Crucifixion and Resurrection

CHAPTER 91

Miriam, Salome, Martha, Miryam and all of the Apostles except Yudas Iscariot witness the scourging of Yeshua, along with many other people that had gathered. The Apostles begin to lose faith and in despair Cephas denies three times that he even knows Yeshua as was foretold by Yeshua. -Yeshua is made to carry his own cross but when he falters, the Roman guards accost a Cyrenian and force him to carry the cross for Yeshua. Yeshua is crucified and dies in the 9th hour after he speaks to Heavenly Mother and Father. -Joseph of Aramathea asks Pilate if Yeshua can be buried in his sepulcher. Caiaphas asks Pilate if the tomb can be sealed and guarded. -Yudas Iscariot dies a peaceful death beneath the water in company of the Angel of the Covenant, but out of ignorance, once recovered, many revile his body and hang it from a tree. -On the morning of the third day Miriam removes the heavy, mortared stone of the tomb of Yeshua, much to the dismay of the Roman guards who run away in fear, and finds Yeshua resurrected before her but she can not touch him until his resurrection is perfected by Heavenly Mother and Father. -Miriam tells the Apostles of Yeshua's resurrection but they doubt her. -Yeshua returns to meet with his Apostles where they feel his wounds and attest to his resurrection. -Yudas Iscariot also returns from the dead.

The Scourging of Yeshua

  1 And it came to pass that the following day shortly after dawn, Yeshua was brought to the place of scourging.

  2 At first light, while still with the Roman guards in the prison, he was stripped as had been ordered by Pilate, and then draped with an old ragged purple robe. A hard, dry reed was put in his right hand and a crown of long thorns was pushed onto his head by one of the Romans causing him to bleed thin rivulets of blood down his face.

  3 And they all mocked him saying, “Hail to the King of Israel.” And they spit on him and took the reed from his hand and hit him about his head and face with it. Once again the Romans put a rope tightly around Yeshua's neck and pulled him to the public scourging ground with violent yanks that often brought him to his knees, which were soon bloody and raw.

  5 At the place of scourging the soldiers removed the ragged robe and brought Yeshua naked to face a thick post. His arms were pulled forward to encircle it and his wrists tied together on the other side. Then two men stood on opposite sides and took turns lashing Yeshua with rawhide whips of many tails one using his left hand to swing the lash, the other his right.  The tails had double-spiked iron and lead weights on each end that bit into Yeshua's flesh ripping out pieces as he was flailed.

  6 Many people gathered to watch Yeshua's scourging and among them standing as near to him as was possible, was Miriam, Salome, Martha, and his mother Miryam.

  7 With each lash upon Yeshua's body- some on his back, others upon his legs and arms, Salome, Martha and Miryam let out their own cries of anguish and a flood of tears.

  8 But Miriam his wife with a piercing and resolute look upon her face, cried not at all, nor did she exclaim, and Miryam his mother upbraided her saying, “How can you watch my son and your husband tortured so terribly and shed not a tear?”

  9 And Miriam his wife answered her saying, “I am one with your son Mother Miryam, in ways you cannot even imagine. What he feels, I feel. I am not writhing in pain, so I know that neither is he, though the destruction we are witnessing to his beautiful body saddens me greatly.”

  10 Miryam his mother was astounded at the words of her daughter-in-law and exclaimed, “How can you say he feels no pain; how could he not?” Pointing at Yeshua she said, “His body is covered in blood. His flesh comes out in pieces from the lash.  He moves to escape the lash that he knows is coming. He shudders and gasps with every blow. I understand you not at all Miriam.”

  11 Miriam of Magdala stood closely next to Miryam of Nazareth holding onto her arms and looking deeply into her eyes, she spoke softly unto her, saying, “It is Yeshua you need to understand Mother, not me. Though he came from your womb, he is an Elohim and not of you. Though he is in the form of a man, he is greater than the form.

  12 He does feel some pain, but not as great as his wounds proclaim.  His body bleeds and is tortured and will die, but only because he has said it will be so, to prove the resurrection that all mankind may know the path to glory.

  13 Have faith in my words Mother despite what your eyes may see.  And know that I speak to you not only as your daughter of marriage and twin star of Yeshua, but as given to me to speak by the Elohim as the Angel of the Covenant.”

  14 Miryam of Nazareth nodded her head in silence and smiled weakly at her daughter-in-law, saying, “There is still much that I do not comprehend, but I have felt the truth of your heart and surely it has been a balm to mine.” Then she reached out and gently held Miriam's hand, saying, “Thank you daughter.”

  15 All of the Apostles except for Yudas Iscariot had also gathered at the scourging ground to witness the lashing of Yeshua, and not having heard the words of his wife Miriam they were shuddering in inner pain with every lash they saw Yeshua take, and for many, despite all the miracles they had witnessed in the times they had been with Yeshua, their faith began to ebb.

