He said to himself that they would start at dawn, and getting to the
sepulchre soon after three, and finding it empty, would come running to
him, and, so that himself might open the gate to them, he ordered his
watch (it should have ended by midnight) to continue till four o'clock.
And, sitting by the sick man's side, he listened expectant for the hush
that comes at the end of night. At last it fell upon his ear. The women
are on their way to the sepulchre, he said, and in about an hour and a
half I'll hear the bell clang. But the bell clanged sooner than he
thought for; and so impatient was he to see them that he did not
remember to draw his cloak about him as if he were only half dressed (a
necessary thing to do if he were to deceive them) till he was in the
middle of the garden. But feigning of disordered raiment was vanity, for
the women were too troubled to notice that he had not kept them waiting
long enough to testify of any sudden rousing from his bed, and began to
cry aloud as he approached: he has risen, he has risen from the dead as
he promised us. Joseph came towards them yawning, as if his sleep were
not yet dispersed sufficiently for him to comprehend them; and he let
them through the gate, inviting them into his house; but they cried:
he's risen from the dead. The sepulchre is empty, Mary cried,
anticipating her sister's words, and we have come to you for counsel.
Are we to tell what we have seen? Seen! said Joseph. Forthwith both
began to babble about a young man in a white raiment. His counsel to
them was neither to spread the news nor to conceal it. Let the apostles,
he began--but Martha interrupted him, saying: they are all in hiding, in
great fear of the Pharisees, who have power over Pilate, and he will
condemn them all to the cross, so they say, if they do not escape at
once into Galilee. But since we can vouch that we found the stone rolled
away and a young man in white garments in the sepulchre, we are
uncertain that they may not take courage and delay their departure, for
they can no longer doubt the second coming of the Lord in his chariot of
fire by the side of his Father, the Judgment Book upon his lap. Those
that have already gone will return, Mary answered; and our testimony
will cause the wicked Pharisees to repent before it be too late. His
words were that his blood was the means whereby we might rise into
everlasting life.
Martha then broke in with much discourse, which Joseph interrupted with
a question: had the young man they saw in the tomb spoken to them? The
sisters were taken aback, and stood asking each other what he said,
Martha saying one thing and Mary another; and so bewildered were they
that Joseph bade them return to Bethany and relate to Lazarus, and any
others of their company they might meet, all they had seen and heard: if
you've heard anything, he added. Then thou believest Jesus to be risen
from the dead, they cried through the bars as he locked the gates. Yes,
I believe that Jesus lives. Will he return to us? Martha cried; and
Joseph as he crossed the garden heard Mary crying through the dusk:
shall we see him again? A fine story they'll relate, one which will not
grow smaller as it passes from mouth to mouth. Sooner or later it will
reach Pilate, and Pilate's first thought will be: the centurion told me
that Jesus died on the cross after three hours; and I believed him,
though it was outside of all reason to suppose the cross could kill a
man in three hours. But if the Pharisees should go to Pilate and say to
him: the rumour is about that Jesus has risen from the dead. Will you,
Pilate, cause a search to be made from house to house? Pilate would
answer that the law had been fulfilled, and that the testimony of his
centurion was sufficient; for he hated the Pharisees and would refuse
any other answer; but Pilate might send for him, Joseph; and Joseph fell
to wondering at the answers he would make to Pilate, and at the
duplicity of these, for he had never suspected himself of cunning. But
circumstances make the man, he said, and before Jesus passes out of my
keeping I shall have learnt to speak even as he did in double meanings.
He lay down to sleep, and when he rose it was time to go to help Esora
to change the bandages, and while they were busy unwinding them (it was
towards the end of the afternoon) they were interrupted suddenly in
their work by Matred's voice in the garden calling: Esora, where are
you? and, not getting an answer from Esora, she cried: Master! Master! A
moment after her voice came from a different part of the garden, and
Joseph said to Esora: she'll be knocking at the door in another minute;
she mustn't come hither. Go and meet her, Esora, and as soon as the
girl is safe come back to me. It shall be as thou sayest, Master; but
meanwhile hold the man forward; let him not fall back upon the pillow,
for it will stick there and my work will be undone. To which Joseph
obeyed, himself quaking lest the Pharisees had come in search of Jesus,
saying to himself: the Pharisees might be persuaded that Jesus is risen
from the dead, but the Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection.
What answer shall I give to them?
At last he heard Esora's voice outside: fear nothing, Master, for
friends have come; one named Cleophas and another are here with a story
of a miracle, and, unable to rid myself of them without rudeness, I
asked them into the house, saying that you had business (meaning that we
must finish dressing this poor man's wounds), but as soon as your
business was finished you would go to meet them. You spoke as you should
have spoken, Joseph answered her, and went towards the house certain and
sure that they too came to tell Jesus' resurrection; and the moment he
entered it and saw his guests, their faces and demeanour told him that
he guessed rightly. Leaning towards them over the table familiarly, so
as to help them to narrate simply, he heard Cleophas, whom the friend
elected as spokesman, say they heard Martha and Mary telling they had
found the stone rolled away, and a young man in white raiment seated
where Jesus was overnight, and from him they had learnt that he whom
they sought was risen from the dead. So we said to one another: if he
sent an angel to tell these women of his resurrection he will not forget
us, for we loved him; and in hopes of getting news of him in the
country, and that we might better think of him, we agreed to walk
together to Emmaus; for when a man is sad he likes to be with another
one who may share his sadness, and Khuza and I have always loved the
same Jesus of Nazareth.
