THE INQUIRY

Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Sanhedrin who met Jesus on several occasions.  He was, by repute, a wealthy trader in tin. He sought and obtained the body of Jesus after his crucifixion and buried it in his own tomb.

Sanhedrin v. Arimathea J

Sanhedrin

Joseph of Arimathea, let us consider

this an informal meeting of the presidium,

an exploration among friends of the facts,

exigencies and possible mitigations of the events

surrounding the management and disappearance

of the Galilean’s body and the subsequent breach

in our relations with Rome. 

Caiaphas and other senior members

are otherwise engaged in Sanhedrin

business but you will know, Joseph,

that their interest in this matter is far from slight

and so the discussions – we trust you do not mind –

will be inscribed.

The Temple is under threat.

We knew, of course, Joseph, as you would guess

from our sources of intelligence of your meetings

in the evening with the Galilean

these past two years. Your generous contributions

to the work of the Sanhedrin, your high standing

as a man of business – trading tin

at great profit with the stupid British,

I understand! – naturally made us reluctant

to take these reports too seriously and indeed

your membership of the Sanhedrin…

But the events following the execution of the blasphemer

– how can I put this delicately –

place us in a very awkward position.

Although our preference would have been

to leave the Galilean’s body to the vultures

and snatchers, your interference with this plan

is not our principal concern today.

But in passing let me say our displeasures are not

confined to your approach to Pilate and your

purchase of the body for a high price, we gather

from reliable sources in the palace,

and while your personal participation in its

retrieval, wrapping it in fine cloth despite its brokenness

and anointing it with myrrh and other spices

has, we would have you know, offended many

of us, committed as we are to the

virtues of ritual cleanliness, there is of course

the unhappy possibility that a portion

of your actions took place on the Sabbath.

But our most serious distress in this matter

is the disappearance of the body from the grave

that you provided in your garden. It is claimed this

occurred sometime either on the Sabbath or in the night

before dawn on the first day of the week

when the tomb you provided was found to be empty.

Several of our number believe that you

arranged this disappearance to foster

the claims of his rabble that the Galilean

had come back to life!  This nonsense would be

easily put to rest if, assuming you were in some way complicit,

you were now to indicate where the body is located.

We understand that the body may have been transported

to your home town of Ramala and so inquired

of our friends and contacts there about graves dug

in recent days. We have not ruled out a burial at sea

by loyal crew on one of your trading ships,

but perhaps we are on the wrong track entirely

and others have somehow spirited him away.

I reiterate: Rome is not impressed and the expedient execution

for which we advocated has not produced the peace

that Pilate wanted, calling our credibility into question

and worrying his superiors in Rome about unrest

that could lead to dire punishment

and worse - devastation of the Temple.

How say you, Joseph?

Joseph

My Sanhedrin colleagues, it is true that I spoke

on many occasions with the Galilean, finding his rough logic

and compassion disturbing but magnetic.

My success in business, and my participation with you

in observing the letter of the law have left me restless, seeking answers

to questions about the human condition, about who or what God is

and what he expects and gives.  I have read the prophets and the law

and while I respect your details, they skid across the top of my concerns,

ships skipping over wild waves in a storm, oblivious to rocks or other dangers.

I observed his dealing with ordinary people, untouched and untouchable

according to our views, people we ask to simply follow rules.

He would speak with them, eat and drink with them, touch their leprous sores,

restore their sight, send demons howling in search of alternate lodging,

speaking of God in riddles and paradoxes, proclaiming perpetual Jubilee and forgiveness without penance, raising dead children to life. It is no wonder

people invested him with properties of the long awaited messiah.

Let me be clear: to this day I do not know who or what he was and

claims that he was king of the Jews I find ridiculous.  Even his bizarre

parody of riding into Jerusalem on a donkey struck me as an act of farce.

Son of man he called himself – hardly a unique title –

but there was a wildness in his love, a breath in his proclamations. 

his parables and stories, issuing challenges,

living nowhere, fishing in boats. I confess I came to love him,

at a distance, in my doubt, my scepticism,

loved his approach to God, his outrageous authority by which

he declared sins forgiven, his laughter, his loneliness and secrecy

in prayer that I saw one evening when I took him by surprise.

Where his body went after I entombed it I simply do not know.

You have the wrong man if you think I can help. Someone took it

or a miracle occurred - I cannot say. 

I have no regrets.

I have had no contact with his friends. 

He has not ‘appeared to me’:

I shall go on seeking, though,

for the truth

does not lie here.