Joseph of Arimathea

Introduction
All four gospels of the New Testament [Matthew, Mark, Luke and John], despite some minor differences, tell what happened to Christ’s body following His death. They reveal that, on the evening of our Lord’s Crucifixion, the day of “Preparation,” Joseph of Arimathes, a reputable member of the Jewish Council [the Sanhedrin  demanded the body of Jesus from Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea. Joseph then wrapped the body in fine linen and placed it in his new and unused tomb. From the gospels we also learn that Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus Christ, “a good and righteous man” who was “waiting for the kingdom of God to come.” [Luke 23:50]. What makes Joseph of Arimathea such an important and intriguing figure isn’t the scant biographical information we have received about him, but the righteous and extremely courageous deed which he performed in his service to our eternal Lord and Savior.