THE OTHER JOSEPH
On occasion, a person comes into our lives for only a short time and then disappears not to be heard from again. Such people often make a profound impact on our lives and sometimes on history even though they are with us for such a brief moment.
This was the case in the events surrounding the crucifixion of Christ and the presence of Joseph of Arimathea. There appears to be no mention of him in any gospel prior to his appearance at time of the crucifixion. He was a “rich man” (Matthew 27:57) and also “a prominent council member” (Mark 15:43) who had become “a disciple of Jesus” (Matthew 27:57). Such a person would have known Caiaphas, Annus, and even Pilate, and would have been in a position to request of Pilate the body of Jesus after His death. Such an action would, however, put him in a dangerous position with his former friends. He may have been at the trial of Jesus, even at the crucifixion, and now he was risking everything for the beliefs that he had come to accept.
Some maintain that he did what he did out of respect of the Jewish law; that burial of a deceased should take place before sundown. This, however, seems unlikely because there is no mention of any similar action having taken place with regard to the others crucified alongside Jesus.
So, if he did this all because he was in reality a follower of Jesus, it indicates to what length and degree he would go to show his devotion to the Saviour. He would have given up his heritage, his companions, probably his wealth and status, and any privileged position he would have had just to receive the body of Jesus and help take Him down from the cross. It begs the question as to whether one today would be as willing to confront the authorities and risk so much for the love of Christ.
After this, Joseph disappears from the Biblical record never to be heard from again in the pages of Scripture. But is that really the end of the story? There are many legends that are present concerning Joseph of Arimathea and as with many legends, there may be sometimes an element of truth.*
It has been reported that Joseph was an uncle of Mary and therefore a great-uncle of Jesus and that, as a youth, Jesus went with Joseph to Britannia, now Great Britain (specifically England), where they visited places such as St. Just in Roseland and St. Michael’s Mount. This happened because Joseph evidently was a merchant who did trade in this area.
In fact, it is believed that Joseph founded Glastonbury Abbey in what is now Glastonbury, Somerset, England. It is said that he converted thousands to Christianity including Ethelbert, the local king. It is also reported that he took the Holy Grail to Britannia and hid it in a well at Glastonbury; a well now called the Chalice Well. In addition, it is speculated that he stuck his pilgrim’s staff into the ground at Glastonbury and that this staff developed into the Glastonbury Thorn**, a type of hawthorn which, unlike ordinary hawthorns, flowers twice a year, around Christmas and Easter. Apparently attempts to grow this hawthorn elsewhere have been unsuccessful.
These legends may be just that - legends, but who knows, perhaps there might be some truth hidden there as well. We will probably never know for sure; but at the very least, they can make the known truth more interesting.
Regardless of the above, we know that Joseph must have given up a lot to express his faith in and relationship to Jesus. Wondering whether we would be willing and able to do the same should give us all something to think about.
*From the Passion a BBC One article on bbc.co.uk
**Glastonbury Thorn from wikipedia.org
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