JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA hardly knew how he had found the courage to approach the Roman governor. Pontius Pilate was known to be extremely stubborn. Yet, if Jesus was to receive a dignified burial, someone would have to ask Pilate to release the body. As it turned out, the face-to-face meeting was not as difficult as Joseph may have imagined. After ascertaining from an officer that Jesus was dead, Pilate granted the request. So now Joseph, his heart still heavy, hurried back to the execution site.​—Mark 15:42-45.

• Who was this Joseph of Arimathea?

• What connection did he have with Jesus?

• And what makes his story worthy of your interest?

The inspired Gospel of Mark calls Joseph “a reputable member of the Council.” In context, the Council can only be the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court and supreme administrative body. (Mark 15:1, 43) Joseph was therefore one of the leaders of his people, which explains how he could gain an audience with the Roman governor. It is no surprise that Joseph was also rich.​—Matt. 27:57.

As a group, the Sanhedrin was hostile to Jesus. Its members connived to have him put to death. Joseph, however, is called “a good and righteous man.” (Luke 23:50) Unlike most of his Sanhedrin colleagues, he lived an honest, moral life and did his best to obey God’s commands. He was also “waiting for the Kingdom of God,” which may explain why he became one of Jesus’ disciples. (Mark 15:43; Matt. 27:57) Likely, he was attracted to Jesus’ message out of a sincere desire for truth and justice.

John 19:38 says that Joseph “was a disciple of Jesus but a secret one because of his fear of the Jews.” What was Joseph afraid of? He knew of the Jews’ disdain for Jesus and their determination to expel from the synagogue any who confessed faith in him. (John 7:45-49; 9:22) Being expelled from the synagogue meant being scorned, shunned, and treated as an outcast by fellow Jews. So Joseph hesitated to confess his faith in Jesus openly. Doing so would mean losing his position and his prestige.

Joseph was not the only one in this predicament. According to John 12:42, “many even of the rulers actually put faith in [Jesus], but they would not acknowledge him because of the Pharisees, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue.” Another individual in the same situation was Nicodemus, also a member of the Sanhedrin.​—John 3:1-10; 7:50-52.

Joseph, though, was a disciple, but he could not bring himself to say so openly. That was a serious problem, particularly in the light of Jesus’ pronouncement: “Everyone . . . who acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father who is in the heavens. But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens.” (Matt. 10:32, 33) Joseph did not exactly disown Jesus, but neither did he have the courage to acknowledge him. Do you?

To Joseph’s credit, the Bible reports that he did not support the Sanhedrin’s plot against Jesus. (Luke 23:51) Perhaps,  as some suggest, Joseph was not present at Jesus’ trial. Whatever the case, Joseph must have felt wretched about that dreadful perversion of justice​—but he could do nothing to stop it!

By the time of Jesus’ death, Joseph had evidently overcome his fears, and he decided to throw in his lot with Jesus’ followers. That decision is indicated by the words of Mark 15:43: “He took courage and went in before Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”

It seems that Joseph was present when Jesus died. Indeed, he knew of Jesus’ death before Pilate did. Thus, when Joseph asked for the body, the governor “wondered whether [Jesus] could already be dead.” (Mark 15:44) If Joseph had witnessed Jesus’ agony on the torture stake, did that awful scene move him to examine his conscience and finally decide that he ought to take a stand for truth? It is possible. At the very least, Joseph was now stirred to action. He would be a secret disciple no more.

Jewish law required that those sentenced to death be buried before sundown. (Deut. 21:22, 23) As far as the Romans were concerned, though, the bodies of executed criminals either were left on the stake to rot or were thrown into a common grave. But that is not what Joseph  had in mind for Jesus. Close to the execution site, Joseph had a new rock-cut tomb. This vault had never been used, which indicates that Joseph had recently moved from Arimathea * to Jerusalem and that he expected to use this property as his family burial site. (Luke 23:53; John 19:41) Burying Jesus in Joseph’s own future tomb was a generous gesture on Joseph’s part and fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be buried “with the rich.”​—Isa. 53:5, 8, 9.

All four Gospels record that after Jesus’ body was removed from the stake, Joseph wrapped it in fine linen and laid it in his own tomb. (Matt. 27:59-61; Mark 15:46, 47; Luke 23:53, 55; John 19:38-40) The only person specifically stated to have helped Joseph was Nicodemus, who brought burial spices. Given the status of these two, it is unlikely that they would have moved the body themselves. It is more likely that they would have used servants to do the actual carrying and burying. Be that as it may, the task that the two men undertook was not trivial. Any who came in contact with a corpse incurred ceremonial uncleanness for seven days, making everything that they touched unclean. (Num. 19:11; Hag. 2:13) Such a condition would require them to be secluded during the Passover week and to miss all its observances and celebrations. (Num. 9:6) By arranging Jesus’ burial, Joseph also risked derision from his colleagues. Yet, at this point, he was willing to accept the consequences of giving Jesus a dignified burial and of openly identifying himself as one of Christ’s disciples.