  16 Cephas was standing apart from his fellow Apostles. He no longer could bear to watch the whipping of his beloved teacher and friend. He held his head in his hand covering his face and exhaling in deep sighs. A woman standing next to him called to him saying, “Man, I saw you with him when he was in Jerusalem preaching. I am sorry for you and your friend.”

  17 Cephas looked up at her with apprehension and replied, “No, you are mistaken, I know him not.” And he quickly turned and walked away from her.

  18 As he was walking through the gathered crowd a Greek grabbed his arm and said to him, “You are one of his students, what do you think of this?”

  19 Cephas pulled his arm away angrily and answered, “You have me confused with someone else. I do not know that man.”

  20 Cephas hurried now to depart from the scourging grounds and as he was at the gate another woman accosted him and said, “They are killing Yeshua of Nazareth. You are one of his stalwarts; why do you flee?”

  21 And Cephas cursed at her and hurried through the gate, yelling at her as he left, “I do not know that man on the post, leave me be!”

  22 Immediately a cock crowed nearby, then another, then a third. And Cephas remembered the words of Yeshua, that he would deny him three times before the cock crowed, and he was ashamed to the depths of despair at what he had done. He fell to his knees upon the road, bent his head to the ground, holding it in his hands, and began crying with great gasps of remorse and rivers of tears.

  23 As the final lashes were slashed across Yeshua's back his eyes held the eyes of his wife Miriam and they spoke to one another in their minds. But the words they said are for them alone and cannot be recorded.

  24 After the last lash ripped across Yeshua's bare back he was given a filthy and putrid smelling loin cloth to wear.

The Crucifixion of Yeshua

  25 Yeshua was led out of the scourging place and brought to a large cross made from a thick tree laying beside the road. The Romans placed it over his shoulder and prodded him with the tips of their short swords and whacked his wounds with the broad blades to get him moving toward the Place of the Skulls to be crucified.

  26 But before he had taken many steps he faltered from the weight and fell to his knees. After he had done the same twice more, one of the Romans accosted a Cyrenian and forced him to carry the cross for Yeshua.

  27 The Cyrenian was named Shimon, of the tribe of Judah, and was the father of two sons, Alexander and Rufus, who followed after him as he carried the cross.

  28 As the sons spoke with people in the crowd they were astonished to learn that the man going to crucifixion was none other than Yeshua of Nazareth of whom they had heard wondrous stories of in Cyrenaica and had just now arrived in Jerusalem with their father to see if the stories were true.

  29 Seeing Yeshua being taken to be crucified they were confused and knew not what to make of it, as were many others who followed after him having witnessed his miracles, and did not understand how he could now be so beaten down and taken away to die by the Romans.

  30 And the sound of wailing from many, many women in the crowd was an unnerving noise all about. When the Romans stopped the procession for a moment and ordered the women to be quiet, Yeshua turned to the multitude and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

  31 For behold, the days are soon coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bear and the paps that never gave suck.

  32 Then shall they say unto the mountains and the hills, Hide us and cover us.

  33 For if the Romans do this that you see in times of green, oh, what shall they do to the children of Jerusalem in times of dry?”

  34 When Yeshua reached the Place of the Skulls, the cross was laid upon the ground and Yeshua was laid naked on top of it. Large nails were pounded through his wrists and hands and feet and the cross was lifted up by the Roman soldiers and raised upright as the base was placed in a deep hole that had been prepared for it. Two thieves were also crucified with him, one to each side.

  35 The soldiers then sat down at the base of the hill and gambled for Yeshua's clothing and possessions, which they had brought with them. They nailed a crude sign upon the cross in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, saying, “Yeshua of Nazareth, King of the Israel's.”

  38 Then a Sadducee came up and stood before Yeshua and shaking his head he turned to the multitude and said, “He saved others but he cannot save himself. If he is truly God's messenger, let him come down now from the cross, whole as he has made others whole, and we will believe.

  39 He proclaims God; let God deliver him now, if he will have him, for he claimed he is the Son of God.” Then he pointed at Yeshua and said, “You see, nothing happens. He dies on the cross the same way as the common thieves beside him. Your faith has been misplaced.”

  40 Then a Pharisee came also before the crowd and pointing at Yeshua said, “He said the temple could be destroyed and he would rebuild it in three days all by himself. But look at him. He is helpless; powerless. He is nothing but empty words and promises.”

  41 As the time passed the soldiers continually came up to Yeshua and taunted him, and reviled him, hitting his legs with their hands and wagging their heads mocked him, saying, “You said, the temple could be destroyed and you would build it again in three days? But you cannot even save yourself?”

