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Mark

Mark 
Day 
Day 339

Acts 5:3 "But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourselves?'" Acts 5:3"

Day 339 – Mark 15

“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourselves?'” Acts 5:3

CONFIRMING THE DEATH OF JESUS

When Joseph of Arimathea sought the release of the body of Jesus, on grounds that He had already dead, Pilate was initially surprised.

“Pilate marveled that He was already dead;
and summoning the centurion, he asked him
if He had been dead for some time.
So when he had found out from the centurion,
he granted the body to Joseph.”
MARK 15:44-45

1. Pilate marveled that He was already dead

a) It usually took days before a person died via crucifixion.
b) For Jesus to have died as quickly as He did, came as a surprise to the governor.

2. Summoning the centurion

a) He was sent for to confirm the death of Jesus.
b) Jesus was pierced through with a spear by a Roman soldier (Cf. John 19:34).
i) This would be one of the ways to confirm that He was dead.
ii) If nothing else, the spear wound would have killed Jesus.
iii) The flow of both water and blood confirmed that Jesus had indeed died!

3. The granting of the body to Joseph of Arimathea

It seemed strange that Pilate would release the body of Jesus to Joseph of Arimathea. He was not next-of-kin to Jesus.

4. Possible reasons:-

a) Probably none of the next-of-kin had access to Pilate.
b) Joseph of Arimathea was probably one of the “secret believers” of Jesus. He must have had permission granted by Mary, the mother of Jesus to claim the body of Jesus
c) Joseph must have had considerable influence to be able to persuade Pilate to release the body of Jesus to him!
In God’s providence, the body of Jesus was released to Joseph of Arimathea!