Beyond the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ burial, the Bible mentions Joseph of Arimathea no more, leading to the obvious question: What became of him? The fact is, we do not know. In the light of the foregoing, however, there is a strong likelihood that he openly declared himself to be a Christian. After all, at the moment of test and crisis, his faith and boldness were increasing rather than diminishing. That was a good sign.

This story raises a question that all of us would do well to ponder: Is there anything at all​—be it position, career, possessions, family affections, or even our very freedom—​to which we give more importance than our relationship with Jehovah?

E JOSẸF NE OVBI ARIMATIA keghi bu e Pọntiọs Pailet ya tama rẹn nọ mu ikun e Jesu ne irẹn. Irẹn tobọ irẹn ma rẹn emwi nọ ya irẹn gha mwẹ udinmwẹ vberriọ rhunmwuda ọmwa ne aro ọre kpannọ ugiọnmwẹ erhẹn ẹre Pailet ghaa khin. Vbọrhirhighayehẹ, ne a mieke na ree Jesu zẹvbe adazẹ, te ọmwa gha zẹ emwi ru zẹ vbene Josẹf ne ovbi Arimatia ru ẹre. Ughaghe Josẹf ma te yaro yọ wẹẹ e Pailet gha rhie ehọ ne irẹn taa yi, sokpan vbe ọ ghi rẹn nẹ vbe obọ ovbiyokuo ọkpa wẹẹ e Jesu wu nẹ, ọ na kpasẹ yọ ne Josẹf ya mu ikun e Jesu. E Josẹf na ghi khirhi gha rrie ehe ne Jesu na wu. Te irẹn ghi khiẹ vbe ẹghẹ na.—Mak 15:42-45.

• Gha mobọ re Josẹf ne ovbi Arimatia?

• Vbe ọ kaan rẹn kaẹn e Jesu?

• De vbene okha na ya kaan ruẹ hẹ?

Ebe Mak keghi tie Josẹf “ọmwa kpataki vbe uwu Iko ore ẹvbo.” Iko na keghi re ọghe Sanhedrin nọ re owa ẹzọ ọghe Ivbi e Ju nọ ghi yo sẹ. Iko na vbe mwẹ ọdakha yan Ivbi e Ju, arriọba Ivbi e Ju kevbe ugamwẹ Ivbi e Ju. (Mak 15:1, 43) Ọna rhiema wẹẹ, ọkpa vbe usun emwa ni khaevbisẹ ẹre Josẹf ghaa khin. Ukpo ne irẹn na gha zẹ na, ẹre ọ vbe zẹe ne ọ na sẹtin ya miẹn Pailet. Te ọ ghi vẹẹ na rẹn nia, evbọzẹe ne ọ na gha re ọmwa nọ fe.—Mat. 27:57.

Iko e Sanhedrin ma zẹdẹ gha maan ẹko e Jesu. Iran ẹre ọ si uma ya gbe Jesu rua. Sokpan, e Baibol keghi tie Josẹf ‘adazẹ nọ mwẹ ekhọe esi.’ (Luk 23:50) Te irẹn wa lughaẹn ne emwa nikẹre vbe iko e Sanhedrin. Ọmwa ata nọ ghaa lele uhi Osanobua ẹre ghaa nọ. Ọ ke vbe gha re “ọkpa vbe uwu emwa ni mudia khẹ ẹghẹ ne Arriọba Osanobua gha ya rre.” Ọna ẹre ọ zẹe ne ọ na do gha re ọkpa vbe erhuanegbe Jesu. (Mak 15:43; Mat. 27:57) Te Igiuhunmwu ọghe Jesu wa gha yẹẹ ọre rhunmwuda ọmwa ne ẹi gualọ ohiẹn eku kevbe ne ẹmwata yẹẹ ẹre nọ.