  37 Another said “You are the Son of God? Let us tremble in fear. But wait, first come down from that cross oh, Son of God, and show us who you are. Reveal your dreadful power. Show us why we should be afraid.” And the soldiers pretended to be afraid, then laughed and derided Yeshua when nothing happened.

  38 Through all of this Yeshua never looked at the soldiers, or the priests, or anyone in the crowd, save for his wife Miriam who stood directly before him. And from her, he seldom took his eyes.

  39 Once more three soldiers took turns coming up and hitting him on his legs and when the last had passed Yeshua looked upward toward the sky and said, “Forgive them Father and Mother, for they know not what they do.”

  40 Then looking down upon the four most important women in his life, Miriam, Salome, Martha and his mother Miryam, he said to his mother, “See my wife Miriam, your daughter. Hold fast to her.”

  41 And to Miriam his wife he spoke, saying, “See my mother Miryam; your mother too. Protect her.”

  42 Then to Salome he spoke and said, “Remain by the side of Miriam through all things and everything in your life shall be fulfilled to the fullest.”

  43 Then to Martha he spoke, saying, “Raise up good children and they shall walk great paths of Celestine Light. You have much life still to live, but know that your beloved waits for you in eternity.”

  44 The day had been clear and sunny when Yeshua was led to the Place of the Skulls, but as the fourth hour began the sky became very black with thick and ominous clouds.

  45 One of the Roman soldiers soaked a sponge with vinegar and impaling it on a long reed he raised it to Yeshua's lips offering it to him, but he did not partake of it.

  46 By the end of the fourth hour of Yeshua's crucifixion the sky had become blacker with thicker storm clouds than anyone could remember, and many in the crowd spoke with some trepidation about the uncommon blackness of the sky.

  47 In the ninth hour, to insure the men were not still dying on the cross when the Sabbath arrived, some priests came to the Romans and asked them to hasten the death of Yeshua and the two thieves.

  48 In keeping with their wishes, the soldiers went and broke the legs of both thieves but when they came to Yeshua he commanded them in a strong voice, saying, “Hold.” They were perplexed that he could speak with such vigor to them after all he had been subjected to and they held off breaking his legs.

  49 Then Yeshua looked once more to Miriam and said in a clear voice, “In the days of darkness uphold the Celestine Light. I am always with you; always and forever.”

  50 Then he lifted up his head once more toward the heavens and said in a loud voice heard by many, “Father and Mother, I am the good son, I have done as you have willed. My spirit now comes home.” So saying his head tilted down onto his shoulder as he gave a last exhale of breath, and then his spirit was gone and his body died.

  51 “Is he dead?” asked one of the Romans to the other soldiers.

  52 “Too quick,” another stated. Then he took a spear and stabbed it through Yeshua's side and into his heart, saying, “But he's dead now.”

  53 But he suddenly stepped back in fear as he pointed at the wound in Yeshua's side. And many were frightened to see not only blood but also a clear liquid like water dripping out and running down his body.

  54 A minute or so passed after the departure of the spirit of Yeshua, when suddenly there was a blinding flash of lightning in the clouds and a mighty roar of thunder. Then the ground began to shake in an earthquake and many people throughout Jerusalem lost their balance and fell to the ground.

  55 In the temple, Miriam went as the Angel of the Covenant, unseen by the eyes of men, and rent the Veil in two from top to bottom and cast it to the floor that the priests would know the wrongness of what they had done and spoken against Yeshua.

  56 At the Place of the Skulls, standing beneath the cross, the Roman centurion who had led the soldiers looked about and saw the crescendo of sky and the earth upon Yeshua's death and he said to his fellows, “Perhaps we laughed and mocked to our own peril and this really was the Son of God.”

Joseph of Arimathea Asks to Bury Yeshua

  57 Shortly after the body of Yeshua died upon the cross, Joseph of Arimathea, a good and just man of the Sanhedrin, and a secret follower of Yeshua, asked at the gate of the governor’s villa to speak immediately to Pilate.

  58 Because Joseph was a well-known and respected leader of the city, Pilate consented to see him. And Joseph asked him forthrightly, “Good governor, grant me the liberty to take the body of Yeshua of Nazareth and lay it in a sepulcher I had hewn into solid stone, thinking to use it myself someday.

  59 I fear for villains to desecrate the body of Yeshua if it is left to a common burial. He was a good man and deserves better than that.”

  60 Pilate contemplated Joseph for a moment, and then asked, “Why would you give a rich man's grave to a poor man? Just bury him deep beneath a stone and nobody will bother the body.”

  61 Then a thought seemed to spring into Pilate's head and he exclaimed, “You are a Sanhedrin. It was the lot of you that brought this Galilean to my attention in the first place. Why would you honor him now in burial?”

