Saturday of Holy Week
Posted on April 8, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 27:57-66 (NKJV)
27:57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.
Devotion
“That deceiver,” the Pharisees called Him! They were unable to convict Him of any falsehood. They blatantly claimed He taught the opposite of what He clearly said about paying taxes to Caesar. They had Him on the cross because, after He was betrayed with a kiss from a disciple who was paid by these chief priests, they had manipulated Pilate to act against Him by falsely claiming allegiance to Caesar as their true and only king. But Jesus was “that deceiver”!
Yet, we are blessed through their accusations against Jesus and the Eleven. Had they not set a guard to make the tomb secure, we might wonder whether the disciples had, in fact, done what the chief priests and Pharisees proposed. These paranoid actions provide us with lasting proof that they didn’t. Every creature—every created thing, whether believer, unbeliever, animal, rock, blade of grass, or even Satan himself—must serve God’s purpose and testify to His glory (Ps. 148, Phil.s 2:9-11).
Whether through his failing temptation of Jesus (Matt. 4:1-11), his entering Judas to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3), or his daily attacks on us (James 1:2-7), all that the devil does against the Lord and His Church only redound to His glory. The actions in our reading give enduring testimony that Jesus’ promise is true, and that in His resurrection we also arise!
Prayer: O God, Who didst enlighten this most holy night with the glory of the Lord’s Resurrection: Preserve in all Thy people the spirit of adoption which Thou hast given, so that renewed in body and soul they may perform unto Thee a pure service; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and with the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
