Easter In Their Shoes: Peter Part 3

Welcome back traveler. Although you approached not from the direction I thought you would. John must have sent you to the garrison to meet with his friend.

Now that you have those parts of the story, let me continue where we left off.

After the rooster crowed, I knew I had to follow and see how this all played out. As I wove myself through the crowds that were beginning to go about preparing for the Sabbath, I started to hear the people talking. Jerusalem was quickly learning the events of the previous night. With that many people and with as high of a profile that Jesus had, the news of his arrest spread like wildfire. Many were questioning why he had not done anything to resist. Surely a man who could heal the sick, make the lame walk, feed five thousand with only a few loaves and fish, would be able to fight off what ever came his way.

They did not have the whole story. They were not there. The story was getting twisted as it passed from person to person. By the time I reached Pilot’s residence, the courtyard was packed with people. I saw many of the priests scattered among the crowd. I also saw John, but knew I need to keep distance between us. Less we both could end up guilty by association.

Pilot brought out two men, one of them was Jesus, the other a man I recognized as Barabbas. He had finally gotten arrested after leading a revolt against Rome a few months earlier. It was at this point I realized what Pilot’s plan was. Each year around Passover, Pilot would release one prisoner chosen by the people as a way of keeping the people from revolting. For a moment, I had hope that this would all be over in a few short moments and my nightmare could end. However, that was not to be the case.

When Pilot gave the option, someone started yelling for Barabbas and the crowd followed. In their opinion, it was better to have someone who would fight Rome, than to release someone who would not.

When Pilot asked what he should do with Jesus, my heart sank when I heard the words, “Crucify Him.” I knew then this was all over.

Jesus was led away toward the flogging grounds. I tried to follow, but the crowds were too thick. All I could hear was the sound of the metal tipped whip and the cries of pain. Later that year John and I would get the same treatment for refusing to stop teaching and telling others about Jesus. I have the scars to prove it.

When Jesus was led out for the death march to Golgotha, I barely recognized him. His beard was gone, the whip marks and the blood-stained body were so different from what he had been just a few hours before.

I could not bring myself to go to Golgotha. Instead I watched from a distance, when the sky went dark, I knew he was dead. I would never see my friend again.

As I was heading into the city, one of the pharisees’ attendants approached me and told me to follow him. I sensed I was in no danger as he led me to the richer part of town and the home of someone I did not recognize. Inside I was met by Nicodemus, one of the secret believers amongst the pharisees and other priests. On numerous occasions he would come to camp and spend hours talking with Jesus and trying to understand this new way of thinking. Nicodemus lead me to a room unlike I had ever seen. Walls lined to the ceiling with scrolls and other resources for studying the Scriptures. There was another man in the room bending over a table studying one such scroll. This man was introduced to me as Joseph of Arimathea.

They offered to lay Jesus to rest in a newly constructed tomb that was owned by Joseph. Since it was offered I told them to go ahead with it. So, they did.

Leaving that house, I tried to make it back to camp, then realized that there would be others looking for us. I turned and went back to the house we had held the Passover meal in the night before. Fortunately for me the owner agreed to let us “hide out” in that room for the next few days. Little did he know at the time, that room would eventually become the headquarters for what was to come.

The others had the same idea. One by one we made our way back to this room. I kept the door locked and bolted, only letting those we knew and trusted in. Some of the women went to the tomb to start the process of embalming but had to stop due to the Sabbath quickly approaching.

We spent the Sabbath in mourning. We enjoyed each other’s company and shared stories and teachings of Jesus. Over the past three years we had become a family. We did not know what to do next. At that point we all thought that we had put our trust in the wrong man. Would we return to our families and admit they were right? Would we even have a family to return to? All our hopes and dreams had been put into Jesus. We went to sleep that night not knowing that sunrise would once again flip our world upside-down.

Traveler, I think you know where this is going. You have been around our group long enough to know what happens next. With that in mind, I still need to tell you to make sure you know the truth. So many people out there are like the crowds in that courtyard and will go with whatever is told them. You need to know how to distinguish between what is truth and what has been planted by the enemy to take you off course. I will tell you the next time we meet what happened when we woke up the next morning. Although today’s session ends in a very low place, I promise you hope and joy return with the Sonrise.

Yahweh’s grace be with you. Shalom.