Where Did Jesus Die? — Page 37
Chapter Three—The Story of the Resurrection 37 aroused Jesus to full consciousness. Fortunately, the earth- quake also had the effect of rolling away the stone from the mouth of the grave. The Lord stripped off the grave clothes and put on a gardener’s dress. That was what made Mary, as we are told in John XX-15, to take him for the gardener. Through the women he sends a message to his disciples bidding them meet him in Galilee, and himself sets out to go thither. At Emmaus as the dusk was fall- ing, he met two of his followers, who at first failed to recognise him because his countenance was so disfigured by his sufferings. But his manner of giving thanks at the breaking of the bread, and the nail prints in the uplifted hands, revealed to them who he was. From them he learns where his disciples are, returns to Jerusalem, and appears unexpectedly among them. This is the explanation of the apparent contradiction between the message pointing to Galilee and the appearance in Jerusalem. In this way Jesus lived with them for forty days, spend- ing part of that time with them in Galilee, in consequence of the ill-treatment which he had undergone, he was capa- ble of continuous exertion. He lived quietly and gathered strength for the brief moments in which he appeared among his own followers and taught them. When he felt his end drawing near he returned to Jerusalem. On the Mount of Olives, in the early sunlight, he assembled his followers for the last time. He lifted up his hands to bless them and with hands still raised in benediction he moved away from them. A cloud interposes itself between them and him, so that their eyes cannot follow him. As