Luke 23:50-54 Meaning: Why Luke Calls Joseph Good and Righteous
50Behold, there was a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man
51(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for God’s Kingdom.
52This man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.
53He took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.
54It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
50And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
51(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
52This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
53And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
54And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
50And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good and righteous man
51(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), a man of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews, who was looking for the kingdom of God:
52this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.
53And he took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain.
54And it was the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
50And lo, a man, by name Joseph, being a counsellor, a man good and righteous,
51--he was not consenting to their counsel and deed--from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who also himself was expecting the reign of God,
52he, having gone near to Pilate, asked the body of Jesus,
53and having taken it down, he wrapped it in fine linen, and placed it in a tomb hewn out, where no one was yet laid.
54And the day was a preparation, and sabbath was approaching,
50And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good man and a just
51(this [man] had not assented to their counsel and deed), of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who also waited, [himself also,] for the kingdom of God
52— he having gone to Pilate begged the body of Jesus;
53and having taken it down, wrapped it in fine linen and placed him in a tomb hewn in the rock, where no one had ever been laid.
54And it was preparation day, and [the] sabbath twilight was coming on.
Meaning in one sentence
Joseph of Arimathea's character as 'good and righteous' shows that not all leaders rejected Jesus. See why this matters for his burial.
Context
Jesus had taken his final breath. The centurion declared him righteous. The crowds beat their chests. The women who had followed from Galilee stood at a distance. Then Luke introduces Joseph of Arimathea. He was a council member, so he had been present at Jesus' condemnation. But Luke adds two details: Joseph was a good and righteous man, and he had not consented to the council's deed. While others scattered, Joseph stepped forward. He went to Pilate, asked for Jesus' body, took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a new rock tomb. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.
Key Words
Luke uses two Greek words together that tell us what kind of man Joseph was: agathos and dikaios. Agathos means good, not just nice but useful and of sound character. Dikaios means righteous, someone faithful to God's covenant. Together they describe a man whose inner goodness matched his outward actions.
The next key word is "had not consented." The Greek sugkatatithemi literally means to put one's vote down with another. Joseph did not vote with the council that condemned Jesus. In a room full of voices saying "Crucify him," he was the one who did not join in.
Then Luke says Joseph was "waiting for the kingdom of God." The verb prosdechomai means to welcome or eagerly expect. It is the same word used of Simeon in Luke 2. Joseph was not merely hoping; he was actively looking for God's reign. That expectation gave him the courage to act when it cost something.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have noticed that Luke emphasizes Joseph's character more than the other gospel writers. Matthew calls him a disciple and a rich man. Mark calls him an honorable council member. But Luke adds "good and righteous" and notes that he did not consent to the council's plan. Some see this as Luke showing that not all Jewish leaders rejected Jesus. Others, drawing on early commentators, see a model of courage: as a council member, his request to Pilate was bold and possibly dangerous. In Catholic and Orthodox traditions, Joseph is honored as a saint. Protestants focus on his faith expressed in action. Both readings agree that Joseph did what was right when it was difficult.
A common misunderstanding
Some think that calling Joseph "good and righteous" means he was sinless. In fact, Luke uses these words in the Old Testament sense of someone faithful to God's covenant. The same term "righteous" is used of Simeon in Luke 2 and of Cornelius in Acts 10. Joseph's righteousness is shown not by perfection but by his actions: he dissented from the council and risked his reputation to give Jesus a respectful burial.
Living This Out
What Joseph did took courage. Going to Pilate and asking for the body of a man executed as a criminal could have marked him as a follower. He had to wrap the body quickly, because the Sabbath was beginning. He did not let the time pressure stop him from doing a humble and loving thing.
This week, you might face a moment when honoring Jesus feels costly: speaking up for someone overlooked, offering help that takes time, acting when others are silent. Joseph shows that you do not need a big stage. You just need to do the next right thing, even if it is small and the clock is ticking.
Main takeaway: Joseph's quiet courage shows that faithfulness to God often means doing the right thing when it is risky and when time is short.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Joseph was a good man who loved Jesus. Even when Jesus died, Joseph took care of his body. He wrapped it in cloth and put it in a special tomb. That shows us that we can be kind to people even when it is hard.
For ages 9, 12
Joseph was a member of the Jewish council who did not agree with putting Jesus to death. After Jesus died, he went to Pilate and asked for the body. This was a brave thing to do because it showed he was on Jesus' side. He worked quickly because the Sabbath was about to start. Joseph teaches us that our faith is shown in what we do, especially when it costs us something.
Questions People Ask
Why does Luke call Joseph 'good and righteous' when no one is perfect?
In the Bible, 'righteous' often describes someone faithful to God's covenant, not someone sinless. Luke uses the same word for Simeon and Cornelius. Joseph's righteousness is shown by his actions: he dissented from the council and risked his reputation to bury Jesus.
What does 'he had not consented to their counsel and deed' mean?
It means Joseph did not vote with the Sanhedrin when they decided to condemn Jesus. Luke is the only gospel writer who mentions this. It shows that not all the Jewish leaders opposed Jesus, and that Joseph's conscience was clear.
Why was Joseph 'waiting for the kingdom of God'?
This phrase describes someone who was looking forward to the day when God would establish his rule fully. The same expression is used of Simeon in Luke 2. Joseph lived in hopeful expectation, which gave him the courage to act when the time came.
Why is it important that Jesus was buried in a new tomb?
A new tomb where no one had ever been laid shows that Jesus' burial was honorable and special. It also fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9 that he would be with a rich man in his death.
What is 'Preparation Day' and why does it matter here?
Preparation Day (Greek: paraskeue) was Friday, the day before the Sabbath, when Jews prepared food and finished work before sunset. This explains why Joseph had to hurry the burial. It also sets the timeline for the resurrection: Jesus was buried before the Sabbath began and rose on the first day of the week.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study