Perhaps one of the greatest losses was recorded in just a few sentences in the Bible. Joseph of Arimathea did not agree with the execution of Jesus of Nazareth. He watched the death of one who was blameless, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He was in the minority.
Luke 23:50–51 says this about Joseph after the execution of Jesus:
“Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action.”
We are told in the other Gospels that Joseph was a rich man and a disciple of Jesus. In John, we learn that he followed secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.
What can we learn from Joseph?
I relate to this man more than I’d like to admit. I am very opinionated and want to be heard. Yet I often hesitate to voice my honest thoughts. I weigh the possible outcomes. At best, I might be dismissed by strangers on social media. At worst, I could hurt those I love. And what good would it do? We live in a free country, yet one that has never been free of prejudice and hate.
Does Jesus still love me even when I don’t voice my opinion?
Time has shown that Joseph of Arimathea was right in his convictions. But what would have happened if he had openly confronted the Jewish leaders? He chose not to speak out and I trust that he had good reason. He may have lost his life. No one was asking for his opinion. And if he had spoken out, would he have had the tomb to offer Jesus? Would he have been able to take His wounded body and give it a proper burial?
What Joseph did do was act with integrity. And that kind of action was not against the law then or now.
Luke 23:52-53
“Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.”
Sometimes, I weigh my options and choose to remain silent, praying for a day when hearts will change. After all, opinions alone can feel small. What can an opinion do?
But action? Action can do so much more.
Act in kindness. Love your neighbor. Bind the wounds of the broken.
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