I was just thinking out what went through the disciples' (and Christ's other followers') heads on that Saturday. They couldn't do anything to take their minds off their disappointment and despair since it was the Sabbath. No matter how many times Jesus told them that He would rise on the third day. They understood what he was saying, the Pharisees and Saducees certainly did. Why else would they request guards to be posted by His tomb? They expected the disciples to come and try to steal His body then claim that He had risen:
"The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 'Sir,' they said, 'we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, "After three days I will rise again." So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.'
'Take a guard,' Pilate answered. 'Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.' So they went and made the secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard." -- Matthew 27:62-65
The disciples, the ones closest to Him, all pretty much despaired. The women seemed to hold onto hope while they cried.
It all seemed so final, watching (those that had the strength to) Him die on the cross, Joseph and perhaps Nicodemus taking Him down off the cross, wrapping Jesus with grave clothes and closing the stone.
The women were probably preparing the burial spices that were supposed to be applied before the closing of the tomb, but because of the Sabbath approaching, they had no time. They were going to go to the at first light.
What were some of the Roman soldiers and officers doing during that time? The one's who were affected by all they had seen and heard. I wonder if the centurion who placed his faith in Jesus, who recognized His authority, had asked him to heal his servant who was deathly ill. Jesus commended him for his faith and trust in Him. He felt so out of league with Jesus that he could bring himself to bring his request to the Lord in person.
"[Jesus] was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: 'Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority with soldiers under me. I tell this one, "Go," and he goes; and that one, "Come," and he comes. I say to my servant, "Do this," and he does it."
"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 'I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.' Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well." -- Luke 7:6-9
I wonder if he was near Pilot during Jesus' "trial", or the crucifixion . . . I wonder if it was the same centurion or another who looked up to the cross after Jesus' death, saying "'Surely he was the Son of God!'"
I wonder what the rest of the soldiers who were present thought, as they went back to their usual posts or barracks. I'm sure a lot of them had seen executions of all kinds before. But the moment Jesus died, as signaled by his loud cry, there was a major, ground-splitting earthquake, (Matt. 27:51) tombs also broke open "and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the city and appeared to many people."-- Matthew 27:52-53 (Pretty awesome).
I can definitely picture them sitting in their barracks staring at the floor between their sandaled feet and wondering, "What . . . just happened . . . ?"
Of course the best part was when the veil in the temple that separated the Holy of Holies (the Ark of the Covenant) and the Altar of Incense, was torn completely in two . . . from top . . . to bottom. God made a way. "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me." -- John 14:6
Man could now approach God, sins washed clean by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world . . . The ultimate Passover Lamb. Put Him on the posts and lintel of your heart and death (Judgment, Hell) will pass over you.
"Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, 'Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb.
'Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.
'For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.'" -- Exodus 12:21-23
"The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'" -- John 1:29
"Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old." -- Micah 7:18-20
". . . As far as the east is from the west, so far does [God] remove our transgressions from us." -- Psalm 103:12
Oh, the suspense! . . .
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