  62 Joseph bowed his head in thought, let out a deep sigh and answered Pilate, saying, “Not all of the Greater Sanhedrin were opposed to Yeshua of Nazareth and what he taught and did.

  63 In truth, like me, many, if not the majority, found enlightenment in his teachings which helped us to become more than we were- kinder, thoughtful, humble and helpful.

  64 So too were we astounded by his miracles which brought us to praise God and know with certainty that there is more to life than existence and that man is but an embryo of what he can become.

  65 He lifted us in spirit to places we had never been and brought a peace into our hearts that stills all turmoil.

  66 His success and teachings threatened the hierarchy of our religion, even as he was crucified because you felt that he was a threat to Rome. But he is dead now and a threat to none anymore. Therefore, I beseech you to give me his body that he might find in death a peace and protection from those who understood him not at all in life.”

  67 “Fine; take the body!” Pilate exclaimed with some irritation as he turned quickly on his heel and strode away ending the meeting. “See that it is arranged,” he ordered the centurion who stood in the entry as he passed through.

The Burial of Yeshua

  68 And it came to pass that Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Yeshua and laid it on a raised stone slab in the spacious tomb he had cut into solid rock. And in the manner of the tribe of Judah, Miriam, Martha, Salome and Miryam the mother of Yeshua came into the tomb, with Nicodemus of Bethsaida.

  69 They washed and straightened the body of Yeshua, then took strips of clean linen about the width of a forearm and tightly wrapped the body from the armpits to the ankles.

  70 Upon each layer of linen they liberally smeared a heavy coating of a gummy mixture made from about one hundred pounds of myrrh, aloe and other aromatic spices.

  71 Layer upon layer the body of Yeshua was wrapped until it had the almost rounded appearance of a cocoon.

  72 Yeshua's face and hair were then anointed with oil of nard and a small, separate linen napkin was placed over it.  Lastly, his body was lifted and placed on a large linen that then folded back over and covered him on the top as well as the bottom.

  73 Then a large, circular, solid stone was rolled down in a groove and set into place completely sealing the tomb. The stone was as tall and thick as a man, and standing at the bottom of a downhill slope, only several strong men could ever move it again.

  74 The following day Caiaphas, the Chief Judge of the Sanhedrin, came to Pilate. “I understand one of our own has buried the body of the deceiver in his tomb.”

  75 “Yes,” Pilate replied casually. “He asked permission and I could see no reason to deny him. Nor do I care to be bothered anymore about this Galilean. So if you are here to talk about him, it is best you leave.”

  76 “Favor me but one more thing,” Caiaphas pleaded. “As I told you previously, it has been said by some that when the deceiver said he would rebuild the temple in three days, he was secretly telling his followers that he would rise from the dead after three days.

  77 I fear that his followers might come in the night and steal away the body that they can proclaim to the people that he has risen, for the tomb will be empty. A myth perpetuated about the deceiver would be worse than having him still alive and inspire the Zealots to actions they might not otherwise take.

  78 Therefore, I beseech you to seal the tomb with mortar and place a strong guard about it, at least until the three days have passed.

  79 “Very well,” Pilate replied with exasperation. “Now never, never, speak to me of this man again, unless you see him come back from the dead, walking in the street leading an army of rebels.”

  80 Then Pilate turned to his Centurion and ordered, “See that the tomb of this Galilean is sealed and guarded by a Contuberniuma until the fifth day of the week has passed. And see that nobody comes near the tomb until after the fifth day.”

  81 “As you command, so shall it be done,” replied the Centurion, and he turned and departed from the room to obey the orders of Pilate.

  82 And the eight soldiers of the Contubernium went to the sepulcher that held the body of Yeshua and they made their camp nearby, then sealed the entry stone with mortar and placed two guards to stand before it.

The Death of Yudas Iscariot

  83 Now it came to pass on the same day that the body of Yeshua died that Yudas Iscariot sat alone in a field contemplating the dreadful thing that Yeshua had asked him to do. And Miriam came to him, asking, “Yudas, why do you still remain among the living?”

  84 Yudas turned to her with a dour look saying, “Yes, it is nice to see you too Miriam.”

  85 “Pardon me for being so abrupt Yudas,” Miriam answered contritely. “I honor you for the courage you have and your devotion to Yeshua to do all that he has asked. But the day is ending and it is to this day that you made your promise to Yeshua.”

  86 Yudas sighed and replied, “Yes, it is easy to be courageous when we are speaking about doing something. Then I was filled with humble pride that Yeshua had called upon me. But now when what was spoken of must be done, my courage is gone.

  87 My faith in the resurrection of promise given by Yeshua remains. My spirit is willing, but the man of this world whose body I am in, is weak and afraid to do what I promised to do.”

