Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word. This week's question:

Jesus performed miracles and spoke with authority (Matthew 7:24-29). He was awing the multitudes that followed Him even to the point of trying to take Him and make Him king upon this earth (John 6:1-15). His enemies, the council, Scribes and Pharisees, were more concerned about their place of power and wanted to keep their nation as it was (John 11:47-57) than the coming of the Messiah and the kingdom that was to shortly come to pass (Mark 9:1 & Acts 2:all). Soon they did follow the prophecy of Caiaphas who said, "You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for one man to die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish." (John 11:49-51). Those same people did deliver Him to the Romans to be crucified upon that cross on the charge that Jesus made Himself to be king which would challenge Caesar (John 19:12).

That brings us to our question, "Whose tomb was Jesus buried in?". As Jesus stood before Pilate during His final hours, Pilate recognized the trumped up charges that the council brought before him to find Him guilty and then taken to the cross (Luke 23:1-4 & 13-16). Pilate then relies on a custom that the Romans have of releasing one prisoner at the feast of the Passover (Luke 23:17). Using his cunning power, he chooses the lowest polecat that he can think of, none other than Barabbas who incited insurrection and murdered (Luke 23:19). He figured they would certainly choose Jesus in comparison to Barabbas, and yet they chose Barabbas to the astonishment of Pilate (Luke 23:20-25). Pilate knew they delivered Him up because of envy (Mark 15:10), but he still had Jesus stripped, scourged, a robe of scarlet in mockery along with a crown of thorns was placed upon Him, and after spitting upon Him and slapping His face and saying "Hail, King of the Jews!"

When they said that Jesus made Himself to be the Son of God, Pilate tried all the more to release Him to no avail, but then gave in to their threat of anyone making Himself to be king is no friend of Caesar's. He then gave Jesus to them to be crucified (John 19:1-18). The Jewish leaders asked Jesus for a sign from Heaven, but Jesus tells them only the sign of Jonah would be given. Just as Jonah was in the belly of a sea monster for three days and Nineveh recognized the sign and repented. The Son of Man would be in the belly of the earth for three days, however, this generation would not recognize the time of its visitation and more evil would come upon them (Matthew 12:38-45).

He hung upon the cross, they hurled abuse at Him and as they kept watch over His agonizing death, they waited, still looking for that heavenly sign as they said, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him." (Matthew 27:42). About the ninth hour Jesus said, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46), and others said, "This Man is calling for Elijah." (Verse 47), "Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him." (Verse 49).

As Jesus gave up His spirit, the attitude of the multitude changed greatly as they went away beating their breasts (Luke 23:48). The centurion who was overseeing His crucifixion said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:54). As evening came on, a certain rich man, "a member of the council, a good and righteous man (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus." (Luke 23:50-52). This man was like Nicodemus since they were both members of the council and also were secret disciples of Jesus (John 19:40-42). Both he and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus in a linen cloth (John 19:38-41) and they laid Jesus in the tomb that he had purchased for his own use-which also fulfilled scripture (Isaiah 53:9). The righteous man that gave up his tomb for the Son of Man was none other than Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38), and that is our answer to our question.

Although both he and Nicodemus were secret disciples during His life, they both showed great courage at His death! Let us also take courage and become doers of His word for life (James 1:22)!