Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 226
? 219 for thus, his greatest prophecy turns out to be false and so also the word that was revealed to Isaiah and what was foretold by some other prophets. It is established therefore, that Jesus did not offer the sacrifice which is ascribed to him by those who subscribe to the theory of vicarious atonement; nor did he make any atonement. STORY OF CRUCIFIXION Now we shall examine whether the incident that took place confirms the fact that Jesus would enter the tomb alive, would stay in the tomb alive and come out of the tomb alive or it establishes the fact that he entered the tomb dead, remained in the tomb dead and rose out of it resurrected. I would mention here some basic facts pertaining to this end which make it clear that the Messiah did not die on the Cross. The foremost point is the fact that the officer before whom the Messiah was hauled up was a well-wisher of Jesus and a friend of some of his followers. Of the Messiah's followers who had not yet become his disciples openly but believed in him at heart, one was Joseph Arimathea. According to the New Testament, being a respectable and wealthy person among the Jews, he was a friend of Pilate and when Messiah appeared before Pilate, he tried