  88 “I can help you Yudas,” Miriam said gently offering him her hand.

  89 Yudas held her hand and looked at her, and a countenance of peace came over his face. “I would like that Miriam. I would like that very much.”

  90 Then Miriam took him in an instant to the Gihon spring and they appeared below the water and she was with him. He looked at her serenely with perfect faith and breathed in the water and died in peace.

  91 Shortly thereafter some people of Jerusalem came to the spring to fetch water and saw his body and retrieved it from the water. And one of them was a disciple of Yeshua named Nemiah, exclaimed, “I know this man. He is Yudas Iscariot; he whom the priests have been telling everyone betrayed Yeshua of Nazareth who was crucified.”

  92 Others were there who were also disciples of Yeshua and they knew not that Yudas was said to have betrayed him. But hearing of it and seeing the body, one of them proclaimed, “He has killed himself in sorrow at his treachery.”

  93 Another added, “Death by drowning is too good and easy for such a scoundrel. Let us take him to a tree and hang his body that it can be eaten by the vultures as befits a traitor.”

  94 So saying, three men pulled the body of Yudas out of the building of the spring and tied a rope to his feet and dragged his body along the rocky ground until they found a suitable tree and then they took the rope off his feet and hung him by his neck from the tree and departed.

  95 There hung the body of Yudas for some hours while daylight remained. Many people who were followers of Yeshua came to see it and revile it, for the word had quickly spread that it was he whom the priests had said betrayed Yeshua leading to his crucifixion

  96 And they hit and poked the body of Yudas with sticks, and the rope on his neck broke and his body fell to the ground splitting open on a rock. And the people spit upon it and threw rocks upon it until it could no longer be recognized as a man.

  97 As evening was falling the wife of Yudas Iscariot heard of the fate of her husband and came with the Apostles and they took his battered body and buried it.

  98 And Cephas rebuked those who were present that had come to revile and desecrate the body of Yudas, and said unto them, “Who has told you that this man, who was one of us, betrayed the Lord of Light? Whatever you have heard, it is not true.

  99 He was called to a high and holy calling by the Lord of Light himself and breathed every breath to do as the Yeshua desired, as do we all.

  100 He did nothing save that which the Lord of Light asked of him. Therefore, put away your sticks and stones and seek to repent of the evil you have done unto him and his family, for he was an honorable man.”

  101 Thereafter, because of the words of Cephas and the other Apostles in days that followed, some of the people came to understood the righteousness of Yudas Iscariot, but most continued to believe the worst and continued to speak of Yudas in unkind ways.  And these erroneous assumptions continued to be encouraged by the religious hierarchy as a way to further destroy the people's faith in the teachings of Yeshua.

Miriam Opens the Sepulcher

  102 After three days, following the changing of the guard when four soldiers were present, Miriam came to the sepulcher of Yeshua. She walked down to the base of the stone that sealed the entry and put her hand upon it.

  103 Seeing her, one of the Romans exclaimed, “Begone woman! No one is allowed to come near the tomb.”

  104 And Miriam replied to them, saying, “I am the wife of the great one inside and I have come to see him as he asked me to come upon the morning of this day.”

  105 One of the soldiers pointed to the tomb and said, “Are you blind? The tomb is sealed. And were it not sealed it would need four or more strong men to move the stone up the hill. Now begone lest you incur our wrath.”

  106 “Perhaps it is you who should begone,” answered Miriam with words both quiet and sure, “before you incur my wrath.”

  107 Seeing she would not move, one of the soldiers called to his fellows back at camp and the four other soldiers of the Contubernium also came to stand at the tomb and confront Miriam.

  108 The Roman soldiers did not seem to want to hurt her and tried to reason with her; one of them saying, “Come back in a couple of days and we will be gone and you can pay your respects before the tomb. But our orders are clear and you cannot be here now. We do not wish to harm you, a grieving widow as you are, but if you do not leave we will be forced to remove you.”

  109 “But I have not come to pay my respects,” Miriam replied. “I have come to see my husband. For today he who was dead, is alive.”

  110 Some of the soldiers laughed at her words and one of them told her, “It is for that cause that we are here and the tomb has been sealed, for it was rumored that those who followed him thought to make it appear as if he had come back from the dead. That is not going to happen woman, so leave!”

  111 “I think not,” Miriam responded. “Leave me be or stay and you shall see that he has risen as he said he would.”

  112 “I have had enough of this nonsense,” exclaimed one of the soldiers, and he made to grab Miriam and haul her away. But no sooner did he reach out to grasp her than before he could lay his hand upon her he fell to the ground with an exclamation of pain, holding his one hand in the other. And the hand that he held was bright red as if it had just been withdrawn from a hot fire.

