pilate marveled that of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and
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He was already dead; and summoning the Mary the mother of Joses observed where He
centurion, he asked him if He had been dead was laid.
DAY 19:What happened to Jesus after His death?
Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the “council” (or the Sanhedrin), who had
opposed Jesus’ condemnation (Luke 23:51), took courage and came forward (Mark 15:43). Pilate
would not likely have been pleased to see a member of the Sanhedrin, after that group had forced
him to crucify an innocent man.Further,Joseph’s public identification with Jesus would enrage the
other members of the Sanhedrin. Nevertheless, he “asked for the body of Jesus.”
“Pilate marveled” that Jesus was already dead (v. 44).Victims of crucifixion often lingered for
days, hence Pilate’s surprise that Jesus was dead after only 6 hours. Before granting Jesus’ body to
Joseph,Pilate checked with the “centurion”in charge of the crucifixion to verify that Jesus was real-
ly dead.Having received confirmation from the centurion that Jesus was dead,Pilate granted Jesus’
body to Joseph (v. 45). By that act, the Romans officially pronounced Jesus dead.
Then Jesus’ body was wrapped in the linen (v. 46). The Jews did not embalm corpses, but
wrapped them in perfumed burial cloths. Nicodemus, another prominent member of the
Sanhedrin (see John 7:50), assisted Joseph in caring for the body of Jesus (John 19:39,40). These
men, who had kept their allegiance to Jesus secret during His lifetime, then came forward publicly
to bury Him, while the disciples, who had openly followed Jesus, hid (John 20:19). Then they laid
Jesus in a “tomb…hewn out of the rock.” This “tomb” was located near Golgotha (John 19:42).
Matthew adds that it was Joseph’s own tomb (Matt. 27:60), while Luke and John note that no one
as yet had been buried in it (Luke 23:53; John 19:41).

the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast,
MARCH 20 to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon,
as far as the great river, the River Euphrates.
See, I have set the land before you; go in and
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possess the land which the LORD swore to
Deuteronomy 1:1–2:37
your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—
These are the words which Moses spoke to to give to them and their descendants after
1 all Israel on this side of the Jordan in the them.’
wilderness, in the plain opposite Suph, 9 “And I spoke to you at that time, saying: ‘I
between Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and alone am not able to bear you. The LORD your
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Dizahab. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb God has multiplied you, and here you are today,
by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. Now as the stars of heaven in multitude. May the
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it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand
eleventh month, on the first day of the month, times more numerous than you are, and bless
that Moses spoke to the children of Israel you as He has promised you! How can I alone
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according to all that the LORD had given him as bear your problems and your burdens and your
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commandments to them, after he had killed complaints? Choose wise, understanding, and
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Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in knowledgeable men from among your tribes,
Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at and I will make them heads over you.’ And
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Ashtaroth in Edrei. you answered me and said, ‘The thing which
On this side of the Jordan in the land of you have told us to do is good.’ So I took the
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Moab, Moses began to explain this law, saying, heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable
“The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb, say- men, and made them heads over you, leaders
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ing: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this moun- of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of
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tain. Turn and take your journey, and go to the fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your
mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighbor- tribes.
ing places in the plain, in the mountains and in 16 “Then I commanded your judges at that
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