Day 40: Silence

The Gospels do not record what happened on Saturday. It was the Sabbath, so there was no activity permitted from sundown on Friday evening to sundown on Saturday evening. After sunset on Saturday it would have been too dark to go and more fully dress the body of Jesus, so the women waited until sunrise on Sunday morning.

I often think about what Saturday must have been like for all those involved. The disciples and other followers of Jesus must have been in despair. The confusion that they faced during that day had to have been overwhelming. Peter, in particular, would have been a complete wreck, rehashing in his own head his denials. But they had all deserted him. Every single one of them had promised along with Peter that they would never leave him, yet each of them did. 

And now he was in the grave. Their Messiah was dead. There was no one there to encourage them. No one was going to ease their minds. Saturday, on their side of the tomb, was silent.