T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
218
April 1928
And, by-and-by, when we came to our residence, He did not wait for the courtesies of the day. He would have passed on. But we invited Him in. And as He reclined at the table and broke bread, we recognized Him. W e had seen Him do that before. W e looked up into His face, and, behold, it was the Lord Jesus. And immediately He vanished. We hurried back to the city to tell the disciples. And while we were there, in the upper room, telling about what Jesus had said, and how He vanished from the table, He suddenly appeared in our midst. There can be no mistaking it. I can testify on oath that the Man with the pierced hands and pierced side was with us at the table at Emmaus. And He appeared in the company when the door was closed.” T he R oman C enturion But let us get a man from outside— one who is not in the inner circle at all, an unprejudiced witness. “ What is your name ? Where were you born ?” “ In Italy. I am a Roman centurion, sent at the head of the Roman forces to garrison this city. I was ordered by Governor Pilate to execute three prisoners, and while I was execut ing them there was an earthquake. There were three hours of darkness. I listened to what one o f the prisoners said as He prayed for those that killed Him, and I could
but testify then, as I looked into His face and heard His voice, ‘This is not a criminal. Surely this is a righteous Man. There has been some great blunder on the part of somebody.’ I looked at Him more closely, and studied His surroundings, and heard Him forgive the poor male factor, and heard Him say, ‘This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.’ I said, ‘This is more than a righteous Man. This is the Son o f God.’ ” “ Were you ordered, on the day that Christ lay in the tomb, to make it safe?” “ Yes; Governor Pilate sent me word to give as large a guard as was demanded, and we placed the soldiers out in front of the sepulcher, and they watched Him. In talking to some of them about what happened, there came a light that dazzled me. When I came to consciousness, I was lying half dead on the ground. W e gathered ourselves together and went back to the city, and told the whole story to the high priest. He said, ‘Don’t make this public. W e will pay you for keeping it private, and if you get into trouble with the Governor, we can influence him; we have our way of dealing with him. Say to him, “ While we slept, the dis ciples Came and stole Him away.” ’ ” “ Did you ever know a Roman soldier to sleep at his post?” “ Never. That means death. Roman soldiers never sleep at their post.” “ Can you kindly tell me how they could know, while they slept, who stole Him away, if He was stolen away? They seem to be pretty certain the dis ciples did it.” A wise lot o f men, to know what is going on while they are asleep! That is about the best argument for the resurrection o f Christ that has ever been given. It appears a falsehood on the face o f it. “ Give us your estimation, as you see things. Do you believe that the Man you cru cified rose from the dead ?” And I haven’t a doubt but that the centurion would say, “ Not the least doubt o f it. All the testimony is in favor of the claim that there was a genuine resurrection. One thing I am certain ofS-the Roman soldiers did not sleep, and the disciples did not steal Him away.” Q uestioning S aul of T arsus Here is another witness we must listen to for a moment. He is a little, insignificant-looking man, a man of contemptible presence, arid perhaps stammers a little in speech. But as you look at him closely you will see a bright eye, a strong face, one o f the strongest intellects of the age. “ What is your name?” “ I was called Saul of Tarsus. I was born in Tarsus. I went up to Jerusalem to take a course in law under Gamaliel, a great teacher o f law. I heard tell o f a sect that was teaching things contrary to what I believed, and as a member o f the Jewish San hedrin, I stood against it. W e had one o f them up for trial. He was convicted, and when he was stoned to death, I went out to see it done. I stood by and guarded the clothes o f the young men who killed him. But I must confess that his praying for his enemies, and the light that shone out in his face while they were killing him, made a great impression on me. Notwithstanding, I de cided that this sect should be repressed; for the sake of Judaism it ought to be annihilated. With a warrant for the arrest o f Christians, I was on my way to Damascus, when a brightness shone about me. . I heard a Voice. I looked up, and saw the Lord Jesus Christ. I said, ‘Who art Thou, Lord ?’ I did not quite know who He was; but I knew one thing— that He was my Master. I knew one thing— that He was my Lord. I was stricken blind.
Gilliams Service THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF' PILATE, ROMAN GOVERNOR WHO PROSECUTED JESUS, AND AFTERWARDS ABSOLVED HIMSELF OF ALL BLAME FOR THE COURSE OF EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED, IS STILL REVERED BY VISITORS TO THE HOLY LAND.
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