Both Joseph and the women are looking for something. The women are looking at Jesus from a distance (Mark 15:40), they see where he is laid (Mark 15:47) and then they also come looking for his body in the tomb on the Sunday morning (Mark 16:1). Joseph is also busy looking. He is busy looking for the coming of the kingdom, he’s looking for God’s Messiah (Mark 15:43).
Both stories include a surprise. Pilate is surprised that Jesus is dead (Mark 15:44), and the women are surprised to find the stone rolled away (Mark 16:4) and a young messenger instead of Jesus’ body (Mark 16:5).
40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.