Luke 23:50 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man,

NIV: Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,

NASB: And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man

CSB: There was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin,

NLT: Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council,

KJV: And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor; and he was a good man, and a just:

NKJV: Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.

Since His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus has been treated horribly. He's been beaten, scourged, mocked, and blasphemed. He's been declared innocent yet crucified. Other than the last words of a thief, He is given respect only when He dies. The centurion admits He's innocent, the soldiers call Him the Son of God, and the people mourn His death (Luke 23:47–48; Matthew 27:54).

Now, Jesus' dead body receives the care His living body was denied. Joseph of Arimathea is a member of the Sanhedrin: the Jewish ruling council that presented Jesus to Pilate (Luke 22:66—23:1). He's also a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57). He didn't agree with the other council members, but as one man he didn't have the power to stop them (Luke 23:51). Matthew mentions that he's rich (Matthew 27:57), which explains how he owns a new tomb in Jerusalem.

The term "righteous," like most adjectives, should be understood in context. In Romans 3:10, Paul says, "None is righteous, no, not one." That is during a discussion of how all people, everywhere, are sinners in need of redemption. Here, Joseph is called righteous; earlier, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Simeon are called righteous (Luke 1:5–6; 2:25). In those contexts, these are people who sincerely and actively follow God—with a lifestyle to match. It may be that they are declared so because they follow the Mosaic law (Philippians 3:6). More likely, it's because of their faith. Joseph is "looking for the kingdom of God" (Luke 23:51).

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.