Who was Joseph of Arimathea?

from the old testament

• Isaiah 53 prophesied about God’s Servant, later known as Jesus in the New Testament. Within that prophecy is the following note: “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death” (Isaiah 53:9). When Jesus died on the cross, it was as if He were sinful (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21), but being “with a rich man in death” referred to His burial by a rich man. Joseph of Arimathea was that man.

from the new testament

• All we know about Joseph of Arimathea comes from two passages covering the same events: John 19:38–42 and Mark 15:42–47.
• From them, we learn that he was “a respected member of the council” (Mark 15:43a). The “council” referred to the Sanhedrin, a body of Pharisees and Sadducees, Jewish leaders who enforced the legal requirements of the law for the Jews.
• Members of this body are primarily known for harassing Jesus (e.g., Mark 14:55), so it’s important that Mark noted that Joseph “was also himself looking for the kingdom of God” (Mark 15:43b). This, coupled with John’s comment that he was a disciple (John 19:38a), indicates a level of faith in Jesus.
• However, though he may have been a genuine believer, he kept it secret. We learn that “secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus” (John 19:38b). Pilate granted the request (John 19:38c). Joined by Nicodemus (John 19:39), apparently also like Joseph in his belief in or respect for Jesus, they prepared Jesus for burial (John 19:40) and buried Him in a new tomb (John 19:41).
• The new tomb matters because it would have been expensive to have a tomb just for Jesus. However, its cost fits Isaiah 53:9's description of being buried with a rich man. Nothing else is said about Joseph after this point, though the fact that this account is recorded indicates that, at the least, the disciples became aware of Joseph’s generosity.

implications for today

We know so little about Joseph of Arimathea that it would be unwise to draw too many conclusions or lessons from what we know. However, being a member of the Sanhedrin, a group usually known for being against Jesus, makes Joseph’s willingness to risk his reputation to give Jesus a proper burial significant. Therefore, Joseph’s apparent, though secretive, faith shows that God can work in anyone's heart.

This should encourage us that those we think God can never reach are, in fact, reachable. Circumstances do not limit God, and He will save everyone He desires to save (John 6:37–39).

It’s also an encouragement that everything that happens is according to God’s plans. The fact that Joseph, otherwise unknown in Scripture, fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy by burying Jesus in his tomb shows not only that God can work out His plans through anyone He desires, but also that He planned everything in advance.

This means everything happening today is part of God working out His plans through history. We may not know what He is doing, but we know that He still has promises to fulfill, such as Jesus returning (Acts 1:11) and the world being judged (Acts 17:31). Therefore, we can take comfort that just as He fulfilled one of His promises about the Savior through Joseph, He is also working out history’s end through today’s leaders. Just like He worked salvation through Jesus’ death, let us trust that He truly is working out all things for good (Romans 8:28), even when things seem to be going badly!