I am the gardener here in this spot which once was so peaceful. I don’t know what has happened. I don’t know if anybody knows. I told you about seeing the three crosses on Golgotha the day before Sabbath. You will not believe what I tell you now. I will tell you anyway.
At noon that day the sun refused to shine. It remained dark until mid-afternoon. Then the ground began to move. Rocks rolled down from the hillside. People are saying that the huge curtain in our holy temple ripped from top to bottom. The stories people tell are none of my business. But I can tell you things that happened here in the garden.
My employer is a rich man, with influence. He is very careful about who his friends are. But after the three criminals had died, he brought one of them here and buried him in the new tomb. Why? The only familiar face I saw was Nicodemus. All the others were riffraff. I don’t understand.
Then on the Sabbath itself, a group of Roman soldiers came to the garden, put an official seal on the tomb and stood guard. What for? What harm can a dead man do?
The one bright spot is what happened to those Romans. Strange things, of which I have not yet told you, happened early this morning, following Sabbath. Something happened that so frightened these blustery soldiers that they appeared to be dead. Good enough for them. Too bad they only appeared that way. There were so many people in and out of here early this morning, who knows what happened?
They started coming before daylight. There were women. I heard voices, but did not try to see. Some say they talked with an angel. One is even said to have spoken with the dead criminal who was alive! They are telling that at first she thought he was me, but then she called him Rabboni. I wish they would leave me out of their stories. I do not wish to be confused with a crucified criminal.
Two grown men came running like school boys. If they were friends of his, they should have been more respectful, even though the dead man was not there. I can tell you this. The stone is moved. The tomb is empty. I kept my distance all morning, but now I’ve checked it out.
I do not understand what has happened here in my garden. Maybe Joseph will explain.