J.J. Blunt's Undesigned Scriptural Coincidences

AN ARGUMENT FOR THE VERACITY OF THE HOLY BIBLE

Introduction

Part One:
The Books of Moses

Part Two:
The Historical Scriptures

Part Three:
The Prophetical Scripture

Part Four:
The Gospels and Acts

Appendix:
The Gospels, Acts
and Josephus

XXI. THE BOLDNESS OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHAEA

Mark 15:43.—“And Joseph of Arimathća, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.”

It is evident that the courage of Joseph on this occasion had impressed the mind of the Evangelist—he “went in boldly,” tolmhsaV eishlqe—he had the boldness to go in—he ventured to go in.

Now by comparing the parallel passage in St. John, we very distinctly trace the train of thought which was working in St. Mark’s mind when he used this expression, but which would have entirely escaped us, together with the evidence it furnishes for the truth of the narrative, had not the gospel of St. John come down to us. For there we read (19:38), “And after this Joseph of Arimathća, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus.”

It appears, therefore, that Joseph was known to be a timid disciple; which made his conduct on the present occasion seem to St. Mark remarkable, and at variance with his ordinary character; for there might be supposed some risk in manifesting an interest in the corpse of Jesus, whom the Jews had just persecuted to the death.

Moreover, it may be observed that St. John, in the passage before us, continues, “And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes”—as though the timid character of Joseph was uppermost in his thoughts too (though he says nothing of his going in boldly), and suggested to him Nicodemus, and what he did; another disciple of the same class as Joseph; and whose constitutional failing, he does intimate, had occurred to him at the moment, by the notice that it was the same person who had come to Jesus by night.

I will add, that both these cases of Joseph and Nicodemus bear upon the coincidence in the last Number; for whence did these fearful men derive their courage on this occasion, but from having witnessed the circumstances which attended the Crucifixion?