  113 “By Jupiter!” exclaimed the soldier on the ground. “That woman is a witch! I did not even touch her and my hand burns in pain.”

  114 Hearing his words and seeing him upon the ground, the other soldiers quickly drew their short swords and encircled Miriam as she stood before the tomb, her hand still resting upon the great stone laid before the entry.

  115 One of the soldiers spoke to Miriam, saying, “We tried to be nice to you widow, but now you have forced us to arrest you. Come with us now peacefully and we will not hurt you.”

  116 “No, I think not,” Miriam answered again. “I have come to open the tomb as my husband bade me to do. And so must I do.”

  117 “Foolish woman,” spat one of the soldiers. “You are drawing our ire. Come with us now and it will go better for you. The tomb is sealed. And were it not, ten women could not move the stone and we certainly are not going to do it for you.

  118 “I have not asked you to move the stone,” Miriam replied. “I can do it myself.”

  119 Then Miriam reached up as high as she could with one hand to touch the top of the great stone along its edge where it met the mortar. With seemingly little effort she pulled it forward and there was the sound of crumbling as the mortar sealing the stone gave way.

  120 As the heavily sealed stone tilted forward toward the soldiers she gave it a push and they stepped back to protect themselves from its fall and watched in astonishment as it toppled with a loud thud that shook the earth and laid flat upon the ground at their feet.

The Resurrection of Yeshua

  121 Uncomprehending what they had just seen, the soldiers fled from the tomb and Miriam walked alone into the sepulcher.

  122 Upon the stone table were the linens that they had wrapped Yeshua in. She came to the table and touched them and held them in her hand, and as she did she heard his voice calling to her and turned to see him standing beside her.

  123 She stepped forward to embrace him, but he forbade her, saying, “Touch me not beloved, for I have not yet ascended to our Mother and Father in the Celestine Realm, and to them I must first appear that my resurrection may be perfected before my body may be touched. But give me the kiss in spirit that was promised.”

  124 “The Celestine Realms are far; beyond the stars.” Miriam responded, even as she kissed him with her spirit.  How will you go to our Mother and Father and return again in time that I may see you again before I too pass from this world?”

  125 “Fear not,” Yeshua answered. To the resurrected, even beyond the stars is but a thought away. I shall go there and return to you in glory before the next day comes.

  126 Until I come again, go and speak to Cephas and my other Apostles. Tell them of all that you have seen and heard.”

127 Miriam bowed her head and said, “As you will my Lord, so shall it be.” And when she looked up Yeshua was gone.

The Soldier's Tale

  128 While Miriam was going to announce the resurrection of Yeshua to the Apostles, the soldiers that had been on watch at the tomb came into the city and related to their superiors all that they had seen and heard.

  129 A runner was sent to the temple to demand the immediate presence of priests and when a priest and three Sanhedrin, who were all Sadduceesb, had arrived, the Roman Centurion in charge of the tomb watch led the party back to the sepulcher.

  130 They all entered and saw the burial linens upon the table caked with spices and the napkin that had been upon the face of Yeshua and the shroud that had covered his body, and they knew not what to make of it.

  131 The Centurion questioned the men of the watch, saying, “Tell me now in truth, how was the guardian stone felled upon the ground? What has happened to the body that was here?”

  132 The leader of the watch answered him, saying, “As we told you, a woman came to the tomb claiming to be the widow of the man inside. She said she had come to see him. We forbade her and went to arrest her when she reached up with one hand and pulled the guardian stone forward so that it fell upon the ground, even as you now see it laying.”

  133 “That is impossible,” The Centurion proclaimed. “It would take at least two men and a lever to topple the stone. No woman could do it alone with her hand. Have you men been drinking?”

  134 “No Centurion,” replied the chief of the watch. “I assure you that we had been here faithfully fulfilling our duty as soldiers of Rome.”

  135 “Perhaps there were others of his followers hidden above the tomb,” suggested one of the Sanhedrin. “And they secretly inserted a pry bar from above making it seem as if the woman felled the stone.”

  136 “No!” the chief of the watch announced firmly, “There were no others; only the woman.”

  137 “I have heard it said that the wife of the man who was in the tomb is a witch,” offered one of the other soldiers of the watch as an explanation. “Perhaps it is by magic that the stone was felled and the body disappeared.”

  138 “Unlikely,” interjected another of the Sanhedrin. “It is certain that more of his followers were present and opened the tomb and took the body. You were deceived by their trickery; that is all.”

  139 “No.” replied the chief of the guard. “We were here; all eight of us. You were not. We know what we saw.

  140 As for the body, where it went, we cannot say, for so startled were we by the woman toppling the guardian stone that we came at once to the Centurion. It is our shame, for we should have left some on guard, and surely we will be punished for our dereliction.”

