I have seen it before in so many different ways. People who just want the spotlight. The cheering, the news, the crowds calling out your name. They live only for this. They are schemers, great thinkers, and people who could have made a greater contribution to the human race. Here he is crying with the women. The tears were flowing down his eyes like a waterfall tumbling to the river below. His red scarf is dirty and now getting wet, but he uses it to dry his eyes. But the tears won’t stop now. He is on his set, fixed on his role as a benevolent brother.
What kind of a man cries at a wake? Such a fake, but I see right through the drama. They had sent for him when the friend was very ill. Wreaking from pain and burning with a hot fever. But he didn’t come. Said he was too busy at the moment. How busy can a miracle worker be? He had made his plan and coming here then was not convenient with his plan. But his miracles and wonders were all a part of his quest for fame and glory.
Once it was said that he made a lamed man walk.
I was able to resolve it, even though the council did not accept my proof. Yet, I knew how he did it. He paid one of his members to visit the town about two months before he came. The member was playing the role of a maimed man whose legs did not work, After a while, everyone knew this man and his illness. When the false prophet appeared, the paid worker just finished his role. Got up and walked.
He kept all the glory to himself.
Two weeks after the illness started, the friend was as dead as a donkey. And to make matters worse, he arrived six days after his friend died. He didn’t even attend the funeral. Yet here he is in time to cry, is that some sort of brotherly love?
Every woman here is crying and I am so glad my wife’s not here. Imagine the shame and disgrace if the word got out of here that an Elder’s wife was seen crying. The council was already watchful of me. I must be very careful.
The little girl over at Jairus wasn’t dead, just in a deep sleep, but his luck scored again, everyone believed. But I Heard the doctor talking to Jairus’ wife. He had told them to be patient, the little girl would soon come out of it.
He got there in time, ushered everyone else from the room, then woke the girl up. His own words were ‘Little girl, wake up.
And everyone believed him and gave him the glory. No one gives me glory when I make sure that the streets are free of criminals and prostitutes. No, they never did.
But this time it would be different. We have sent spies to follow him all the way here. And three guards to protect the tomb. They took turns, making sure to overlap shifts so that there were always two guards at the tomb.
There was another man before him. He had come up from Corinth and started preaching the resurrection concept, similar to this man. Judas had managed to fake two resurrections before he was eventually caught. I had trapped him well. We followed him, then infiltrated his band of disciples. We soon learned of his next plan to prove a resurrection. He waited for the death of someone in the town. He waited only three days.
A man called Nathaniel had died. Judas had rushed over to the funerals, explaining how the dead man would rise and fly off to heaven. He wanted three cows for his sacrifice. This sacrifice was always in secret and far away from the town. The family made it through his trick and gave him the cows. We followed him and weren’t surprised that he was trading the animals for good money. We arrested him there and then.
This guy also had two. None of them had been buried. This would not become his third. Not on my watch.
He has started the show.
‘ Didn’t I tell you to have faith, Martha? Don’t stop believing,’
‘I know that he will live again in the resurrection. Yes, we all believe that. This what you taught us when we were kids.’
He smiled at her. Wasn’t he just crying a few minutes back? Just a scam. What a big fraud he was. How could these women be so blind? There was no such thing as a resurrection, just common grave robbers. I have brought the guards with me too. He was going to jail, just like Judas. I would make sure of that. The council would have to promote me after this one.
He plays a good show, I must hand it to him. Nothing like the common chantings that Judas used in his tramps or murmurings from bushes or animals. Pretty clean, could have fooled me.
Now he asked her like he did not know. Playing the fool and innocent, beguiling the prey even more. His hands were so charismatic.
‘Where did you bury him? Can you please show me?’
She went into shock, baffled by the thought of what he was suggesting. The other sister came running over too. Both were about to hug and Kiss his feet if it were allowed at a wake. She assured him carefully.
‘My Lord, he has been dead more than five days now, he is already rotting.’
