Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Joseph of Arimathea


Mentioned in all four Gospels:

Matthew 27:57-60
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.

Mark 15:42-46
And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb

Luke 23:50-53
Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid.

John 19:38-42
After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Mary, Martha, Lazarus


Mary, Martha, and Lazarus from Bethany were three siblings and friends and followers of Jesus. Once when visiting their house Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, while Martha was distracted by the preparations of cooking and taking care of their guests. Martha was annoyed at Mary for not helping, but Jesus said listening to him was the better thing to do (Luke 10:38-42). Mary also was the one who anointed Jesus (John 12:2). Lastly Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after a terminal illness (John 11:1-2).

Thursday, July 25, 2019

James (son of Zebedee) the Apostle


And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. -Matthew 4:21-22

He was the brother of John (son of Zebedee) who was also an Apostle. He was a fisherman with his brother and brothers Peter (Simon) and Andrew.  He preached to the Jews and was beheaded in AD44 under Herod Agrippa I, making him the first Apostle to be martyred.

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword -Acts 12:1-2

Monday, July 22, 2019

Mary Magdalene


Mary Magdalene is mentioned in all four Gospels, at least 12 times in total. We first meet her when Jesus cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2, Mark 16:9). After that she was a follower of Jesus throughout the rest of his ministry. Mary was there at the crucifixion of Jesus and was the first (or one of the first) people to see Jesus after his resurrection (Matthew 28:10-8, Mark 16:9-10, Luke 24:10, John 20:18).