Someone Paid for the Tomb

Recently, as I was meditating on the state of things in the Church, especially those complaints of some in relation to giving, I clearly heard this word in my heart — “someone paid for the tomb”. Honestly, I had never, not once, considered the fact that Joseph of Arimathea paid for the tomb where Jesus was laid to rest and rose from the dead. Hard to believe, but plainly hidden in plain sight for all to see is a gospel truth, “someone paid for the tomb”. In other words, although the gospel is free to all, someone had to pay for something crucial to the gospel message — Christ’s place of burial, the place where He rose from the dead, the place millions visit to remember “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:6, KJV.  That’s what I’d like to talk about in this post.

As I continued to ponder this truth, I realized not only did someone pay for the tomb, Joseph of Arimethea, someone also paid for the room (specifically, the room where Jesus and His Apostles celebrated the Passover). That famous portrait of Jesus and His Apostles, one of the most famous paintings in the world, focuses attention on Christ and His Apostles, but there are individuals hidden in plain sight — the person who paid for the room and the people who prepared the room. “Go into the city to a certain person, and tell him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples."  Matthew 26:18, New Heart English Bible. Yes, an unknown man, who scripture doesn’t name, prepared the setting where one of the most famous events ever took place, which was celebrated in one of the most famous paintings by one of the world’s most famous artists. Not only did this unknown man pay for the room, his servants prepared the room with all that was needed to celebrate the Passover, including the basin and water Jesus used to wash the feet of His disciples. 

Leonardo da Vinci

Then, I realized another hidden truth: someone paid for the oil to anoint the body of Jesus, a prostitute. Of this woman, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” Matthew 16:13, NLT. Then, I thought about how this woman earned the money she used to buy the oil to anoint the body of Christ — oil paid for by prostituting herself one man at a time. She sold her body to anoint Jesus’s body. And inside, I wept as I realized this hidden truth, I recognized an army of individuals who are hidden in plain sight in the message of the gospel who paid for the gospel message to become a living reality. The tomb, the room, and the oil are vital pieces of the gospel, all made possible by individuals hidden in plain sight and who gave up something valuable.

 “We have our part to play, no matter how great or small it may be, in providing for the great gospel message to go forward.”—Scott Wallis

And inside, as I realized the importance of these hidden individuals who give so much for the gospel message to go forth, that so few of us pay attention to, I recognized a host of individuals who support the gospel message hidden in plain sight in the gospel message, individuals who were the hidden cogs of the wheels that carried the Savior forward in His quest to save the world. What an honor! They gave so much to be one of those individuals who are hidden in plain sight, so much for the gospel to be prepared and preached. And yet, those men and women are largely forgotten and ignored. Yet, the truth is they paid for the tomb, the room, and the oil. Those were costly items. And yes, they had to be paid for. God isn’t a thief, is He? No! Of course not!

In recognition of those individuals who give so much for the gospel to go forward, I want to remind us of the One who does see — Jesus. Jesus recognized the price it cost the woman to get the oil she gave. And sometimes, we forget this part of the gospel, a prostitute paid for the oil that anointed the body of Christ. She did that by selling her body(Not that Jesus was endorsing what Jesus did to the earn the money she spent to buy the oil she poured out on Him). Rather, He recognized what she gave up, her body, to get that oil and what she gave up for the sake of the gospel. Her sacrifice, the selling of her body, paved the way for His sacrifice, the offering of His body — the sacrifice of sacrifices — to save the world. Jesus recognized her sacrifice and said her sacrifice would be remembered wherever the true gospel is preached.

Hear me! If a woman could anoint the body of Jesus with oil that she bought through prostitution, giving her body, how can we think women cannot preach the gospel? Her message is plainly hidden in the gospel. Her hidden sacrifice paved the way for the Messiah’s sacrifice. And her sacrifice points the way to the truth of millions who sacrifice themselves daily for the gospel to go forth and the body of Christ to be anointed. Although you may feel like you’ve given so much, been forgotten by so many, paid such a high price for what you’ve given, the truth is your sacrifice paves the way for the Messiah’s message. And Jesus doesn’t forget what we’ve given up, what we’ve gone through, what we’ve sold and given for the gospel message to go forth. Others may forget. Others may shy away from our hidden truth. But not Christ.

Jesus truly is One who supports the “blue collar” individuals. He recognizes them in His gospel. And right smack dab in the message of the cross is a man who helped Jesus carry His cross. Even Christ could not carry the cross alone. Yes, He died on the cross alone, but someone, Simon of Cyrene, was there carrying the cross with Christ. And when we give towards God’s work, that’s you and I right there, carrying the cross, giving our oil, providing a room, and paying for the tomb. Yes, someone paid for the tomb. And we have our part to play, no matter how great or small it may be, in providing for the great gospel message to go forward. And I believe Jesus wants me to say, “Thank You!” What you’ve given will be remembered forever; it’s part of His story.

Let us pray!

— Scott Wallis