【双语灵修】约瑟JOSEPH

约翰福音 19:38-42

这些事以后，有亚利马太人约瑟，是耶稣的门徒，只因怕犹太人，就暗暗地做门徒，他来求彼拉多，要把耶稣的身体领去。彼拉多允准，他就把耶稣的身体领去了。又有尼哥迪慕，就是先前夜里去见耶稣的，带着没药和沉香约有一百斤前来。他们就照犹太人殡葬的规矩，把耶稣的身体用细麻布加上香料裹好了。在耶稣钉十字架的地方有一个园子，园子里有一座新坟墓，是从来没有葬过人的。只因是犹太人的预备日，又因那坟墓近，他们就把耶稣安放在那里。

4月19日

约瑟

“这些事以后，有亚利马太人约瑟，是耶稣的门徒，只因怕犹太人，就暗暗地作门徒。他来求彼拉多，要把耶稣的身体领去。” -约 19:38

隐藏我们的信仰往往比公开分享它更容易。特别是在谈论我们的信仰时，这种情况更容易发生。在某些情况下，我们会害怕被人嘲笑，害怕失去地位，甚至害怕因为自己的信仰而受到伤害。

亚利马太的约瑟似乎就属于这种情况。他是耶稣的门徒，但并未公开。他跟随耶稣这件事可能是保密的，因为他和尼哥底母一样，都是宗教领袖公会的成员，而公会曾谴责耶稣（见路加福音 23:59；约翰福音 3:1-8,7:45-52）。这两个人可能是为了避免被公会指责而秘密行动的。我们可能想知道，公会中是否还有其他像他们一样暗暗跟随的人，但我们所知道的只有约瑟和尼哥底母。

然而，耶稣死后，这些都不再是秘密了。约瑟大胆地向彼拉多索要耶稣的遗体，好使他尊崇主，并按照习俗安葬祂。

也许耶稣的死也能改变我们的心。耶稣不怕为我们上十字架。我们怎么能害怕为祂做事呢？我们可以勇敢地站出来，让世界知道我们相信耶稣。我们相信祂为我们而死，我们现在得蒙宽恕，是神的儿女。靠着主的力量，我们必能在信仰中勇敢前行！

祷告

天父，因着耶稣的舍命，请帮助我们勇敢地活出我们的信仰，无论我们身在何处。阿们。

JOSEPH

"Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders." - John 19:38

Sometimes it’s easier to hide what we believe than to share it openly. This can happen especially when it comes to talking about our faith. In some situations we can be afraid of being ridiculed or of losing status or even of being harmed for our beliefs.

Joseph of Arimathea seems to have been in a position like that. He was a disciple of Jesus, but not openly. He probably kept his allegiance a secret because he, like Nicodemus, was a member of the ruling council of religious leaders that had condemned Jesus (see Luke 23:59; John 3:1-8; 7:45-52). These two men probably acted in secret to avoid being attacked by the ruling council. We might wonder if there were others like them in the council who preferred to remain hidden, but we are told only about Joseph and Nicodemus.

All of the secrecy, however, seemed to change after Jesus’ death. Joseph boldly asked Pilate for Jesus’ body so that he could honor the Lord and prepare his body for burial according to custom.

Maybe Jesus’ death can change things for us too. Jesus wasn’t afraid to go to the cross for us. How can we be afraid to do anything for him? We can step out with boldness and let the world know that we believe in Jesus. We believe that he died for us and that we are now forgiven as children of God. In the Lord’s strength we can be bold in our faith!

Father, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, help us live out our faith with boldness, wherever we are. Amen.

JOSEPH

"Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders." - John 19:38

Sometimes it’s easier to hide what we believe than to share it openly. This can happen especially when it comes to talking about our faith. In some situations we can be afraid of being ridiculed or of losing status or even of being harmed for our beliefs.

Joseph of Arimathea seems to have been in a position like that. He was a disciple of Jesus, but not openly. He probably kept his allegiance a secret because he, like Nicodemus, was a member of the ruling council of religious leaders that had condemned Jesus (see Luke 23:59; John 3:1-8; 7:45-52). These two men probably acted in secret to avoid being attacked by the ruling council. We might wonder if there were others like them in the council who preferred to remain hidden, but we are told only about Joseph and Nicodemus.

All of the secrecy, however, seemed to change after Jesus’ death. Joseph boldly asked Pilate for Jesus’ body so that he could honor the Lord and prepare his body for burial according to custom.

Maybe Jesus’ death can change things for us too. Jesus wasn’t afraid to go to the cross for us. How can we be afraid to do anything for him? We can step out with boldness and let the world know that we believe in Jesus. We believe that he died for us and that we are now forgiven as children of God. In the Lord’s strength we can be bold in our faith!

Father, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, help us live out our faith with boldness, wherever we are. Amen.