3 Days 3 Nights Easter Eggs, Part 5

Mark:

And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

 

Matthew:

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

Jesus is now dead and his followers are scrambling to get him off the cross and buried.  Why?  Because, as Mark helpfully notes for us, it's Preparation Day, the day before the Sabbath, which starts at sundown Friday and lasts until sundown on Saturday.  Matthew even goes so far as to reference the 3 day prophecy, though he leaves out the 3 night part, which is telling itself, especially considering Jesus also said:

Are there not twelve hours in the day?

 

[caption id="attachment_1064" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption=""So, why are we guarding a tomb again?" "The Jews think someone might steal the body." "Why do they think that?" "Dunno, some religious thing." "Do we get overtime for this?" "Hey, don't complain, it beats having to do known-world spanning empire stuff, amirite?""][/caption]