Holy Saturday 2012

I had never given much thought to the events of the Saturday of that first "Holy Week" until recently. My initial understanding was that there were none. After the burial of Jesus, there was nothing recorded by the gospel writers until "the morning of the third day."

Then it occurred to me that Saturday was the Sabbath. The writers had no need to describe the events. It was Sabbath. What more do you need to say! The day was given to sabbath-keeping in Jerusalem. All observances were enriched by the understanding of Passover.

As for the disciples, my sense is now that they were in hiding. Later, we hear that they were locked behind close doors. Could the room that was locked down have been the place of the Last Supper?

Where were they? Were they hiding in the tombs around Jerusalem. The observant Jewish leaders would never have come for them there. Such an intrusion on the unclean would have defiled them for the observance of Passover.

Wherever they were, I can almost be certain as to what was on their minds that first Holy Saturday. How could they crucify Him? Could we? Didn't we deny him and flee? Crushed in spirit, they bitterly sighed "but we had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel."