DR 10
December 10
Luke 23:54 to end. The women prepare spices.
Though the Lord Jesus was not followed to the grave by a pompous train, yet some sincere mourners watched his precious body until it was hidden from their eyes. These were women who had lingered within sight of his cross, even after he had expired. It is written in Matthew's gospel, "And many women were there, beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him." (27:55.) These women had long known the Lord, and had enjoyed the distinguished privilege of supplying his temporal needs. How glad would they have been could they have obtained possession of his beloved remains! But how could they venture to crave such a boon! What must have been their joy when they beheld the two honorable counselors, Joseph and Nicodemus, take down the body from the cross, and wrap it in fine linen with spices! They followed to see where it would be laid, and Joseph did not repel them from his garden. Not only were they permitted to enter, but two of them continued to sit opposite the sepulcher, even after the stone had been placed at its mouth. These two were Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of the two apostles, James and Joses, (commonly called Jude.) By the last beams of the setting sun, they beheld the sepulcher of their divine and adorable Friend. It is written in Matthew 27:61, "And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulcher."
An affectionate heart is always devising means of showing its love by actions. The faithful women who had supplied their Lord, while living, with bread, desired now to embalm his sacred body. Though a hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes had been bound up in the linen cloth, they were not satisfied. They thought it no waste to lavish an abundance of aromatics upon the torn, the bruised, the mangled corpse of him they loved. If odors of sweet incense continually filled the temple composed of stones, what could be too sweet, or too precious, to bestow on that more glorious temple, the body of the Lord! But they could not mix their costly unguents immediately, for the Jewish Sabbath began at six o'clock on Friday evening, and that hour had almost arrived when the Lord was laid in his tomb. They rested on the Sabbath-day according to the commandment, and deferred their preparations until six o'clock on Saturday evening, when the Sabbath was ended. What veneration these holy women showed for that holy day! They delayed to accomplish their ardent desire rather than break it. How does their conduct condemn those who permit any trifling incident to interfere with the sacred day of rest!
Of all the Sabbaths that have ever dawned since the creation of the world, surely that during which the Redeemer lay in his grave, was the most mournful to the church of God. Many hearts have been wrung with anguish by the thought, "My mother is dead," "My child is dead;" but the disciples on that Sabbath could say, "Our Savior is dead." And when, on the following night, they prepared their ointments, how many bitter tears must have mingled with the precious spices! And why did they grieve? Because they remembered not the promise that the Lord would rise on the third day from the tomb. Had they remembered it, they would have passed their nights and days in singing praises, instead of in shedding tears. For lack of knowledge they suffered much sorrow.
And do not the children of God still suffer much anxiety, because they remember not the promises written in the Scriptures? When all appears dark around, how apt they are to fear that the light will never return! If we love God, we may feel sure that all things are working together for our good. And even when the great storm of the last days arises, the saints ought not to be cast down. When other men's hearts are failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth, they should remember the command, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, for your redemption draws near." (Luke 11:28.)