The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-31
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA.

Pains are taken by all the Evangelists tc
describe the last honors paid to the ifeles:
body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Attention
is often called to the Saviour's death, anG
often to his resurrection, but little is saiG
either from the pulpit, or through the press
of his burial. This should not excite sur
prise, nor provoke censure. Still, what
ever was deemed worthy of inspired re
cord, and so worthy too that each of the
Evangelists has made mention of it, is surely
worthy of our serious consideration We
now prize the cold and breathless remains Of
our deceased friends and relatives Among
all civilized people pains are taken that the
loved and the lost shall be appropriately at
tired and decently inferred Every thing
said and done on the occasion is highly
priced, and long remembered. The place
where we laid them is visited and kept with
care almost sacred. Sad indeed it is to
have the precious dust of brother, son, OF
husband hid away in some far off battle.
field, never to be visited or known. Even
they who took part in committing our dead
to the tomb are remembered; and if they
were strangers before, we seek their acquain.
tance, and ever after prize them as friends
The burial of which now speak is not
that of brother, son, or husband, but Of
one dearer to the pious heart than they ALL
1t is that of him who came to seek, and to
save the lost-of him whose death secures
our reconciliation to God, and whose restored
life insures to us eternal life.
l. The time of the burial is specified
The Evangelist John says, "after this that
is to say, after Christ had really died on the
cross-after his side had been pierced by the
spear of cruel soldier. But Mark specifies
the time more particularly, and says, ''it
was evening"-that is, according to the Jew
ish method of computing time, between the
ninth and twelfth hour-or, according to oul
method of reckoning the hours, between
three and six o'clock in the afternoon. L
is also stated that this was the evening of the
preparation, or the day before their Sabbath
day very holy in their estimation because
it Immediately preceded the Sabbath, anc
because it ushered in the Passover, which
occurred on that Sabbath. Hence it il
called the day of rest, or preparation for the
Passover, corresponding with our Friday af
ternoon.
While the solemnities of this burial were
transpiring, the rest of the Jews were en-
ployed in their hypocritical devotions in the
temple. Joseph of Arimathea, with Nico
demus and few women, thought that the
breathless body of our Lord had stronger
claims upon their attention than the ordina
ry services of the temple. The evening pre-
ceding the Sabbath was, of all others, tht
best suited for the burial of our Lord: fol
now he rested from the work of redemption
a rest which might be regarded as the con
clusion of the Sabbaths observed under tht
Old Testament, and as preparation fol
those hereafter to be observed under the
New.
But that which is most practical and mos
useful, is the consideration of the character
of prominent actor in this solemn scene
one of whom little is known except in con
nection with the burial of Christ, and whc
seems not to have borne very active par
in the Tabors of his life. And yet he wa
distinctly referred to by Isaiah in the vel
known words respecting the Messiah "Anc
he made his grave with the wicked and will
the rich in his death" The meaning of thi