Joseph and Nicodemus: These two Sanhedrin members had much to lose and thus kept quiet about their faith. But once Jesus died, they could do this no longer. Genuine faith is like this. It is a light that cannot be hidden under a basket. It is salt that cannot be tasteless.[1] So Joseph boldly asked for the legal right to Jesus’ body while Nicodemus brought supplies to prepare Jesus’s body for an honorable burial. They themselves became ceremonially unclean by handling the corpse and gladly denied themselves the Sabbath and the Feast for the weightier matter of caring for the one whom God sent.[2] They understood God’s priorities and upheld them at this hour. All the while, it was the Father who orchestrated every detail (Ps. 103:19; Eph. 1:11) to ensure that Jesus was buried with a rich man (Is. 53:9) and thus laid in Joseph’s tomb.

Mary, John, and Peter: The empty tomb is said to be the greatest evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. The Jews could have easily disproven the resurrection by producing His body, but they could not. The linen wrappings and head-covering were exactly where Jesus’ body was laid, but His body had vanished.[3] Resuscitation or theft could not explain the graveclothes. The empty tomb is confirmed by three witnesses: Mary, the first witness to report the missing body, and John and Peter who verified the empty tomb. The only explanation for the empty tomb was that Jesus rose. But far superior to the testimony of men is the testimony of God (Num. 23:19). It is according to Scripture that Jesus rose (1 Cor. 15:3-4). We are to believe the word of God (2 Pet. 1:19).

[1] Cf. Matt. 5:13-15. Cf. also Matt. 10:32-33; Mark 8:38; John 5:44; 12:42-43; 15:19.

[2] Neither of these actions violated the OT Law. These men only forfeited participation in them.

[3] Peter entered the tomb in the presence of John (testimony of two witnesses [Dt. 19:15]) and saw the linen wrappings and the head-cloth undisturbed where Jesus’ head and body were laid (cf. John 20:12; Luke 23:55).