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Easter Novel

The Lord is risen indeed

This is the first digital edition of a novel about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This digital edition was written in 2021 and 2022. The novel is based entirely on biblical data, the four Gospels, Acts, and 1 Corinthians 15.

No historical fact is as important as the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For every person on earth, a personal investigation into the veracity of the resurrection should be a top priority. If it is true—and it is—then everyone's life will be judged by Jesus Christ in the future. This will mean the total, final judgment for everyone, covering every detail of every year, day, and minute of every aspect of their life. This is immeasurably more important than any exam, job application, or earthly assessment. For it is subject to eternal retribution. Paul says that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof that He is the One who will one day judge the entire human race.

The resurrection is also the best-documented fact in history. Much recent history has been erased or distorted, written from the perspective of winners or the wealthy. Only a handful of manuscripts of ancient historical facts survive, usually dating back many hundreds of years to the events they report. The writings of the New Testament are different. More than five thousand manuscripts exist, many of which are complete collections of Bible books. The oldest of these date back to a few decades after Christ.

The resurrection is denied because it is supposedly impossible or contrary to the laws of nature. However, if these laws of nature do not exist in themselves but in God, and if God originated and upholds the laws of nature, then God is free to deviate from them whenever He so chooses. Instead of claiming that it is impossible for Jesus to have risen from the dead, one of his disciples and witnesses to the resurrection, Peter, claims the exact opposite. It is impossible that Jesus would not have risen. It is impossible that death could have held Jesus. After all, He is the Son of God. By rising from the dead, He proved to be the Son of God. Moreover, as a Man, He was the only Righteous One who ever lived. As the Righteous One, He was able to save others by bearing their sins in His body and suffering the judgment of death for them. The wages of sin is death. He did this on the cross. But because He was righteous in Himself, had committed no sin, knew no sin, and no sin dwelt in Him, and He Himself did not deserve that judgment, He could not remain in the grave. Therefore, He was raised by the glory of God the Father.

This novel shows how outsiders were drawn to Jesus at the beginning of our era. The author's great desire is that outsiders, in these last days before His coming, will also be drawn by the glory of His Person and find eternal life in Him, and that those who already know Him will be more intimately connected to Him.

Prologue

The sun had already set. The many cypress trees that adorned the mountainside cast long shadows. In the evening light, a small group of men hurried forward. They descended a narrow pass that ran down the mountainside. Two of them were stately dressed and looked like distinguished officials. They carried something between them. It was a body. The body was wrapped in a large piece of linen, which was draped lengthwise over the head from the feet down and extended back down at the feet. In places, the linen was stained red with blood. Four men carried the body. One of them held a facecloth tightly pressed to his head. The facecloth was soaked with blood. Blood clung to one of his hands. A small group of women followed close behind the men.

The foursome were in some hurry. Sunset marked the official beginning of the Jewish Sabbath. Performing servile labor on the Sabbath was strictly forbidden. The presence of two Jewish magistrates only made matters worse. With this action, they were risking their reputation and their position. However, the job was too important to leave until after the Sabbath. It had to be done now. Delay was unthinkable. Therefore, they hurried forward with the necessary caution.

Soon they reached the foot of the mountainside. They paused for a moment, panting. Then they continued on. They passed a low boulder wall and entered a garden bordered with shrubs and cypress trees. The garden lay against the mountainside, where a tomb had been carved. A huge round stone stood beside the tomb's opening, in a ledge that ran across the opening.

The body was carefully lifted into the tomb. Inside, it was dim. With difficulty, they could make out the flat ground that had been carved out as their final resting place. While they laid the body there with devotion and reverence, it proved to be somewhat too small. The body was considerably larger than average, and it was inevitable that it should be laid down with its legs slightly bent and its head bowed slightly.

Exhausted from walking forward for so long, carrying the heavy load, the men stretched backward several times, hands on their hips. The immense sadness that had filled their hearts all day gave way briefly to a moment of satisfaction. But immediately, sadness returned. The women in their entourage entered the grave, sobbing, to see where the body had been placed. Although strictly forbidden by Jewish law, they stooped to caress the linen in which the body was wrapped. The men went outside and waited until the women had finished paying their respects to the deceased. When they were all outside again, the wedge holding the stone in place was removed with great difficulty. The stone rolled down the ledge, covering the opening for the grave. Only a dozen strong men could now open the grave.

Next - Chapter 1