Urantia Book 112. The life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, Joshua bin Joseph, Yeshua, Christ Michael, Sovereign God of Nebadon. Those beings making a record of Jesus’ life and teachings say they have no idea what went on while Jesus was in the tomb those 36 hours from Friday at 3 pm until Sunday at 3 am. Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate permission to take possession of the body, and he buried Jesus in a new tomb not far from the scene of the crucifixion. When they took possession of the body, the Jews were furious and there was a struggle until the centurion showed them Pilate’s document giving the right of possession to Joseph. Joseph and Nicodemus were former members of the Sanhedrin and they had kept their faith secret, but now they were the most outspoken disciples of Jesus in all Jerusalem. The mortals who bore the body of Jesus to the tomb were Joseph, Nicodemus, John and the centurion. The faithful women followed behind. The women who stayed at the tomb after the men left were: Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas (Herod’s steward), Martha another sister of Jesus’ mother, and Rebecca of Sepphoris. Throughout this Sabbath day, the disciples and apostles remained in hiding, while all Jerusalem discussed Jesus’ death upon the cross. There were almost one and one/half million people in Jerusalem at this time to celebrate the Passover, and these pilgrims from Spain to Mesopotamia would hear of the Resurrection of Jesus and take the story back to their home countries. Late Saturday night John Mark summoned the 11 apostles to the Upper Room, where they had eaten the Last Supper with the Master. Those beings who have been keeping this record for us are not really sure what went on when Jesus was in the tomb. But they say: “The Creator consciousness of Michael must have been at large and wholly free from its associated mortal mind of the physical incarnation. His perfect adjustment between the physical necessities and spiritual requirements of the ideal mortal existence, as it was effected by the never-ceasing choice of the Father’s will, must have been consigned to the Paradise Father. We believe that the human consciousness of Jesus slept through the 36 hours and was not aware of the passage of time.”************************* In the vast court of the resurrection halls of the first mansion world of Satania, there may now be observed a magnificent material-morontia structure known as the “Michael Memorial,” now bearing the seal of Gabriel. There are records showing that the Ancients of Days communicated with Michael during this time about the status of Nebadon. At least one message passed between Michael and Immanuel while Michael was in the tomb. The Constellation Father of Norlatiadek received instructions from Michael during this time in the tomb. There is other evidence that Michael was awake while in the tomb (188.3.1-15).************ Although Jesus did not die this death on the cross to atone for the racial guilt of mortal man nor to provide some sort of effective approach to an otherwise offended and unforgiving God; even though the Son of Man did not offer himself as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of God and to open the way for sinful man to obtain salvation; notwithstanding that these ideas of atonement and propitiation are erroneous, nevertheless, there are significances attached to this death of Jesus on the cross which should not be overlooked. First, sin is not inherited. Sin is the conscious and deliberate rebellion against the Father’s will. Jesus’ bestowal on this earth greatly illuminated the way of salvation; his death made forever the certainty of mortal survival after death in the flesh.