This verse, Luke 23:56, comes at the end of the account of Jesus's burial and conveys a couple of key points:
They returned and prepared spices and ointments: "They" refers to the women who had followed Jesus, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and others (Luke 23:55). Seeing where Jesus was laid, they went back to their homes and began preparing the traditional spices and ointments used in Jewish burial rituals. The intent was to properly anoint Jesus's body. The process of embalming was impossible at the time and the next best option was to anoint the body with sweet spices.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment: The Sabbath is the Jewish day of rest, from Friday evening to Saturday evening. The commandment to observe the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. Even in their grief and desire to complete the burial preparations, these women were devout enough to cease their work on the Sabbath and observe the religious law. This detail highlights their commitment to their faith, even in a time of personal crisis.
In essence, the verse describes the women's devotion, their grief, and their obedience to religious law. It sets the stage for the events of the following Sunday (the day after the Sabbath), when they would return to the tomb and find it empty.
This verse, Luke 23:56, comes at the end of the account of Jesus's burial and conveys a couple of key points:
They returned and prepared spices and ointments: "They" refers to the women who had followed Jesus, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and others (Luke 23:55). Seeing where Jesus was laid, they went back to their homes and began preparing the traditional spices and ointments used in Jewish burial rituals. The intent was to properly anoint Jesus's body. The process of embalming was impossible at the time and the next best option was to anoint the body with sweet spices.
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment: The Sabbath is the Jewish day of rest, from Friday evening to Saturday evening. The commandment to observe the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. Even in their grief and desire to complete the burial preparations, these women were devout enough to cease their work on the Sabbath and observe the religious law. This detail highlights their commitment to their faith, even in a time of personal crisis.
In essence, the verse describes the women's devotion, their grief, and their obedience to religious law. It sets the stage for the events of the following Sunday (the day after the Sabbath), when they would return to the tomb and find it empty.