Friday, the Day of Preparation

(Luke 23:50-56)

Jesus died on a Friday, the day the Jews prepared for the Sabbath. With a short amount of daylight left, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Sanhedrin and who had disagreed with the council's verdict against Jesus, gathered up the courage to ask Pilate if he could have the body of Jesus taken down from the cross. Joseph, unlike the other Sanhedrin, believed Jesus was the Son of God and knew that Jesus was fulfilling Old Testament prophesy. Disagreeing with the other men on the council could risk his social, political and religious reputation, but Joseph stood firm. Joseph was a wealthy man who owned a new tomb and wanted to show the highest honor to Jesus by burying Him there. 
While Joseph negotiated with Pilate for Jesus's body, Nicodemus the Jewish Pharisee who dissented from the council, sought to honor Jesus, too.  It was Nicodemus who met with Jesus and learned from Jesus what it meant to be born again.  He too, had everything to lose by trusting Jesus. He bought a hundred pounds of spices and aloes to prepare Jesus' body for burial. Together, Nicodemus and Joseph abandoned their fears and out of deep respect for the Lord, washed Jesus' body and then wrapped him with linen and fine spices and lay Him in the tomb. 
The Sabbath was approaching. With little time left, women from Galilee arrived at the tomb. Seeing how His body was laid, they returned and prepared spices and ointments for the days to come. The sun rose and now the Sabbath began so they rested and waited.