Jesus In India — Page 73
CHAPTER ONE 63 that he left the sepulchre, which was a chamber with an opening, and though it is also true that he secretly met the disciples, yet it is not true at all that he was given any new and glorious body. It was the same body, and the same wounds, and there was the same fear in his heart lest the accursed Jews should arrest him again. Just study closely Matthew 28:7–10. In these verses it is clearly written that the women who were told by someone that Jesus, the Messiah, was alive and was going to Galilee, and who were also quietly told that they should inform the disciples, were no doubt pleased to hear this, but they departed with hearts full of fear. In other words, they were still afraid lest Jesus, the Messiah, might even now be caught by some wicked Jew. And in verse 9 it is said that while these women were on their way to inform the disci- ples, Jesus, the Messiah, met and greeted them with the greeting of peace. And in verse 10 it is said that Jesus, the Messiah, told them not to be afraid, that is to say do not be afraid of me being caught, but tell my brothers that they should go to Galilee;✩¹ that they would see me there, i. e. , he could not stay here for fear of the enemies. In short, if Jesus, the Messiah, had really come to life after his death and had assumed a glorious body, it was up to him to furnish proof of this new kind of existence to the Jews. But we know that he did not discharge this duty of providing such proof. 1. Note: Here, Jesus, the Messiah, did not console the women with the words that he had now risen with a new and glorious body and that no one could now lay his hands upon him. Instead, seeing the women weak and frail he consoled them casually, as men are wont to always console women. In short, he gave no proof of the glorious body; rather, he exhibited his flesh and bones and thus demonstrated that his was an ordinary mortal body. (Author)