  141 The Centurion nodded his head in agreement, saying, “When the governor hears of this it will go hard for you; that is certain.”

  142 One of the Sanhedrin, stepped forward and put his hand on the arm of the Centurion saying, “Let this not get to the governors ear, or to any of our people; at least nothing about the widow and the fallen guardian stone or the missing body. Let it be as if your tongues have been cut out about this and we shall reward you handsomely.”

  143 Speaking to the soldiers of the watch the Sanhedrin said, “We are certain that despite what you think you saw, that something else entirely occurred and we do not want false rumors circulating among our people.

  144 Obviously, a woman cannot topple the guardian stone of a sepulcher; no more than a body can disappear from one without thieves coming in the night to take it.

  145 Surely that is exactly what happened. The man in the tomb said he would come back in three days. But as the dead cannot rise, some of his followers must have come and taken the body in the night and you were fooled by the woman toppling the stone. There can be no other reasonable explanation. Would you not agree?”

  146 The leader of the watch shook his head negatively, saying, “I am sorry, but I do not agree. I know what I saw, what we saw, and it was not as you say.”

  147 “Do you look forward to your punishment for failing to stay at your watch?” asked the Sadducee.

  148 “Of course not;” replied the chief of the watch. “But we are Roman soldiers and will take our due."

  149 “Or,” began the Sadducee, “you could take three months wages, each man, and a year for the Centurion, to relate the events as we have deduced them: that there was no woman and that a group of his followers came in the night while you slept and toppled the stone and stole the body before you could stop them.”

  150 The soldiers looked at one another weighing the Sadducee's offer. “We will still be punished for letting the thieves steal the body,” the leader of the watch stated. “But the money will help ease the pain. So perhaps what occurred is as you say.”

  151 “I do not want their money,” one of the soldiers announced angrily. “We will be punished whether we tell the truth or a lie and I would rather speak true than false.”

  152 “We have the ear of the governor,” offered one of the Sanhedrin. “If you all, every man, will tell only what we have said and nothing more, we will speak with the governor on your behalf. If he still punishes you, we will double everything that we pay to each man.”

  153 Hearing this, all the men nodded in agreement and thus was the story put forth among the Children of Israel about how the body of Yeshua disappeared from the tomb.

Miriam Announces Yeshua's Resurrection to the Apostles

  154 During the time that the soldiers and the Sanhedrin were at the sepulcher, Miriam sought out the Apostles as Yeshua had bade her and she found them gathered in a house on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

  155 She went among them and told them that Yeshua had risen as he had promised, and she related how the tomb was empty and the linens they had wrapped him in had been opened asunder, and that the napkin they had put over his face, lay even now upon the stone table of the sepulcher along with the covering shroud.

  156 She also related to them how she had seen him and spoken with him and that he had promised to soon be among them, but many of the Apostles seemed to doubt her.

  157 “Oh that it could be true,” sighed Philip. “But you said you did not touch him so perhaps you only imagined he was there. Maybe it was in a dream of desire that you saw the tomb was open.” And several of the other Apostles nodded in agreement with his words.

  158 Miriam looked at him them with a startled expression. “What men of faith are you? Did I imagine that the sepulcher is opened and Yeshua's body is gone? It is a simple thing for you to go and see.

  159 Yeshua told you that he would rise and return on the third day and you doubt that it has come to pass?

  160 I have testified to you that I opened the tomb, and spoke to him, and he promised to return to you.  Knowing this you question whether I have told you the truth?

  161 Perhaps you who doubt should return to your homes and let Yeshua come and call new Apostles who will have the faith needed to move the mountains that must be moved.”

  162 “I believe you Miriam,” Cephas assured her.

  163 “As do I,” added Yohannan.

  164 The other Apostles were chastised and contrite, and all nodded and voiced their assurances as well; even Philip.

  165 “Still, let us go now to the tomb;” added Cephas. “That our eyes may also be witnesses of the miracle.”

  166 And they went to the tomb, all save Toma and Mattayah who had gone into Jerusalem, and they entered the sepulcher and saw that it was empty.

  167 They took the linens with which Yeshua had been wrapped and the napkin that had been upon his face, and the shroud that had covered his body, and they returned to the house where they had been, giving praise and thanks unto the Father and the Mother for the resurrection they knew had occurred.

  168 The next morning as they were gathered together for the morning meal, and Miriam and Salome with them, Yeshua appeared in the midst of them and said unto them, “Peace be unto you.” And the Apostles were startled by his appearance for the door was shut and several fell to their knees giving thanks unto Elohim when they saw him.

