Joseph of Arimathea is another of those figures who appears from nowhere, and after a brief episode, is never heard of again.
In Matthew, he is described as a "rich man ... who was himself a disciple of Jesus."
In Mark, he is "a distinguished member of the council" (the Sanhedrin).
In Luke, he is someone who, "though he was a member of the council, had not consented to their plan of action."
John, in the verse above, describes him as "secretly a disciple of Jesus."
What might lie behind these differing accounts is this: at the time Jesus was crucified, Joseph of Arimathea was a faithful Jew. He simply wanted to make sure that the Law was followed properly, and that Jesus was given a proper Jewish burial. Later, he became a Christian and this, in some of the accounts, was put back into the account of the burial itself.
Contact with Jesus can have effects. It affected Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the man born blind, and Joseph of Arimathea. It affects you too.
That's why contact with Jesus - in private prayer and in liturgy - is so important.
Don't just think about Jesus. Be in contact with him.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw