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An Heretical Easter Story - Did Jesus Really Die? - Page 4

© Richard Kent Matthews

They lead him away, forcing him to drag his own instrument of torture to the site of execution, Golgotha, the place of the skull.

Meanwhile, Joseph and Nicodemis are waiting at Golgotha for Yeshua's execution procession to arrive. As soon as it reaches the destination, the Roman soldiers immediately lay Yeshua down on the cross, driving nails through his wrists and ankles, then tying him to the wooden beams, and hoisting it upright. Yeshua lets out a low but audible groan. His mother and brothers and sisters and some of his women companions kneel at his feet, weeping bitterly. "Behold, your son," he whispers to his mother.

Yeshua cries out for water. Immediately Nicodemis lifts up a long stake with a sponge on one end and places it near Yeshua's parched lips. It is saturated with the narcotic Joseph has told Nicodemis to prepare. "Drink," he insists. "Drink quickly." Yeshua, not realizing it is a drug, takes a small mouthful from the sponge, swallows it, and turns his head away. "No more," he moans. "No more!" He then looks upward toward heaven, blood streaming from where the Romans have placed the crown of thorns, and, eyes growing heavy, cries out, "My God, my God! Why have you turned your back on me?" With that, his head drops slowly to his chest. He faintly utters, "It is finished" and passes into unconsciousness. The sky darkens. . .

"Is he dead?" Nicodemis asks, nervously.

"He can't be," whispers Longinus. "He hasn't been on the cross long enough. Let me pierce his side slightly so I can tell Pilate that he is indeed dead." With that, Longinus touches his spear to Yeshua's side. Immediately, there is a flow of blood and plasma, caused by shock. But he is not dead. Blood does not flow from a corpse, even within a few minutes after death. "You see," whispers Longinus. "The blood still flows. The Master lives. He is only unconscious."

As the small group of followers disbands and the Roman soldiers divest Yeshua of his garments, Joseph anxiously whispers to Nicodemis and Longinus, "Quickly! We must get him down off the cross at once! Now!" The three of them rapidly lay the cross down on the ground, and pry the spikes from Yeshua's wrists and ankles. "Get him to the new tomb before it gets dark." They hurry away with the body of their Master. Once inside the tomb, and away from prying eyes, they begin their most urgent work. They cleanse the body with clean water and then oil it. Afterward, they apply the aloe and myrrh and other spices to Yeshua's wounds and set splints to his fractured limbs. When they finish, they wrap him in fresh linen strips. They then cover him with a new white linen sheet and lay him gently in the corner of the tomb. Joseph reminds them: "He must have absolute rest and no one must know he is alive. The next 48 hours will determine if we got him off the cross in time. He is in shock and must stay warm. Longinus, arrange to have this tomb guarded by your own men tonight and tomorrow. Can you do that?"

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