What Happened on Holy Saturday?

What happened on Holy Saturday?

Between Good Friday and Easter/Resurrection Sunday is Easter Saturday or Holy Saturday. There have been many sermons and teachings about the events on Friday and Sunday, but what about the seventh day of the week?

What were the disciples doing after the loss of their Master? What about the Jewish leaders who sentenced Jesus to death? And where was Jesus before His resurrection? No one living now can ever know with certainty, but we can take a look at what scripture tells us about the Sabbath after the crucifixion of Christ.

Matthew 27:62-66 tells us the Jewish leaders, the chief priests and Pharisees, went to Pilate, pointing out that Jesus claimed He would rise in three days.

They called Him a deceiver and asked that the tomb be secured with a guard and sealed with a stone. They believed the disciples of Jesus would steal his body and tell everyone He had risen from the dead.

Luke chapter 23 describes how Joseph of Arimathia asked for the body of Jesus after the crucifixion. He wrapped Him and placed Jesus in his own tomb.

John 19:38-42 mentions Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus placing Jesus in the tomb on Friday evening, leaving him there through the Sabbath. Some of the women who supported Jesus followed Joseph to see where he was placing Jesus.

The women prepared spices. and ointments to anoint His body, but on Saturday, the seventh day, they rested in obedience to the command about the Sabbath Day.

What about the disciples?

It is believed that on Easter Saturday, the disciples were hiding. They were in shock and distraught at what happened to Jesus. I have heard preachers say these men ran like scared rabbits after Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas took his own life, and only John was at the foot of the Cross.

Ironically, according to Jewish history, the ten disciples who were afraid to die ended up being martyred anyway. John is said to have lived to old age and died on the Isle of Patmos.

In defense of the men who were closest to Jesus, they were in shock and disbelief at what had unfolded. Their Master and leader for over three years was brutally tortured and murdered. Naturally, they needed to go somewhere to grieve and regroup. Still, John was able to stick with Jesus until the very end and was commissioned to care for His mother, Mary.

Where was Jesus on Saturday?

It is commonly believed that on Saturday, Jesus (His Spirit) defeated the powers of darkness while his body remained in the tomb. (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

And that he claimed the keys of Death and Hell.(Revelation 1:18)

,"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death".

As this miracle was taking place, the religious leaders were plotting and trying to discredit Him. Some believe He literally went to hell to preach salvation, while others say he went to Abraham's bosom to rescue the saints.

Some consider Saturday to be a day of rest from the traditional work week. Holy Saturday is a day of quiet reflection for some believers in the resurrection of Christ because they know Resurrection Sunday, a day of celebration, is coming.