aphas, he
certainly did not go; he was therefore innocent of any complicity in
our Lord's condemnation and death. He was a good man and a just; and
like Nathanael, and Simeon, and many more, he waited for the kingdom of
God. More than this, he was a disciple of Jesus, though secretly.

Whatever our judgment may be about his action during the lifetime of
our Lord, we have nothing but admiration for the way in which he acted
when He died. What he had seen had more than decided him. Christ's
meekness and majestic silence under all reproaches and indignities; the
veiled sky and trembling earth; the cry of the Forsaken which ended in
the trustful committal of the soul to the Father; the loud shriek and
the sudden death--all these had convinced him and awed his soul, and
lifted him far above the fear of man. He had been waiting for the
kingdom, he would now identify himself with the King.

By his side there would seem to have stood an old friend of ours,
Nicodemus. Our evangelist identifies him as having at the first come
to Jesus by night. The very opening of the Lord's ministry in
Jerusalem seems to have made a deep impression on his mind; but he was
very timid. He was an old man, a very rich man, a member of the
Sanhedrim, and he did not like to risk his position or prestige. It
was much therefore for him to come to Jesus at all, and especially to
come to Him in the spirit of deep respect and inquiry. There must have
been something very engaging in him; for our Lord, who did not commit
Himself to men in general, made very clear unfoldings of His great work
to this inquiring Rabbi. From that night, even if not a real disciple,
Nicodemus was strongly prejudiced in favor of Jesus; and on one
occasion, at least, brought on himself reproach for attempting
indirectly to shield Him. He had not dared, however, to go beyond his
first nervous question. Then, like Joseph, he was decided by what he
had seen: come what may, he will now avow the thoughts which have long
been in his heart.

The two men exchange a few hurried sentences. "What will be done with
His body?"

"At least it must not suffer the fate of common malefactors. Yet how
shall it be prevented?"

"Look you," says Joseph, "in my garden close at hand there is a new
tomb, hewn out in the rock, wherein was man never yet laid, I had
prepared it for myself; but I will gladly use it for Him, if I can but
get Pilate to yield me His body. I will go at once a