Holy Week: Saturday when Jesus lay dead.

 On the Sabbath,

   they rested. (Luke 23:56)

 In a nick of time, just before the sun sets marking the beginning of Sabbath; Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, managed to take down the dead body of Jesus, wrap his body in linen cloth, and lay him in a noble tomb hewn out of the rock; and then, roll a large stone against the door of the tomb. Night falls. Sabbath begins, and "on the Sabbath they rested." That's all the Bible tells us about this day..."they rested." I’m guessing it was a restless rest, but it is Sabbath and nothing more can be done.

Jesus lay in the grave “dead and buried” (1Cor 15:3-4), as scripture and the creeds insist: “Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried” (Apostles’ Creed). You can’t get any more dead than that. Jesus took upon himself the full terror of death, “even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:8)  He didn’t pretend. It’s not a Houdini act. It is the real thing, only more so. That is the meaning of Saturday: “dead and buried.”

This little band of surprise disciples, led by a courageous rich and prominent man, have stepped up to do the heavy lifting, clean up the body, and place it in a noble grave; now, they rest. It is Sabbath and there is nothing more humans can do, but to rest and wonder.