At the Sepulcher
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for the poorer disciples to do; and their influential positions protected
them, in a great measure, from censure and remonstrance. While the
acknowledged disciples of Christ were too thoroughly disheartened
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and intimidated to show themselves openly to be his followers, these
men came boldly to the front and acted their noble part.
Gently and reverently they removed with their own hands the body
of Jesus from the instrument of torture, their sympathetic tears falling
fast as they looked upon his bruised and lacerated form, which they
carefully bathed and cleansed from the stain of blood. Joseph owned a
new tomb, hewn from stone, which he was reserving for himself; it
was near Calvary, and he now prepared this sepulcher for Jesus. The
body, together with the spices brought by Nicodemus, was carefully
wrapped in a linen sheet, and the three disciples bore their precious
burden to the new sepulcher, wherein man had never before lain. There
they straightened those mangled limbs, and folded the bruised hands
upon the pulseless breast. The Galilean women drew near, to see that
all had been done that could be done for the lifeless form of their
beloved Teacher. Then they saw the heavy stone rolled against the
entrance of the sepulcher, and the Son of God was left at rest. The
women were last at the cross, and last at the tomb of Christ. While the
evening shades were gathering, Mary Magdalene and the other Marys
lingered about the sacred resting-place of their Lord, shedding tears of
sorrow over the fate of Him whom they loved.
Although the Jewish rulers had carried out their fiendish purpose
in ting to death the Son of God, their apprehensions were not quieted,
nor was their jealousy of Christ dead. Mingled with the joy of gratified
revenge, there was an ever-present fear that his dead body lying in
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Joseph’s tomb would come forth to life. They had labored to believe
that he was a deceiver; but it was in vain. They everywhere heard
inquiries of Jesus of Nazareth from those who had not heard of his
death, and had brought their sick and dying friends to the passover
to be healed by the great Physician. The priests knew in their hearts
that Jesus had been all-powerful; they had witnessed his miracle at the
grave of Lazarus; they knew that he had there raised the dead to life,
and they trembled for fear he would himself rise from the dead.
They had heard him declare that he had power to lay down his life
and to take it up again; they remembered that he had said, “Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up;” they this and that