THE
CRUCIFIXION
When Jesus arrived at the house of our brethren he was faint and weak. His wounds had begun to cause him pain. He was much moved, in that he considered it all as a miracle. "God has let me rise", he said, "that he may prove in me that which I have taught, and I will show my disciples that I do live." And after a little while the two young men who had gone to put the grave in order, came hurriedly back and brought the message that the friends of Jesus soon would come to seek him. And they related how they had heard a noise, when at work in the grotto, as of many people coming to the fence that surrounds the garden. When they had retired yet further into the grotto, there came a woman on the road from Jerusalem, and when she saw that the stone had been rolled away from the grave she manifested great fear. She thought that something had happened to the body, and hurried away to Bethlehem. But soon thereafter other women came from Jerusalem, and approached the grave. Wondering greatly, they had entered the grave, and one of them on looking for the body in the place where it had lain, beheld our Brother, and in terror pointed him out to her companions. When the other Brother also came in view, the women fell upon their faces, and thought they had beheld angels. And the brethren spoke to them as they had been ordered by those of the first degree, and one of them said to the women; "Jesus is risen. Do not look for him here. Say to his disciples that they will find him in Galilee". And the other told them to gather the disciples and conduct them to Galilee. "Do
not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe
in This was devised by the wisdom of Joseph, for he would not that they should look for Jesus at Jerusalem, for his safety's sake. And the brethren went out of the cavern by the rear entrance, and observed that some of the women hastened on the road to Bethania, whereupon the young Brothers hurried to us in the house to tell of what had come to pass. Thus the Essene friends pleaded with Jesus to remain in concealment, for his safety's sake, and to recover his strength. But Jesus was moved by a great desire to prove to his friends that he still lived. Impelled by this desire, and feeling himself refreshed and strengthened, he asked for clothes that he might go forth among his friends. He was immediately clothed in the Essene working-garb, such as our brethren wear when at work. In this dress he appeared as a gardener. In the meantime the two young Brothers had gone again to the grave, as their work there was not yet completed. While there they saw the same woman return who came first to the grave, as John and Peter meanwhile had made known to the disciples what had come to pass. This woman, thus returning to the grave, thought the two novices were angels guarding the empty grave, and she wept. One of the novices, of kindly disposition, in a gentle and soothing voice spoke to the woman and asked her why she wept. This woman was Mary, whom Jesus had loved and had been obliged to leave in accordance with the laws of our holy Brotherhood. And as she was lamenting that Jesus did not lie where he had been placed before the Sabbath, Jesus stood behind her, dressed in the garb of a gardener. Animated by the desire to see again those he loved, and to proclaim to them that he still lived, he had disregarded the advice of the brethren that he remain in concealment, and, leaving the house, he had taken the path through the garden to the rock where the grave was hewn. When Mary saw him she thought him to be the gardener. But Jesus knew her, and rejoicing her live he spoke to her. Still, in his weak and suffering condition, she did not know him. But when he exclaimed, "O Mary! ", she knew him and longed to kiss his feet and thereafter embrace him. But Jesus, feeling pain in his hands and side, feared to embrace her lest he might thereby injure his wounds. He therefore moved back from her as she approached, and said: "Touch me not. Though I still live, yet soon shall I go to my Father in heaven; for my body is become feeble and soon shall be dissolved, that my death may be fulfilled." As the woman knelt down, and with great excitement fixed her eyes upon him, Jesus heard the sound of approaching footsteps, and, careful for his safety, hastened back, placing himself behind the garden wall not far from the garden of our friends. And
the two youths who were charged to guard the grave, and who had
been instructed to thwart the enemies' spies, who were seeking
to find Jesus, had seen and heard all this. Crucifixion By An Eyewitness Pages And Points To Ponder
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