Empty Tomb

I recently came across an old beaten and well worn manuscript. Its content is one of great interest to me and I believe that others might find it of sincere importance. As far as I can tell, it comes from a person writing down their account of the holy week in which Jesus was crucified. True or not, this exceptional story is one worth sharing.

With Jesus of Nazareth’s death still heavy on my heart, I prepared for Passover. After what I had seen and experienced during his crucifixion, I was ritually unclean and needed to go to the mikvah and wash. I washed myself. Normally it doesn’t take me very long. I had done the ritual so many times because I am constantly around the diseased and dying that washing has become second nature to me. This time was different, however. I took my time. I thought about my own body and how precious it was to me. Watching my hands wash over my arms, chest, and groin gave me a sense of profound wonder. I was alive. I was a part of G-D’s creation. I was. I exist. 

After getting out of the pools, I went to the temple to offer my sacrifices. My heart was heavy and I could not stop thinking about the crucifixion. Upon leaving the courtyard, however, I ran into the disciple that invited me to the gathering. He didn’t immediately recognize me, and he seemed oddly out of it—both exhausted yet joyous. I walked up to him and touched his arm which startled him, but he smiled and gave me an embracing hug. 

I began to cry. I should be the one hugging him, for he had just lost his teacher. But he said to me, ‘Baruch, my brother Baruch, why are you weeping? Have you not heard?’ 

I couldn’t even respond. I just kept crying on him. Weeping for him. ‘Baruch, do not weep. Let the dead bury the dead, and let us live in his resurrection!’ 

‘Resurrection?’ The only word that could come out of my mouth as I pulled away from his embrace. I had no idea what he was talking about. 

‘Yes my brother. Jesus is risen! Indeed he has risen!’

‘Andrew, what are you talking about? He is dead.’ 

‘Yes, he died. And he told us what would happen, but we did not fully understand what he meant at first. He said that the son of humanity would return to life in three days. We assumed that he was speaking about Elijah returning and taking control of Jerusalem for G-D’s people. How wrong we were! It was him all along. Our teacher! He is the messiah! But not in the way we understand—or understood—the term. His death showed us that G-D is like one of us. Able to be betrayed, to suffer, and to die. But his bodily resurrection reveals to us that even in all this pain and suffering G-D, Light, and Life will always prevail. The tomb is empty my brother! There is hope after all!’

At this he gave me a kiss and embraced me, and he began heading towards the temple. 

How can that be? Resurrection? Much less a bodily resurrection? It doesn’t make sense, nor is it plausible. His disciples are really grasping for meaning in this troublesome and traumatic time, and I feel sorry for them. This can’t be true and I won’t believe it.