Ebe Jọn 19:38 keghi kha wẹẹ e Josẹf kegha re “ọrhuanegbe Jesu, sokpan ọ ma rhie egbe ladian rhunmwuda ohan avbe Ju muẹn.” Vbọ ya ohan gha mu e Josẹf? Rhunmwuda te Ivbi e Ju ghaa ghee Jesu sila sila kevbe wẹẹ, ọmwa ke ọmwa nọ mu ẹtin yan e Jesu, iran ghi khu ẹre hin sinagọg rre. (Jọn 7:45-49; 9:22) Emwi ekhue wa gha nọ vbe a gha khu ọmwa fua vbe sinagọg, emwa i ghi ghee ẹre sẹ ọmwa, iran gha zaan rẹn. Ọna ẹre ọ si ẹre ne ohan na gha mu e Josẹf rhunmwuda, ukpo nọ ye kevbe uyi nọ mwẹ gha te wii ẹre.

Ẹi re Josẹf ọkpa ohan ghaa mu vbenian. Ebe Jọn 12:42 khare wẹẹ, “eso vbe uwu avbe olotu avbe Ju ye ya Jesu yi, sokpan rhunmwuda avbe Farisi, ohan ma gie iran tae vbe azagba, ne a ghẹ ya khulo iran hin uwu ogua ediọn rre.” Ọmwa ọvbehe nọ ghaa rre iko e Sanhedrin ne ohan vbe gha mu vbenian ọre Nikodimọs.—Jọn 3:1-10; 7:50-52.

Ọrhuanegbe Jesu ẹre Josẹf ghaa khin sokpan, ohan ma gi ẹre tae vbe azagba. Evburriẹ vbenian sẹtin si ọfuan ọghe etẹbitẹ rhunmwuda, e Jesu khare wẹẹ: “Ọmwa ne ọ rhirhi miẹn kue vbe azagba ighẹ ọghomwẹ rẹn khin, erriọ mẹ gha vbe miẹnrẹn kue vbe odaro Erha mwẹ ne ọ rre ẹrinmwi. Ọmwa ne ọ rhirhi siẹn mwẹ vbe azagba, mẹ gha vbe siẹn ọnrẹn vbe odaro Erha mwẹ ne ọ rre ẹrinmwi.” (Mat. 10:32, 33) Agharhemiẹn wẹẹ e Josẹf ma wa siẹn Jesu, ọhan ma gi ẹre miẹn kue ighẹ ọrhuanegbe ẹre irẹn khin. Ohan mu uwẹ vberriọ ra?

Ọrheyerriọ, e Baibol guan kaẹn emwi esi  ne Josẹf ru. Ọ ma ye egbe ba iko e Sanhedrin vbe iran si uma vbene iran khian ya gbe Jesu hẹ. (Luk 23:51) Emwa eso khare wẹẹ, ọ gha kẹ, e Josẹf ma gha rre evba vbe iran buohiẹn Jesu. Vbọrhirhighayehẹ, e Josẹf i ghẹ miẹn emwi ru agharhemiẹn wẹẹ ẹko ma rhiẹnrhiẹn ọnrẹn ye ohiẹn eku ne iran buru.

Ẹghẹ ne Jesu ya wu, ohan ma ghi gha mu e Josẹf, ọ keghi ye egbe ba erhuanegbe Jesu. Evbọ suigiẹ ye ọna, ọre evbọ rre ebe Mak 15:43 nọ khare wẹẹ: “Josẹf keghi bu Pailet gha khian, ya nọ rẹn wẹẹ ne ọ mu ikun Jesu ne irẹn.” Udinmwẹ ẹre ọ rhiema mwa.

Ọ khọ wẹẹ sirra e Josẹf ẹre Jesu na wu. Irẹn ẹre ọ ka rẹn wẹẹ e Jesu wu e Pailet ke rẹn. Ọni ẹre ọ si ẹre ne ọ na “yan Pailet unu ruan vbe ọ họn ighẹ Jesu wu nẹ.” (Mak 15:44) Ọ gha kẹ, aro e Josẹfi sẹ ọre vbene Jesu ya wu uwu obalọ hẹ. Ọ ghaa yerriọ, a sẹtin miẹn wẹẹ ọni ẹre ọ ghi guaekpa ya fi iziro ọghẹe werriẹ, nọ ghi yae mudia gbain ye odẹ ọghe ẹmwata. Vbe ẹghẹ na, ohan ma ghi zẹdẹ gha muẹn, te irẹn ghi gi emwa rẹn obọ ne irẹn mudia yi.

