Quite a history behind the town. Perhaps you'd hardly guess it - just a typical little village. The name Arimathea helps to keep it quiet and peaceful. It doesn't stand out or attract people as its Biblical name might. Oh? You don't know? Well, the old name was Ramah. That should ring the bell for you. We keep it quiet, but I guess it's the favourite story of every child in Arimathea!
"There was a man named Elkanah, from the tribe of Ephraim, who lived in the town of Ramah in the hill-country of Ephraim..." You remember the story, don't you? It's in the first Book of Samuel. So now you know our fame - Samuel was born here, it was Samuel's town.
There was never another prophet like Samuel. An amazing man - ruled the people well too. He was upset when the people wanted a king "like the other nations." But his sons were the problem. They were only interested in making money. But then, looking at our kings overall, I doubt many of them were very good for us either.
Saul showed promise but turned out a real disappointment. David stood out, but even he had his points of real weakness. Yet in spite of his failures he believed in God, he trusted in God. He was a good king and we still love to sing his beautiful Psalms. Oh for another king like David! But then we had Solomon - and for all his wise sayings and the glory of his kingdom I think of him mostly as a very foolish king. In a way that was when the rot started to set in. Little wonder that there was arguing and fighting after his death - and a split into two nations!
Yes, we could do with a king like David - and a prophet like Samuel too! What did you say? The Romans? Of course... the Romans are here... What's the use of thinking about having our own king - and a good strong prophet - when the Romans are here?
I don't favour the approach of the Zealots. It's not yet thirty years since that movement began - and what have they achieved? They say that to pay taxes to Caesar is treason against God. Yet it always seems a bit suspicious when people want to make the non-payment of taxes a religious issue!
My major concern is with the moral decline of our people. For too many the worship of God is just a formality. Quite a number have been looking for the redemption of our people. We're not an organised group. You just get to know others who are praying like you are - "Lord, surely it is time! Send your Messiah!"
That brings me to the question of Jesus, which is why you came.
I was just saying, I have been interested in and have prayed for the redemption of Israel for a long time now. We are, as I mentioned, close enough to get up to Jerusalem reasonably often. Visits to the Temple itself were very special to me as a young fellow. Even then I was concerned by the corruption I detected among our leaders. But there were some marvellous people you could meet - genuine and devout. They became my models. We need the Messiah, they would say. Things are so bad, it must be soon. Please, Lord, let it be soon!
I remember a dear old gentleman called Simeon - always there. He was sure he would live to see the promised Messiah. God had told him, he said. He's dead now, of course. That was over thirty years ago. I haven't heard whether he did see anything. And an old widow named Anna - a fascinating person to listen to, spent every day in the Temple, worshipping, fasting and praying. She spread word among the devout and trusted ones that a special baby had been born, she had seen him brought into the Temple.
Thirty years later - a coincidence of time, you think? Thirty years later I hear about a new teacher from Nazareth in Galilee - a man by the name of Jesus. By this time I had been elected to the Jewish council in Jerusalem. This sort of news gets there fairly quickly. It was the kind of news a few of us were looking for. But it disturbed the majority. They had the monopoly on the teaching of the Law and on the Temple sacrificial system - they had quite a corrupt racket going on there. An unknown teacher from Galilee was quite unwelcome. Any teacher who had not come through their hands and submitted to their authority was unwelcome. But some of us - the minority - thought, "Sounds like just the person to lead us back to God."
They had been edgy about John the Baptist calling on us all to repent of our sins. But Jesus was in a different category again. He taught a lot about the Kingdom of God, knew God as his Father, had a relationship that was entirely unique.
Nicodemus was another council member looking for the redemption of Israel. He even went to Jesus personally - at night so none of the council would know!
We were outnumbered and outmanoeuvred by these enemies of Jesus. They stooped to buying the treacherous action of one of Jesus' disciples. But when they had captured Jesus in the dark of night - cloak-and-dagger stuff - they had a problem. Never had dishonest men been faced with a person of such integrity! How could they drag up something to blacken his name - and something to convince the Romans authorities to do away with him?
They didn't say this in Council, of course, but it was easy to read between the lines. They had been saying things like, "It's time we invited Jesus of Nazareth to Council so we might reflect on his teaching," or "We must invite Jesus of Nazareth so he may inform us of his mission." What hypocrisy!
And finally, they call a late-night sitting of Council at the High Priest's house. Nicodemus and I were lucky to get there - they didn't send out the message to anyone who might be remotely sympathetic. We heard as best we could.
The trial before Pilate you have heard about. They put up the ridiculous suggestion that Jesus was stirring opposition to the Roman authorities, that he claimed to be a King in opposition to Caesar. But in the Council they accused him of blasphemy. I was sitting there and thinking, "We need a King like David. We need a prophet like Samuel. We need the Messiah!" But they weren't interested in whether the Messiah might be right there in our midst. People preferred his teaching to theirs - he must go! He says he is the Son of God. That claim is either right - or it is blasphemy! Dead men don't speak. Whoever he is, he will soon be right out of our way!
Well, they got him. You know that. Pilate was weak. He'd been reported once and couldn't afford another. He had to give in. And people are fickle - they were easy enough to sway.
They got him! And he died - a cruel Roman death. Nicodemus and I couldn't stop it. But we could do something.
I had recently had a new tomb cut. None of us go on for ever and it seemed the right time to make this last provision for the future. It has never been used. Nicodemus and I asked Pilate for the body of Jesus so we could give him a decent burial.
Well, it was Sabbath next day and the women couldn't make all the necessary preparations. They would come back on Sunday. Meantime the tomb was sealed by the authorities and kept under close guard. Why are they doing this? I thought. Are they trying to keep the disciples of Jesus out, or what?
But all their sealing and guarding didn't work! The disciples stayed away - they were in no fit state to do anything. But Jesus escaped!
What? You haven't heard? You haven't even heard the story my fellow-councillors are trying to spread that the disciples stole the body?
I tell you, Jesus escaped! They couldn't keep him there! They might have successfully plotted his death, but they couldn't keep him dead!
No! no! He's not still in the tomb! No way! And his body hasn't been stolen! I checked myself. The graveclothes were still there - as if... as if the body had disappeared from out of them and left them behind!
But, you're saying, that sort of thing doesn't happen. True enough. But this time it has happened!
What does happen is that soldiers pay with their lives if they are found sleeping on duty. When you hear their story, listen carefully. It goes like this, "When we were asleep on duty, his disciples came and stole the body." Sound sleepers - you don't move tomb-stones quietly! No! The story has no substance. These men have been paid to tell against themselves, and no doubt promised immunity if the governor hears about it.
Mark my words well. Jesus has escaped! He's alive! I haven't seen him yet. I don't understand it yet. But I am more convinced than ever that this one is the Messiah, the one who should redeem Israel, and not just Israel, but the world!
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