Luke 23:51 - Printer Friendly

ESV: who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God.

NIV: who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.

NASB: (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God—

CSB: who had not agreed with their plan and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God.

NLT: 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.

KJV: The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

NKJV: He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.

Jesus has died and Joseph of Arimathea wants to bury Him. Joseph is a respected member of the Sanhedrin. Luke describes him as "a good and righteous man" (Luke 23:50). When the council declared Jesus blasphemous and delivered him to Pilate as an enemy of Rome, Joseph didn't agree. He is a disciple of Jesus, but he is still afraid of his fellow Jewish leaders (John 19:38). It's possible he skipped the meeting of the Sanhedrin early that morning (Luke 22:66–71) as well as those before Pilate (Luke 23:1–5) so his devotion to Jesus wouldn't be discovered.

Earlier in Luke, Simeon was described as "righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Isarel" (Luke 2:25). When he saw the baby Jesus, Simeon immediately knew Him to be God's salvation (Luke 2:27–32). The character quality of "righteous" is related to Simeon's "waiting" and Joseph's "looking for." "The righteous shall live by faith," Paul says (Galatians 3:11; cf. Habakkuk 2:4). Both men wait for God's redemption of Israel.

Joseph has had the added benefit of hearing Jesus talk about how the kingdom of God is near. Even now, when the man he knows is the Christ hangs dead, he has faith. Requesting Jesus' body was bold. In doing so, Joseph identified himself with Jesus, whom the Sanhedrin clearly despised and who had been officially marked as a criminal by Rome, even if Pilate knew His innocence. Such a burial was unusual treatment for a man who had been condemned to the humiliation of crucifixion. But Joseph "[takes] courage" (Mark 15:43) and approaches Pilate (Luke 23:52). With Nicodemus, another covert disciple, he wraps Jesus' body in aromatics and lays Him in his own tomb (John 19:39–42).

In Luke 23:50–56, Jesus has died and His follower from the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea, takes responsibility to bury His body. The women from Galilee follow and watch so they may add to the aromatics after the Sabbath. Mark 15:42–47 records much of the same information. Matthew 27:57–66 includes how the Sanhedrin asks Pilate to make Jesus' tomb secure. John 19:31–42 goes into more detail about how the soldiers ensure Jesus is dead and adds that Nicodemus helps Joseph. In Luke 24, Jesus rises from the dead and meets with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. At the end, He ascends into heaven.

Luke 23 records the remaining trials, death, and burial of Jesus Christ. He is examined by the Roman governor and the local appointed King, neither of whom are interested in passing a death sentence. Local religious leaders incite the crowd, pressuring the governor, Pilate, to authorize crucifixion. Jesus accepts the faith of another condemned man and dies. Joseph of Arimathea asks for Jesus body and buries it in a tomb cut from rock.

Luke 23 records Jesus' civil trials, crucifixion, and burial. The members of the Sanhedrin have put Jesus through three trials in their attempt to convince Pilate He's a threat (Luke 22:47–71). Their case is weak, but their political influence is powerful enough to force Pilate's hand. Jesus is executed. Three days after Joseph of Arimathea buries Jesus, Jesus reappears on the road to Emmaus where He explains Messianic prophecies in Jewish Scriptures. After spending time with His followers, Jesus ascends into heaven (Luke 24) and the disciples build the church (Acts).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.