Closet Followers

Mark 15

43 Joseph of Arimathea took a risk and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)

Matthew 27

57 As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, 58 went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. 59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. 60 He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left.

Luke 23

50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock.


John 19

38 Afterward Joseph of Arimathea, who had been a secret disciple of Jesus (because he feared the Jewish leaders), asked Pilate for permission to take down Jesus’ body. When Pilate gave permission, Joseph came and took the body away. 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night.

One of the interesting things about reading the Chronological One Year Bible, is getting to see the different accounts side-by-side as you are reading. Two things really jump out at me in this story as told by each of the four Gospel writers:
1) Joseph “took a risk.”
2) He was a “secret disciple” as was Nicodemus.
I wonder how many of us would be classified as a “secret disciple?” How many of us allow the fear of some group from whom we think we need approval to keep us quiet about wanting to follow Jesus. I mean, it certainly is not Politically Correct to do so, and the PC Police are anything but tolerant when it comes to those who would follow Christ. So, lots of folks choose to try to be “closet followers” of Christ. There comes a time when that is simply no longer an option. A risk must be taken. Just like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus did. I just pray that those who are “closet followers” don’t wait too late, because Jesus says that he who acknowledges Him before me will be acknowledged by Him before the Father. Conversely those who deny Him before men, will be denied by Jesus before the Father.