A dark Sabbath. Their leader is dead, and they are scared and in hiding, unsure of what to do next. All seems lost.
In John 20:9, Scripture gives an indication that the disciples still did not have an understanding that Jesus must rise from the dead, despite His telling them that these events must happen on multiple occasions (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22-23; John 12:31-33), as well as giving Peter, James, and John a preview of His resurrected self in Matthew 17:1-8. Therefore, we can safely make an assumption about their state of mind after the death of Jesus on the cross.
Seeing their leader die would certainly have made them afraid for their own lives. Couple this with experiencing the grief they must have had as the one they called friend, master, and Lord, had died such a cruel death. It had to be a dark couple of days for them as they huddled in Jerusalem, unsure of what the future held for them.
Despite their lack of clarity in what must take place, we see a strong degree of faith, love, and devotion tied to their staying together in Jerusalem. Yes, they were undoubtedly scared, but Jewish traditions kept them together in mourning. It was a custom for friends and family to attend to the grave for seven days (c.f. John 17:17-19), offering comfort and prayers to those affected by the death. Additionally, Jewish law would have prevented travel on the Sabbath, so most of the disciples—who were all Jews—would not have been able to travel any more than a half-mile or so until after sundown on Saturday (c.f. Acts 1:12).
So, we can get a pretty good picture of the state of being of the disciples of Jesus on the Sabbath. When you take this into account, one can hardly imagine a plot between them all to go and steal the body of Jesus. Not only were they in no state emotionally to confront such a proposition, but their understanding of the necessity of the resurrection was not yet complete. Combine this with the obvious Sabbath day violations such actions would cause, and the idea of them stealing the body is just insane.
This was a dark Sabbath. Consider all of the worldly forces that wanted Jesus to be entrapped in that tomb. Not just the earthly powers at the time—the Jewish leaders, the Romans—but the spiritual powers, the Enemy himself. Oh, if only he could have kept Jesus in that tomb.
When we come to this day, take time to remember what Jesus endured for you and me. While we know we serve a risen Lord, the disciples on that dark Sabbath did not.
Let today serve as a reminder that the cross must come before the crown.
Hope Renewed: A 30-Day Journey on Biblical Hope
“Hope Renewed: A 30-Day Journey on Biblical Hope”, part of the 30-Day Journey Series, is the perfect devotional and study for individuals looking to deepen their understanding of the Bible. This 30-day Bible study includes reflections, passage studies, and sections for prayer and encouraging others. It is designed to bring readers closer to the Lord with meaningful insights on the theme of hope.
The passages featured in the study come from both the Old and New Testament, and each day of study includes a passage to meditate on, as well as questions to help the reader dive deeper into the Word. There are also sections for prayers, journaling, and encouraging others.
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Format: eBook with clickable tabs to navigate and fillable forms to complete each day’s journey and reflection.
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