Jesus Died Among Transgressors but He Was Buried with the Rich

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Today is Black Saturday and here's what the Bible says about the Lord Jesus' death and burial:
Isaiah 53:9 
And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.

The Lord Jesus' death was planned by God the Father for the redemption of man. The burial of Jesus on a Friday is an important testimony of this that Jesus really died physically for the sins of man on the cross. This is the testimony that He indeed died for the sins of sinful mankind.

Here's the following facts that those who want to dismiss His death and resurrection have been conveniently ignoring these details that don't require a medical expert to disprove:

  1. The wound on the side of Christ bled both blood and water. This was already evidence that He had died. The Romans would always check the crucified victims before lowering them down. If they lived the legs were broken so they would be granted a swift death.
  2. The head and body of Jesus was wrapped around in grave clothes which was pretty much like a mummy. Do you remember the account when Jesus told the people to remove Lazarus' grave clothes when He demonstrated His ability to raise the dead?
  3. A cold tomb would not revive anyone who swooned.
  4. What would also be more ridiculous is to state that a person could have just removed the graveclothes which already restricted movement never mind that the same person was already exhausted and the wound from the nails couldn't allow the person to move the gravestone. 

To die by crucifixion was a dishonorable death. It was a method of death meant to try and keep rebellion at bay. To be sentenced to die by crucifixion meant you have a huge criminal record yet Jesus had none of it. Joseph of Arimathaea asked for permission from Pilate 
John 19:38
And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

To bury somebody who was condemned a criminal in an honorable tomb was regarded as an act of disgust. Yet Jesus' human body was buried in that tomb where no man lay. This was to testify that He was wrongfully executed. He allowed all that injustice to come to Him so He could provide the payment for sin and let sin be defeated on that same day. He showed everyone the seriousness of sin and its consequences and took the Father's wrath upon sin so the power of sin can be defeated.

Without verifying the death of Jesus then the resurrection is invalid. The resurrection is the message of not just "He is risen." Anybody can be risen from their beds for the morning but the message is, "He is risen from the dead." and not just "He is risen from the grave." Without verifying the fact Jesus died would leave a resurrection story to be nothing more than an unverified account. But thank God that Jesus died and rose from the dead so the power of sin can be destroyed. Death to self and new life in Christ is made possible because He lived a perfect life, He died for our sins and rose from the dead.

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