A Few Good Men

Scripture Reading: Luke 23:50-56

Joseph of Arimathea, you might recall, is one of the men who show up in the New Testament during the Crucifixion accounts. I think we would describe him today as one of the elite class. He had a position on the council. We get the impression from the Scriptures that he was a man of means. It is important to note that, while he was likely a well-dressed, respected, wealthy man among his peers, he was also a man with integrity. Luke describes him as “a good and righteous man.”

He was in on the council's decision to condemn Jesus. What I mean is he was in the room. He wasn’t in agreement with the majority. He would not consent to what they did. But he went further. He went to Pilate and asked to take the body of Jesus and bury it in his own tomb. He showed respect for the man his peers put to shame.

There is something honorable about a man who, when he can’t do what he wants, does what he can. Joseph was unable to stop the criminal injustice of the council of which he was a member, but he didn’t throw up his hands and say, “I can’t do anything at all.” He found something he could do that would both honor Jesus and make a public denunciation of his fellow council members' actions.

At times you might feel like a lone voice for doing what is good and right. And your voice might get drowned out by the shouts of the mob. They may get their way and their evil may prevail for the moment. It is then that good men and women figure out a way to do what they can when they can’t do what they want.