CHAPTER XXXVIII

In accordance with the orders, the Nazarene’s grave was strictly guarded.  A heavy stone had been placed in the opening of the niche in the rocks within which the body was laid, and, at the Governor’s bidding, the captain had sealed it at every end and corner.  Two fully-armed soldiers were stationed at the entrance with instructions to keep off every suspicious person from the grave.  And then, on the third day after the entombment, an incredible rumour ran through Jerusalem. The Nazarene had risen!

On the morning of that day, so it was said, two women went to the grave, the mother of the dead man, and Magdalen, His devoted follower.  They were surprised to find that the guards were not there, and then they saw that the stone had been rolled away.  The niche in the rock was empty, save for the white linen in which He had been wrapped.  These linen bandages were lying at the edge of the grave, their ends hanging down.  The women began to weep, thinking someone had taken the corpse away; but presently they saw a white-robed boy standing by, and heard him say:  “He whom you seek is not here.  He lives, and goes with you to Galilee.”

As if in some wild dream, the women staggered back from the grave.  There was a man in the garden whom at first they took to be the gardener.  They wanted to question him; He came towards them.  With youthful, beautiful, shining countenance, immaculate, without wounds except the nail-marks on the hands.  He stood before them.  They were terror-stricken.  They heard Him say:  “Peace be with you!  It is I.”  As the sun was so bright the women held their hands a moment before their eyes, and when they looked up again He was no longer to be seen.

The Nazarene’s grave was empty!  Everybody made a pilgrimage from the town to see.  The people’s mood had entirely changed since the crucifixion.  Not another contemptuous word was heard, some even secretly beat their breasts.  The High Priests met together, and inquired of the guards what had occurred.  They could tell nothing.

“At least confess that you fell asleep and that His disciples stole Him.”

“Honoured sirs,” answered one of the guards, “for two reasons we cannot admit we fell asleep; first, because it isn’t true, and secondly, because we should be punished.”

Upon which one of the Temple authorities observed:  “But in spite of that, you can very well say so.  For you have certainly fallen asleep more than once in your lives.  And as for the punishment, we’ll make it right with the Governor.  Nothing shall happen to you.”

The brave Romans thought it best to avoid a dispute with the authorities, and to say what the latter preferred to hear.  So the tale went that the guards had fallen asleep, and meanwhile the body had been removed by the disciples in order to be able to say, “He is risen.”  This was circulated on all hands, and no one thought any more of the resurrection of the Nazarene.