We walked sadly, without speech, indulging in recollections of Jesus,
and were half-way on our journey when a wayfarer approached us and asked
us the cause of our grief. We asked him in reply if he were the only one
in Jerusalem that had not heard speak of Jesus of Nazareth, a great
prophet before God and the people. Do you not know that our priests and
our rulers condemned him who we hoped would deliver Israel and to-day is
the third day since all that has befallen? Some women of our company
told us this morning that they had been to the sepulchre at daybreak and
found nobody, but had seen angels, who told them that he lived; and then
others of our company went to the sepulchre and they found that the
women spoke truthfully; the tomb was empty of all but the cere-cloths.
So did we tell the story to the wayfarer, who then asked us whither our
way was, and we told him to Emmaus, and that our hope was our Master
might send an angel to us with news of himself. It was with that hope
that we left the city. And your way, honoured Sir? and he answered me,
to Emmaus, and perceiving him as we walked thither to be a pious man,
and more learned than ourselves in the Scriptures, we begged him to
remain with us. He seemed averse, as if he had business farther on, but
myself and my friend here, Khuza, persuaded him to stay and sup with us,
so that we might tell our memories of him that was gone. But he seemed
to know all we related to him of Jesus, interrupting us often with: as
was foretold in the Scriptures, giving us chapter and verse; and
enlivened by a glass of good wine, he spoke to us of the fruit of the
vine which Jesus would drink with us in the Kingdom of his Father; and
he broke bread and shared it with us, as it was meet that the head of
the house should, and the gesture with which he broke it is one of our
memories of Jesus. We fell to dreaming ourselves back in Galilee, and
the intonations of Jesus' voice and the faces of the apostles were all
remembered by us. We don't know for how long we dreamed, but when our
eyes were opened to reality again we saw that our friend, who was
anxious to continue his journey, had risen and gone away without bidding
us good-bye, belike not wishing to disturb the current of our
recollections. Did we not feel something strange while he was with us?
my friend asked me, so to my friend here I put the question: did not our
hearts burn while he spoke to us on the road hither? and I cited
prophecies that were testimony that the Messiah must suffer before he
entered into glory. And Khuza answered: did you not recognise him,
Cleophas, by the way in which he broke bread? Now you speak of it, I
replied--
Our eyes that had not seen saw, and we knew that Jesus had been with us,
and hurried to Jerusalem to tell the apostles that we had seen him. But
their hearts are hard and narrow and dry, as Jesus himself well knew,
and as he said would be evinced at the striking of the hour, and when we
told Peter that Martha and Mary had been to the sepulchre and found the
stone rolled away he answered: I too have visited the sepulchre and saw
nothing. It was open, but I saw no young man sitting in white raiment,
nor did an angel greet me. John said: three days have now passed away
since he was put on the cross, and in three days he was to have returned
in a chariot of fire by the side of his Father and made a great Kingdom
of happiness and peace in this country. But he hasn't come; he has
deceived us and put our lives in jeopardy, for if the Pharisees find us
here they'll bring us before Pilate, who is a man without mercy, and
eleven more will hang on crosses.
Salome, mother of John and James, too, got in her word and railed
against Jesus for having brought them all from Galilee for naught. John
and James, he promised me, were to sit on either side of him in Kingdom
Come. Whereupon Peter said: thou liest, woman. I was to sit on his right
hand. And while these disciples disputed on Jesus' words Bartholomew
praised Judas, who had withdrawn as soon as Jesus began to talk of the
angels that would surround the chariot. Thomas reproved Bartholomew,
saying that Jesus never said that there would be angels; and they all
began to wrangle, asking each other how many angels would be required to
match a Roman legion. Nor were they sure that Jesus said he was God's
own son, and equal to God; at which many were scandalised and turned
away their faces; nor could they say that they had not desired to find a
god in him on account of the chairs. I'm not speaking of James and John.
And then the ugly twain turned upon us, saying that we--myself and
Khuza--were but disciples and could baptize with water, but not with the
holy breath, which was reserved for the apostles; nor with fire. At his
words the lightning flashed into the room, and John said: we are in the
midst of a great miracle--the baptism by fire of the apostles. And when
the storm ceased they were all mixed in a dispute about the imposition
of hands; of this right they were the inheritors, so they said, and all
were resolved to practise it as soon as they got back to Galilee, from
whence they had foolishly strayed, abandoning their boats and nets. On
the morrow they would return thither and pray that the Lord, who is the
only god of Israel, would forgive them and send them a great draught of
fish, which they hoped your father, Sir, would pay for at more than
ordinary price to recompense them for what they lost by following the
Master hither.
