The Message
One thing to note here -- Pilate has the captain verify that Jesus is really dead. There are some theories floating around that Jesus was only mostly dead, and that he was really just injured and someone broke him out of the tomb and he was really still alive. First, note that the Romans were really, really good at killing people. This wasn't something they would have been likely to mess up. But even if they did, realize that people started proclaiming his resurrection within days. Even if Jesus had survived the whippings and beatings and crucifixion, don't you think his broken and battered body would have been evidence that it was all a sham? Wouldn't someone have noticed that perhaps he looked a little off? Remember -- the disciples largely went to their deaths proclaiming that he was risen from the dead. Do people die for a story they know isn't true?
One other thought... we take for granted how broadly Jesus appealed to people. His followers ranged from the poorest lepers in Jerusalem to Joseph of Arimathea, a highly respected member of the Jewish Council. Jesus isn't for just the rich or just the poor -- he comes to us all, to save us and to challenge us and to re-make us, to orient us towards life and to surround us with mercy. Jesus loves you, no matter what. Transformed by God's love, Joseph lived expectantly on the lookout for the Kingdom of God.
How can you and I live expectantly on the lookout for the Kingdom of God today?
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