Sitting Over Against the Sepulcher - Matthew 27:61

Matthew the apostle wrote, “When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed”, and in chapter twenty-seven and verse sixty-one of his book, Matthew shared, “there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher” where we read:

And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher.

The verse reads, “And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, ...” Matthew began words, “and there was Mary Magdalene” or “at that place” was “Mary Magdalene” whose name means “their rebellion and a tower” and refers to “a woman for whom Jesus had cast out seven devils”, “and the other Mary” which refers to “James and Joses' mother”. Matthew shared how these women who were watching the crucifixion of Jesus from afar were together again.

The verse goes on to say, “...sitting over against the sepulcher.” Matthew continued with the words, “sitting over against” or “seated opposite of” “the sepulcher” or “the tomb or grave”. Matthew shared how “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” were seated opposite of the grave where Jesus was buried.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we may be able to relate to these women as they visited the graveside of Jesus. Those who have visited the graves of loved ones know what these women were feeling, and as an expression of their grief, they visited where Jesus was buried. Unlike the disciples, these ladies ventured out to this site and sat down there. God knows the grief people feel when death occurs, and as a means of coping with such sorrow, visiting the memorials often help to remind us of Jesus' words, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (See John 11:25-26) Let all who read these words know this is the reason Jesus came and yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Matthew shares how, “the chief priest and Pharisees came together unto Pilate”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".