They Rested According to the Commandment

Swiped this picture from my daughter, who was
enjoying a little sabbath rest!

Scripture:

Luke 23:50   Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, ⁵¹ had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. ⁵² This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. ⁵⁴ It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.^{a  55} The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. ⁵⁶ Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.

 On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Observation:

It was Friday evening and usually the Romans left a crucified body for days so that the flesh might be eaten by scavenger birds. Suddenly we discover that there is a member of the religious leaders who was a “good and righteous man” and had apparently been a part of the crowd that was “watching” and waiting for the kingdom of God. He saw something in Jesus that the other religious leaders had not. 

Jesus had died sooner than people had anticipated and so, instead of leaving him to continue in agony, Joseph asked if he could bury his body. He wanted to do this quickly for evening was approaching, and with sundown the sabbath would begin. Evidently he was put into the tomb without embalming his body, for there was not enough time. The women continued to watch, and followed Joseph, making note of the tomb. Then, they planned to prepare everything that they might need for his body, planning to care for him when the sabbath was completed. 

Even in their panic and pain, they remained true to God’s commandments. The sabbath would not be broken. They went and rested, waiting to return and care for Jesus’ body. 

Application:

I don’t think that Christians do a very good job at keeping sabbath these days. When I was younger Sunday was filled, almost all day, with going to church, hanging out with friends, and going back to church again — and then, maybe going out with friends after the service too. Little by little we complained that this was too much and we weren’t getting enough time to rest on Sundays — and that we needed fewer services so that we could have more of a sabbath. However, I don’t think that is what happened and instead, we have filled the day with sports and shopping, and outings. We didn’t take the time to rest when we didn’t come to church, we filled the time with our own activities, not God’s. 

I’m amazed that these women rested on the sabbath day, considering all that had happened. And yet, I think there must have been something about that routine that brought peace to them. When everything seems out of control, sometimes it’s just good to do the ordinary. It’s also good to recognize our need for a sabbath rest. 

The return to sabbath rest must be intentional. Our attitude toward Sundays may need to shift again, creating space for fellowship and rest. I remember back when people wouldn’t take the paper on Sundays, but now, everything pours into our homes through the internet. Maybe we need an internet free day. What about a return to Sunday dinners with family and friends — that includes being internet free! 

Mark reminded us that the sabbath was made for us, and not we for the sabbath. In other words, it was never meant to be legalistic, but it was meant to be a gift. The women embraced the gift of the sabbath, even as Jesus had just died. The embrace of sabbath is life-giving and refreshing. God intended it to be that way, but if we ignore the gift we will never reap its benefits. 

Prayer:

Lord, help me to make the sabbath an intentional space in my life-journey. Amen.