Joseph would have asked him if Nathaniel and Thomas and Bartholomew
denied Jesus as well as Peter and James and John: if there was not one
among the eleven that had faith that he might return. But prudence
restrained him from putting needless questions, for Cleophas was
loquacious, and he had only to listen to hear that Peter and James and
John were eager that it should be known that they no longer believed
Jesus to be the true Messiah that the Jews were waiting for. It is said,
Khuza interrupted, becoming suddenly talkative in his turn, it is said
that they are afraid lest the agents of the Pharisees should discover
them. Many left for Galilee on the Friday evening, and in three days the
fishers he brought hither will be letting down their nets again and the
publican Matthew will start on his round asking for the taxes. All will
be--
But, said Joseph, whose thoughts had gone back to the great draught of
fish which Peter and John hoped his father would pay for above the usual
price so that they might be recompensed for their journey to Jerusalem,
you did not come to me to pray me to write to my father that he may
punish the apostles for their lack of faith by refusing to buy their
fish? No, it wasn't for that we came hither, Khuza answered quickly, and
Cleophas looked at him, wondering if he would have the courage to put
into words the cause of their visit. We thought that because Pilate had
given the body of Jesus to you to lay in your sepulchre, and as you were
the last to see him, you might come into Jerusalem with us and declare
the miracle to the people. You see, Sir, Martha and Mary have testified
to the rolling back of the stone, and no more is needed than your word
for all to believe. Joseph looked in their faces for some moments,
unable to reply to them; and then, collecting his thoughts as he spoke,
he impressed upon Cleophas and Khuza that for him to go down to
Jerusalem and proclaim his belief in the resurrection would only anger
the Pharisees and give rise to further persecutions. It will be better,
he said, to let the truth leak out and convince men naturally, without
suspicion that we are attempting to deceive them with testimony which
their hearts are already hardened against. This answer, which showed a
knowledge of men that Joseph did not know he possessed, satisfied both
Cleophas and Khuza, and perceiving that they were detaining Joseph they
rose to go. On the way to the gate Joseph's words lighted up in their
minds: he said it would be not well for him to go down to Jerusalem and
proclaim his belief in the resurrection; therefore he believed in the
resurrection, and, unable to restrain his curiosity, Khuza besought him
to answer if Jesus ever said that it would be his corruptible body or a
spiritual body (a sort of spirit of sense) that would ascend. It could
not be the fleshy body which eats and drinks and passes soil and water,
for unless there be in heaven corners where one can loosen one's belt
the body would be gravely incommoded; and he began to argue, placing his
foot so that Joseph could not close the gate, saying that if the
corruptible body had not ascended into heaven it must be upon earth. But
where--
Joseph's cheek paled, and Cleophas, noticing the pallor and interpreting
it to mean Joseph's anger against his friend for his insistence in
putting questions which Joseph could not answer--for had he not rolled
up the stone of the sepulchre and sealed it and gone his way?--took his
friend by the arm and said: we must leave Joseph of Arimathea some time
to attend to his business. We are detaining him. Come, Khuza, we are
trespassing on his time. Joseph smiled in acquiescence; but Khuza, who
was still anxious to learn how many Roman soldiers equalled one angel,
hung on until Joseph's patience ran dry. At last Cleophas got him away,
and no sooner were their backs turned than Joseph forgot them completely
as if they had never been: for Esora had said that she hoped to be able
to get Jesus to swallow a little soup, and he hastened his steps,
anxious to know if she had succeeded.
I got him to swallow two or three spoonfuls, she said, and they seem to
have done him good. Dost think he seems to be resting easier? Yes; but
the fever hasn't left him. His brain is still clouded and feeble. This
is but the third day, she replied. Truthfully I can say that I've never
seen any man scourged like this one. It is more than the customary
scourging; the executioners must have gotten an extra fee. As she had
seen men crucified in Tiberias and Cæsarea, he asked her if it were
common for the crucified to live after being lifted from the cross.
Those that haven't been on the cross more than two days are brought back
frequently, but the third day ends them, so great are the pains in the
head and heart. But I knew one--and she began to relate the almost
miraculous recovery of a man who had been on the cross for nearly three
days, and had been brought back by strong remedies to live to a good old
age. But none die on the first day? Joseph said, and Esora answered that
she never heard of anyone that died so quickly; without, however, asking
Joseph if the man before them had been lifted down from the cross the
first, second or third day.
He expected her to ask him if Cleophas had come to warn him that
inquiries were on foot regarding the disappearance of the body of one of
the crucified, but she asked no questions, and he knew not whether she
refrained from discretion or because her interest in things was dying.
Not dying but dead, he said to himself as he scanned the years that her
face and figure manifested, and judged them to be eighty.
Now Esora, I'll go and lie down for a little while, and lest I should
oversleep myself I'll tell the girl to call me. But how shall I
recompense thee for this care, Esora? I am too old, Master, to hope for
anything but your pleasure, she answered, and when he returned she told
him that Jesus was fallen into another swoon, and they began talking of
the sick man. His mind wanders up and down Galilee, she said. And now
I'll leave you to him. I've that girl on my mind. And while Jesus slept,
Joseph pondered on the extraordinary adventure that he found himself on,
giving thanks to God for having chosen him as the humble instrument of
his will.