X.
1. Saint Issa went from place to place strengthening, by the word of God, the courage of the Israelites, who were ready to succumb under the weight of their despair, and thousands followed him to hear his preaching.
3. Then Pilate, the Governor of Jerusalem, ordered that the preacher Issa be arrested, brought to the city and conducted before the judges. Not to arouse the dissatisfaction of the people, however, Pilate commanded the priests and the learned men, old men of Hebrew origin, to judge him in the temple.
11. The priests and the old men that listened to him, full of admiration at his language, asked of him if it were true that he had attempted to arouse the people against the authorities of the country, as had been reported to the Governor, Pilate.
12. "Is it possible to arise against misled men from whom the obscurity has hidden their path and their door?" returned Issa. "I have only warned these unfortunate people, as I warn them in this temple, that they may not advance further on their dark paths, for an abyss is yawning beneath their feet."
15. And the learned men then said: "Who art thou, and from what country hast thou come into our own? We had never heard of thee, and do not even know thy name."
16. "I am an Israelite," responded Issa, "and, on the very day of my birth, I saw the walls of Jerusalem, and I heard the weeping of my brothers reduced to slavery, and the moans of my sisters carried away by pagans into captivity.
17. "And my soul was painfully grieved when I saw that my brothers had forgotten the true God; while yet a child, I left my father's house to go among other nations.
18. "But hearing that my brothers were enduring still greater tortures, I returned to the land in which my parents dwelt, that I might recall to my brothers the faith of their ancestors, which teaches us patience in this world that we may obtain perfect and sublime happiness on High."
19. And the learned old men asked him this question: "It is claimed that you deny the laws of Mossa and teach the people to desert the temple of God.
20. And Issa said: "We cannot demolish what has been given by our Heavenly Father and what has been destroyed by sinners; but I have recommended the purification of all stain from the heart, for that is the veritable temple of God.
XI.
1. Having heard Issa, the priests and learned men decided among themselves that they would not judge him, for he was doing no one harm, and having presented themselves before Pilate, made Governor of Jerusalem by the pagan king of the Romeles (Rome) they spoke to him thus:
2. "We have seen the man whom thou accuseth of inciting our people to rebellion, we have heard his preaching and know that he is of our people.
3. "But the rulers of the towns have sent thee false reports, for he is a just man who teaches the people the word of God. After interrogating him, we dismissed him that he might go in peace."
4. The Governor, overcome with passion, sent disguised servents to Issa, that they might watch all his actions and report to the authorities every word he addressed to the people.
XII.
1. "O just man," said the disguised servants of the Governor of Jerusalem, "tell us should we do the will of Caesar or await our deliverance?"
2. And Issa, having recognized in his questioners the spies sent to watch him, said to them: "I have not said that you should be delivered from Caesar; it is the soul plunged in error which shall have its deliverance.
3. "There can be no family without a head, and there would be no orders in a nation without a Caesar, who must be blindly obeyed, for he alone shall answer for his actions before the supreme tribunal."
XIII.
1. Saint Issa thus taught the people of Israel for 3 years in every city, in every village, on the roadways, and in the fields, and all that he had predicted had come to pass.
2. During all this time, the disguised servants of the Governor Pilate observed him closely, but without hearing anything that resembled the reports hitherto sent by the rulers of the cities concerning Issa.
3. But the Governor Pilate, becoming alarmed at the too great popularity of Saint Issa, who, according to his enemies, wanted to incite the people and be made king, ordered one of his spies to accuse him.
4. Soldiers were then sent to arrest him, and he was cast into a dungeon where he was made to suffer various torture that he might be forced to accuse himself, which would permit them to put him to death.
9. On the morrow the Governor called together the chief rulers, priests, elders and law-givers, with the object of making them pass judgment of Issa.
10. The Saint Issa was brought from his prison, and he was seated before the Governor between two thieves that were to be tried with him, to show the people that he was not the only one to be condemned.
11. And Pilate, addressing Issa, said: "O, man! is it true that thou hast incited the people to rebel against the authorities that thou mayest become king of Israel?"
21. The Governor then summoned the witness who, at the instigation of his master, Pilate, had betrayed Issa; and when this man came he addressed Issa thus: "Didst thou not claim to be the king of Israel in saying that the Lord of heaven had sent thee to prepare his people?"
22. And Issa having blessed him, said: "Thou shalt be forgiven, for what you sayest cometh not of thee!" Then turning to the Governor, he continued: "Why lower thy dignity and teach thy inferiors to live in falsehood, since, even without this, thous has the power to condemn an innocent man?"
23. At these words, the Governor became violently enraged and ordered the death of Issa.
24. The judges, having deliberated among themselves, said to Pilate: "We will not take upon our heads the great sin of condemning an innocent man and of acquitting two thieves, a thing contrary to our laws."
25. "Do therefore as thou please." Having thus spoken, the priests and wise men went out and washed their hands in a sacred vessel, saying: "We are innocent of the death of a just man."
XIV.
5. Pilate, however, becoming alarmed at his own actions, gave up the body of the holy man to his relations, who buried him near the place of his execution; the multitudes then came to pray over his tomb and filled the air with weeping and wailing.
6. Three days later, the Governor sent his soldiers to take up the body of Issa and bury it elsewhere, fearing a general uprising of the people.
7. The following day the sepulcher was found open and empty by the multitude; and the rumor immmediately spread that the Supreme Judge had sent his angels to take away the mortal remains of the saint in whom dwelt on earth a part of the Divine Spirit.
There
was no physical resurrection. Pilate's soldiers removed Issa's
body!
Source:
"The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ" by Nicolas Notovitch
It should be noted however, there is yet another account of Jesus'
burial and resurrection in the DEAD SEA SCROLLS, which I post at the end of this site.
NEXT
DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION
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