Expository Thoughts
soul, and contend earnestly for its preservation among us in all its integrity. It is good for body, mind and soul. It is good for the nation which observes it, and for the church which gives it honor. It is but a few steps from "no Sabbath" to "no God." The man who would make the Sabbath a day for business and pleasure, is an enemy to the best interests of his fellow-creatures. The man who supposes that a believer ought to be so spiritual as not to need the separation of one day in the week from the rest, can know but little of the human heart, or the requirements of our position in an ensnaring and evil world.
Notes on 23:50-56
51. Waiting for the kingdom of God. This expression reminds us of the words spoken about Simeon and Anna. Joseph expected the Messiah's spiritual kingdom to be set up and believed that Jesus was the Messiah.
53. He took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth. This deserves special note. It is absurd to suppose that the nails could have been withdrawn from our Lord's hands and feet, and the body prepared for burial by wrapping it in linen without some signs of life being perceived if life had remained in Christ. To see the vastness of the miracle of Christ's resurrection, it is essential to be thoroughly convinced that he really died.
One in which no one had yet been laid. This detail is specially mentioned to show that no other body but our Lord's was in the tomb, and that the person who rose was Jesus Christ and no one else.
56. Prepared spices and perfumes. This shows that the women were