Wi see from these verses that Christ has same disciples of whom little is knoum. We axe told of one Joseph, ^* a good man and a just," — a man who " had not consented to the counsel " of those who condemned our Lord, — a man who "himself waited for the kingdom of God." This man went boldly to Pilate after the crucifixion, begged the body of Jesus, "took it down," from the cross, and " laid it in a sepulchre.''
We know nothing of Joseph excepting what is here told us. In no part of the Acts or Epistles do we find any mention of his name. At no former period of our Lord's ministry does he oyer come forward. His reason for not openly joining the disciples before, we cannot explain. But here, at the eleventh hour, this man is not afraid to show himself one of our Lord's friends. At the very time when the apostles had forsaken Jesus, Joseph is not ashamed to show his love and respect. Others had confessed Him while He was Hving and doing miracles. It was reserved for Joseph to confess Him when He was dead.
The history of Joseph is full of instruction and encou- ragement. It shows us that Christ has friends of whom the Church knows little or nothing, friends who profess less than some do, but friends who in real love and affection are second to none. It show& us, above all, that events may bring out grace in quarters where at present we do not expect it ; and that the cause of Christ may prove one day to have many supporters, of whose existence we are at present not aware. These are they whom David calls " hidden ones," and Solomon compares to a ** lily among thorns." (Psalm Ixxxiii. 3 ; Cant. ii. 2.)