I had sent the guards here, the same day the friend died. No one went close to the tomb. This time the robber would fail. He had sent his diggers ahead of him. But they failed. They had found a strongly guarded tomb. Day and night. They must have left before he could talk to them. Or else, he would not have started this show.
They may have discovered my plan and have fled the scene not wanting to share a similar fate with this scoundrel. Or, maybe, they were dispatched to another poor family to prepare for the resurrection, just like Judas did. Yet he rattled on, unaware of the tragedy that was about to unleash itself on him. Now he ordered them with all the pride the world has.
‘Please roll away the stone.’
The tomb was sealed by a huge stone. It took eight men to finally move it out of the way. There was an awful odor that filled the air. The stench of death and graves. I smiled and turned to see his face. There was nothing new in eyes, no shock, no pale cheeks looking where to run or hide. No, just that same glimmer of hope. What was he thinking?
He walked closer to the grave. My men got ready to take him. I signal for them to wait. Suddenly he stopped, lifted his hands to the clouds, and said:
‘Father, I know you always hear me, but so that they may believe that you sent me, honor your son.’
I wanted to laugh like Abraham, fall on my face, and laugh until my stomach ached. But there were too many people. Worst with the women crying. More people came closer to see what would happen. They were mostly women and so were also strong believers in him.
How would he get out of this one, I had no clue. How would he explain the body? Maybe tell her that there has been a delay. That something went wrong with the burial procedures or the resurrection ritual, and they would just repeat. Or, maybe the archangel Gabriel was delayed in a ferocious battle with Lucifer.
That would be the explanation. I can see Him now, as He explains himself away. Making that sword-swinging motion, swish, swish! He would then assure the two sisters to be a little patient. Gabriel would soon triumph since Lucifer was no match for him.
An old woman gazed at me with disgust in her eyes and resentment written across her shriveled brow. She must have noticed my smile. Soon she would come to understand it. She would later tell my story to her grandchildren. Just one moment more.
As he moved closer to the tomb, the multitude grew. This magician had a way of drawing huge followers. He would be a great teacher. What a waste of talent. I was finding it almost impossible to hold back my laughter. So, this was how it would all end. One last show, one last fraud. No more miracles, no more people waking up from the dead. No more fake blind men roaming the streets. Today it all ends here.
No time to recant or escape to the hills or the sea, where we could not follow. He was mine now. No one would care. Just like old Judas. No one mourned his death. Plus, all these women with whom he has been crying would now turn their backs on him.
At least, Judas was able to get the bodies out of the tombs, long before the people would wake up when the rooster crowed. I smiled again. I pat myself on the shoulder. I have really done well. This time the council would be proud of me. They would die of envy at my success. They would swear under their breaths but publicly would admire me.
I would even be recommended for the top seat next year. And may even be dispatched to Pontius Pilate’s investigations. In a sad way, I would owe it all to his failure to investigate a little bit more.
One more day with the group he may have seen that my two disciples were fake. They followed him only during the day and then disappeared in the early evening to give their reports. But He is so blind.
Now he shouted loudly and clearly, ‘Lazarus, come out!’
There was complete silence, and even I was taken by surprise. We all stared in shock and awe. A figure came walking out of the tomb. He was still wrapped in the balming clothes that we buried him in. The silence was deafening as he walked forward and the people fell back.
The captain of my guards stumbled blindly toward me. His mouth gaped and his face pale and ashen. Even as he tugged at my robe, I knew what I would have to do. What would happen when the dead man started giving his testimony? Would they give in like my soldier?
The crowd was thickening now. They were already pressing hard against me. I had to go quickly. This man, this Lazarus could not be left to live. As I turned to leave I could clearly hear him say:
‘Set him free and give him something to eat.’
I couldn’t linger anymore. The council would have to meet urgently. We would have to plot Lazarus’ disappearance. Or this Jesus would soon create a revolution. This time they would have to listen.