Uhi ọghe Ivbi e Ju khare wẹẹ, a ghẹ gi ovẹn de ro, a ke ree emwa na buohiẹn uwu gbe. (Diut. 21:22, 23) Sokpan, nọ ne Ivbi e Rom, te iran sẹ ikun orinmwi ọghe avbe izigan ne a gbua ye uhunmwu erhan, ne iran kẹkua vba ra iran ya hẹ iran ya idin ẹvbo ohoho. Sokpan emwi vberriọ ma sunu dae Jesu. Vbe ọkpẹn ehe ne Jesu na wu, e Josẹf keghi fian idin ọgbọn ye uwu okuta. A ma he  ree ọmwa rhọkpa ye idin na, nọ rhiema wẹẹ, te Josẹf da si kẹ Arimatia * gha die Jerusalẹm kevbe wẹẹ, te ọ khian gha loo otọ nii zẹvbe itẹ ẹgbẹe ọre. (Luk 23:53; Jọn 19:41) Ne Josẹf na ree Jesu ye idin ne irẹn ma he loo keghi rhiema wẹẹ, ọmwa nọ mwẹ ekhọe esi ẹre nọ. Ọ vbe yae mwẹ amusẹ ighẹ ẹmwẹ akhasẹ nọ khare wẹẹ a gha ree Mẹzaia “ba iran ni fe.”—Aiz. 53:5, 8, 9.

Ọ rre ebe enẹ ne a gbẹn okha e Jesu yi wẹẹ, vbe a ghi mu e Jesu tuorre nẹ vbe uhunmwu erhan nọ wu yi, e Josẹf keghi ya igbukpọn nọfua vbuọ ọre, ẹre ọ na wa ẹre ye uwu idin nọ tobọre fian. (Mat. 27:59-61; Mak 15:46, 47; Luk 23:53, 55; Jọn 19:38-40) E Nikodimọs ọkpa ẹre ọ ru iyobọ ne Josẹf ya ree Jesu. Ọ keghi viọ emwi eso rre, ne a ya dọlọ ọmwa uwu yi, vbe na ghee ori ne ọ winhin kevbe oziya ne a gua kugbe. Ọ ma khọ wẹẹ e Josẹf kevbe Nikodimọs ẹre ọ tobọ iran mu ikun e Jesu ya ree ẹre. Ọ gha kẹ, eguọmwadia, ẹre iran loo ro rhunmwuda ukpo nọ yo ne iran na gha zẹ. Vbọrhirhighayehẹ, ẹi re iwinna nekherhe iran ru. Uhi khare wẹẹ, ọmwa nọ ya obọ kaẹn orinmwi, ghi khian ọmwa nọ ma huan vbe ikpẹdẹ ihinrọn, emwi ke emwi ne ọmwa vberriọ vbe ya obọ kaẹn, ghi vbe khian emwi nọ ma huan. (Nọm. 19:11; Hag. 2:13) Ọni rhiema wẹẹ, iran ma gha mwẹ ọghae vbe idugie Alagberra nọ defi uzọla nii rhunmwuda iran ma ghi huan. (Nọm. 9:6) Ne Josẹf na ree Jesu zẹvbe adazẹ keghi rhiema wẹẹ erhuanegbe Jesu irẹn khin. Ẹi mwẹ ihua re nikẹre ni rre iko e Sanhedrin ma gha ya ukpẹ zaan rẹn. Sokpan ohan ma ghi gha mu e Josẹf vbe ẹghẹ na, te irẹn ghi mu egbe nọ ya mu aro daa emwi ke emwi nọ gha kẹrikian.

Vbe a ghi ree Jesu nẹ, e Baibol ma ghi dọlegbe guan kaẹn Josẹf ne ovbi ẹvbo Arimatia. Inọta nọ ghi rre ima ekhọe nia ọre wẹẹ: Vbe ọ ghi khian hẹ? Ima rhọkpa ma rẹn. Zẹ vbene ima nana okha re de sin, ọ yevbe ne a miẹn wẹẹ, ọ ye egbe ba Ivbiotu e Kristi, rhunmwuda, ẹghẹ ne ọ ya werriẹ aro daa edanmwẹ, amuẹtinyan ọghẹe na gha wegbe sayọ, erriọ wa vbe ya gha rhie udinmwẹ ma.

Ima wa miẹn emwi kpataki ruẹ vbe okha na. Inọta nọ ghi khẹke ne ima hia ru erria yan ọre wẹẹ: Ọ mwẹ emwi rhọkpa vbe arrọọ ọghe ima, vbe na ghee, ukpo ne ima na zẹe, iwinna, emwi ewe, ahoẹmwọmwa ne ima mwẹ ne ẹgbẹe ima ra afan vbe iwe ne ima mwẹ nọ hiunsi sẹ asikẹgbe ne ima gu e Jehova mwẹ ra?