人们在年老时，会想着找一个安葬的地方，或计划葬礼。毕竟，我们都是人，我们的身体都会朽坏，逝去。
耶稣在十字架上被处死，他并没有为自己的葬礼做准备，而且祂大部分的跟随者都逃走了。祂的身体就只是被扔在一个普通的、供囚犯和罪人使用的坟墓里吗？人子耶稣活着的时候“连枕头的地方都没有”（路 9:58），现在祂的身体需要一个埋葬的坟墓。这需要约瑟和尼哥底母的帮助。早些时候，这两个人害怕别人知道他们是耶稣的门徒，但现在他们站出来，为了给耶稣的身体一个体面的安息之地。他们利用与总督彼拉多的关系，请求允许他们将耶稣的身体安葬。
彼拉多允准了。毕竟，耶稣已经死了，必须埋葬。约瑟和尼哥底母既有处理身体所需要的东西，也有地方埋葬。所以他们用细麻布和香料包裹好耶稣的身体，安放在附近约瑟自己的坟墓里（参太 27:57-60）。他们在周五日落之前很快地做完这一切，因为那天是“预备日”，即为每周六的安息日做预备的日子。
想一想那一天，耶稣的门徒们恐惧又悲伤地藏在家里的情景。那是个多么阴郁的安息日啊！
但我们知道，坟墓只是个暂时的休息地。因着对耶稣的信靠，我们知道对我们来说也将是如此！
神啊，感谢你使我们确信，和耶稣一样，我们也将会复活。主耶稣啊，愿你快来！阿们。
约翰福音 19:38-42
38这些事以后，有亚利马太人约瑟，是耶稣的门徒，只因怕犹太人，就暗暗地做门徒，他来求彼拉多，要把耶稣的身体领去。彼拉多允准，他就把耶稣的身体领去了。
39又有尼哥迪慕，就是先前夜里去见耶稣的，带着没药和沉香约有一百斤前来。
40他们就照犹太人殡葬的规矩，把耶稣的身体用细麻布加上香料裹好了。
41在耶稣钉十字架的地方有一个园子，园子里有一座新坟墓，是从来没有葬过人的。
42只因是犹太人的预备日，又因那坟墓近，他们就把耶稣安放在那里。
“Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” —John 19:42
When people get older, they think about arranging for a burial place or making funeral plans. After all, we are mortal, and our bodies break down and die.
Executed on a cross, Jesus had made no preparations for his burial, and most of his followers had scattered. Was his body simply to be dumped in a common grave for prisoners and debtors? The body of the Son of Man, who had “no place to lay his head” while he was alive (Luke 9:58), needed a tomb to borrow. This called for the help of Joseph and Nicodemus. Earlier these men were afraid to be known as Jesus’ followers, but now they came forward to give his body an honorable resting place. They used their connections with the governor, Pilate, to ask permission to take Jesus’ body for burial.
Pilate approved. After all, Jesus was dead and had to be buried. Joseph and Nicodemus had resources to prepare the body, and they had a place to bury it. So they wrapped Jesus’ body in linen and with burial spices and set it in Joseph’s own tomb nearby (see Matthew 27:57-60). They did all this quickly before sunset on Friday, because it was the “day of Preparation” for the weekly Sabbath on Saturday.
Imagine the fear and sadness of Jesus’ followers hiding behind closed doors that day. What a cheerless Sabbath!
But we know that tomb was just a temporary resting place. And by faith in Jesus, we know that’s true for us too!
God, thank you for the assurance that, like Jesus, we too will be raised. Lord Jesus, come quickly! Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