  169 And he called them to him and opened his robe and said unto them, “Come feel the scars of the nails in my wrists, my hands and my feet, and the wound in my side, that you may testify to the world that I am Yeshua of Nazareth that was crucified and now has risen to be among you again, not as a spirit, but with a body of flesh and bone.”

  170 And they came forth, one by one and touched the scars in his wrists, hands and feet, and in his side, and embraced him.

  171 Then Yeshua sat down at the table and supped with them on boiled fish and fresh greens.

  172 He spoke to them, saying, “Blessed are you, for now you have seen everything and you believe. But even more blessed are those who shall come after you and not having seen will believe.

  173 And it is by the testimony of the Holy Spirit of Elohim that they shall believe.  Such a testimony is greater than the witness of the eyes and the hearing of the ears, for it is a touching of the soul of man to the soul of God.”

  174 Yeshua got up from the table and walked over to a corner of the room and said unto them, “Come now to me and receive the Holy Spirit in fullness, all save Miriam in whom the Holy Spirit already in fullness dwells.”

  175 And they came forth, one by one and knelt down before Yeshua, and he laid his hands upon their head and said unto them, “In the name of the Father and Mother I call upon the Holy Spirit to come into you in fullness. You have been touched by their love in the past; now be overcome by it even to the depth of your soul, that no more can you doubt; for the testimony of the Holy Spirit will burn like a fire within you that you cannot deny. So be it!”

  176 As each came forth and knelt before Yeshua and had his hands upon their head, and received the Holy Spirit of Elohim into their soul in fullness, a look of rapture came upon their face, and for a moment it seemed as if they were no longer of this world, but of one far grander and glorious.

  177 Shortly after the Apostles and Salome had received the Holy Spirit, there came a knock at the door.

  178 Philip answered and fell back into the room with an exclamation of surprise. Three men entered. One was Toma, another was Mattayah, and the third was Yudas Iscariot who though he smelled terrible, with clothes all torn asunder, was in fact alive and whole before them.

  179 Immediately Toma and Mattayah went to Yeshua and fell to one knee and bowed their heads before him. And Toma kissed his feet saying, “Blessed be, it is you Yeshua! All is as you said it would be.

  180 As you commanded, we went in secret after the third day of his death to the place where Yudas was buried and waited for the sign that you said would come.

  181 For several hours we waited when suddenly the ground erupted forth into the sky and fell in pieces all about us. And rising from the hole was the same Yudas Iscariot that we had buried in several pieces three days before.”

  182 Then Yudas made to come forth but stopped and spoke from across the room to Yeshua, saying, “Lord of Light, I was dead and now I am alive. I was torn asunder and now I am whole; praise be to Elohim from whom all things, even life after death, can be.

  183 Forgive me that I come not closer to you. Though I am now alive again and my body whole, I know that I stink greatly from laying in the ground and I pray you will allow me first to clean myself and change my clothes, and apply oils that I may greet you in sweetness, rather than putridness.”

  184 “Of course Yudas,” Yeshua replied. “We have much to discuss, you and I, and your brother Apostles. But first clean yourself, for you are a new man in many ways.

  185 Go then to your wife and children that they may grieve no more and know with a certainty that you live again. Show yourself to no one else. Then come again to us at this place on the morrow.”

  186 Yudas bowed to Yeshua with his head and a slight bend of his body and said, “Thank you Lord of Light; thank you, thank you for everything.” Then he backed out of the door and closed it behind him.

  187 “An amazing miracle,” Cephas exclaimed in awe. “Yeshua and Yudas return to us again. I am at a loss for further words.”

  188 “Not a miracle,” Yeshua announced. “You merely see in the flesh the resurrection given by the Elohim to all people; some to resurrect to greater light, and others to greater darkness, by the purity or impurity of their soul.

  189 Verily, the righteous live each day with happiness knowing something greater awaits in a life to come that will never end.

  190 But the wicked fear death, for they know in their deepest heart that they will be held accountable for their wickedness, and the darkness of judgment that awaits chills their soul.”

  191 Miriam came to Yeshua and held him close to her and Salome held close to Miriam, and Miriam looked to him saying, “Beloved, let us move outside to a place of fresher air and leave open the door that this place may also be refreshed before we meet here again.”

  192 Yeshua smiled at her knowing she was referring to the odor left by Yudas Iscariot and nodded his head in agreement. And with eagerness, everyone in the room quickly went outside.

  193 Together, Yeshua, Miriam, Salome and the Apostles walked out into the country toward the Jordan and Yeshua began to tell them marvelous things about themselves, who they truly were, who they had been, and who they would become if they stayed faithful to what they knew to be true.

  194 With each step, as their eyes beheld the living, resurrected Lord of Light, and his words fell upon their ears and into their hearts, they walked out of the shadows of the past and into the glorious light of their destiny to fulfill.