Joseph of Arimathea: The Extraordinary Calling of Ordinary People

by Ken Costa

Joseph of Arimathea tells the story of the man who took upon himself the task of burying Jesus after His crucifixion. Joseph, who is briefly discussed in all four gospel accounts, is a mere footnote in Scripture, but his actions speak volumes and give the working Christian an example of how to live for Christ in a world that opposes Him.

Joseph of Arimathea reaches through the verses of Scripture to our own generation in a powerful, relevant, and compelling way. He teaches us that the ordinary matters. An ordinary person, living an ordinary life, can be an instrument in the hands of God to be used for His purposes. Looking closely at the life of this disciple, Joseph of Arimathea defines what it means to be a person of the small print and offers a paradigm-shifting perspective on how to be a disciple of Christ in a secular world.

At a time when influence, followers, and clout are the order of the day, Joseph reminds us that small acts of faithfulness can lead to astounding influence and impact through justice, conscience, and power. Joseph of Arimathea validates the contemporary mindset of preparing to stand up for what is right, often in the face of, an increasingly hostile culture.

150 pages, Hardcover

Published February 17, 2020

Reviews

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ken Costa is an investment banker and Christian philanthropist, speaker and writer - perhaps best known for his involvement with Alpha and his book “God at Work” which addresses being a Christian in the workplace in a way which is particularly helpful for those, like me, in the City.

I read this book, a brief 2020 publication, on a short retreat with a close Christian friend in the beautiful Wye Valley village of Tintern - having re-read “God at Work” and another of the author’s books “Know Your Why” on a previous Sussex based retreat with the same friend in 2016 - both retreats taking place just after a decision to change jobs but before I had started my new position.

The concept of the book is an intriguing one - and the author I think delivers in his promise. The book examines the biblical account of the character Joseph of Arimathea and applies it to Christians, particularly those in a more secular calling (particularly those working in non Christian organisations).

The Gospel accounts of Joseph run to only 16 verses - with each gospel giving a slightly different portrait of the same basic story but with different background detail - and the author uses this as a starting point to examine different aspects of Joseph’s background and actions and their application for us.

Some brief notes in each chapter and some quotes that struck me.

Preface

The author explains that what really struck him about Joseph’s story was how he disagreed with the majority on the Sanhedrin over Jesus’s death.

This is the great challenge for anyone in the workplace: facing difficult decisions and stress with the added uncertainty of how to incorporate your faith into your work life. Joseph captures the inner struggle of choosing what is right versus choosing what is convenient. He teaches us how to work through the moral complexities and dilemmas which we face each day in the workplace. He shows us how to channel our passion for justice with practical and pragmatic actions that impact the world through working with others. His example encourages us to stand up for and speak out on behalf of those who are voiceless—the marginalized and the rejected members of our society.

A Walk Through The Gallery

This examines the nuances of the four Gospel accounts, finishing

The portraits of Joseph’s life speak to us all, with easel after easel demonstrating something of relevance to our everyday context and lives. We are looking not at a spiritual giant or a hero of the faith as mentioned in the Hebrews hall of fame, but at a simple businessperson who had encountered the God who spoke for the most ordinary of people.

A Great Responsibility

This looks at Joseph’s prominent position and how he used it - with the interesting statement

Affluence can be easily stewarded with generosity in giving or tithing. It is influence that is more difficult to steward.

The Rich Man

This looks at how Joseph chose to invest his wealth eternally

The Waiting Room

This starts from the verse where we are told he was waiting for the kingdom of God to look at times of waiting for God to speak or act.

Passion for Justice

Here the author briefly recounts some of his own stands as well as in more details those of others and says

We need to be the ones in our time to speak, as Joseph of Arimathea did in his, against the prevailing ethos of popular opinion. The passion for freedom and the passion for justice run closely together; in order to be free, we must be just. We must be principled people, quick to obey God’s truths. Joseph of Arimathea broke out of the council’s parochial paradigm. He could see a much bigger picture. In this person of Jesus, there was the Messiah.

Before making an interesting contrast between being a low-cost/no sacrifice admirer and high-cost/sacrificial follower

Joseph, alone after the council meeting where he defended Jesus’ innocence, forever surrendered the title of admirer of Jesus and exchanged it for the title of follower.

Under Pressure

This looks at how Joseph had to make a difficult and forage out decision under time and emotional pressure - but also had to choose to step pour of the shadows in which he has previously been hiding

That is often the case when we think that others have the responsibility to speak up or to take action. We think there are others more equipped and in better standing who are better able than we are to fix what is broken. There are others. But this is where things go wrong. We need to learn from Joseph that there are times when it is right to act, irrespective of whether others have a better standing and more responsibility to act.

Like Joseph, … we face the problem of holding together seemingly opposite desires; we want what is best and safest for us, but we also want what is best for others. In business, that’s the conflict between the desire to maximize profit and the understanding of whether that is good for all the stakeholders. I’ve found in situations like this it is best to hold together the tension, but to be clear on what that tension is and to work through the issues both prayerfully but also importantly analytically. But also, it is important to talk through the conflicting thoughts with others so that you can arrive at a consensus or at least some degree of clarity. I find it helpful to name the issue, clarify the pros and cons of the problem, press the envelope, and test the assumptions on my own and with others. Then, and only then, act.

Business Head

This brings in Nicodemus also (see below) and looks at the practical and literally hands-on steps that the two had to take and has an excellent challenge

Joseph and Nicodemus show us that it isn’t good enough merely to be followers of Jesus Christ; we must also get our hands dirty doing the work that He calls us to. I have learned over the years that people watch the way I act more than they listen to what I have to say. My identity as a follower of Christ has been seen in the way I have conducted myself in practical settings: from the boardroom to the team meeting to the way I speak to my colleagues. It’s in our practical acts that people can read and see Jesus. For many people, they will read our lives before they ever read Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

Joseph and Nicodemus

This chapter explores the importance of partnership - a phrase Paul often uses to describe his work with others - and how it goes against the individualism of our world.

Our culture is set up for individualism and isolation. We wear AirPods to the gym, we communicate via WhatsApp and text message. We put on our noise cancelling earphones just to get a break from the sheer volume of information being thrown at us on a daily basis. It’s the only way we can cope with the exposure we experience. But something powerful happens when we enter into partnership with others that will never happen in isolation. In isolation you see your reflection, but in partnership you see yourself and the world through the eyes of others. Partnership expands your perspective while helping you achieve your goals faster.

Silent Saturday

This looks at the silence Joseph must have faced on Saturday and (similar to the waiting chapter) how we should react to seeming silence from God in our own lives.

People of the small print

This chapter uses a phrase that the author uses very early on to describe Joseph’s very small but vital role in the resurrection and expands it to our own calling to bring the power of the resurrection to those we interact with

Resurrection light is not just for the people who get all the air time. It’s not just for the Peters and the Pauls. It’s for the hidden figures, the people of the small print, those who feel marginalized as if they are but footnotes to the story of others. Those who, like Joseph, now perceive the world as God intended it to be—redeemed. They have a perspective that reveals their new position in Christ. They see broken things with the potential to be restored. They can see the potential for stagnation and decay to be healed. The power of the Spirit energizes us to engage with such phenomena and to bring change and transformation to our communities.

Overall a worthwhile read which was well timed for me.