My wife and I went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/jerusalem-church-of-holy-sepulchre in Jerusalem.  I even wriggled into the chamber where Jesus’ body might have been buried.  I also went to the Garden of the Tomb http://www.gardentomb.com/ .  The idea is that Jesus was buried and there are at least two spots where he might have been laid to rest.  The women from Galilee were preparing spices and Joseph of Arimathea gave Jesus a dignified rock-hewn tomb.

Any idea that Jesus did not really die does not fit the evidence.  He was dead and buried.  But of course, the account moves on from there.

Luke 23: 50-56

⁵⁰ Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ⁵¹ who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵² Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ⁵⁴ It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

 ⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Questions

1. Who cares for Jesus’ body?
2. What was Joseph’s attitude toward Jesus’ conviction and death?
3. What do you think Joseph and the women expected?
4. How do some people today have attitudes similar to Joseph and the women (e.g. Albert Schweitzer http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1952/schweitzer-bio.html  Schweitzer believed that Jesus existed and was a moral Christian in action, but reportedly did not believe in any resurrection)?
5. How can such attitudes be changed?