When I went to sleep Saturday night, I was thinking about what it might have been like to be one of the soldiers posted to guard Joseph's family crypt when he and (maybe Nicodemus?) put the most famous criminal of all time into the tomb. I'm thinking it must have been a boring assignment--how hard could it be to guard a dead person already sealed into a tomb? Of course, they might have had something to think about, what with the sky darkening mid-afternoon and everything. Maybe it was a little freaky, but, hey, they're soldiers. Too bad they weren't there for the execution--maybe could have at least scored some clothes or enjoyed the crowds, but, no, here they were spending the damp night in a garden posted around a tomb.
Oh, well, at least it wasn't dangerous. Maybe even a good time to enjoy some meditative relief from the usually dull, sometimes dangerous life of an occupation force doing mostly a police action among a community known more for its passion and pride than its effective governance and social institutions, at least in the recent past.
Then came the unexpected. Earthquakes have been in the news, and having been in a big one over ten years ago, I can tell you we will never forget it. Here's where the soldiers proved their mettle. They didn't kill themselves and they didn't flee. They did report back to their superiors. I do note that they didn't hang around to guard the empty tomb, which is probably a pretty good sign they checked and it was empty.
Oh, and then there was the issue of the messenger. Whatever he looked like--very white clothes and brilliant light seem to be the major features, these fine soldiers did the unthinkable. They shook with fear and then fainted outright. Ouch!
According to Matthew, the soldiers ended up with a large bribe and a different story to tell. All in all, a good outcome for enlisted men, who are not known for making much money then or now. But apparently they told some people (off the record, of course) something else, or how did Matthew know?
Maybe they even decided that a bribe wasn't worth as much as a great story. How much would I take to change my story if I had information like that--you know, not that I wouldn't ever tell someone off the record, years later, but just to keep it quiet and vouch for a small "white" lie. After all, surely the man in white must have been a disciple. Certainly the soldiers didn't stop to check his credentials. In fact, I would guess someone like that could take the body most anywhere he wanted.
Well, I probably didn't get all the details right. Things like that happen so fast anyway. As far as telling a great story, well, that's certainly tempting, but it probably woildn't pay the bills for an enlisted man, and it might just get one assasinated. Who needs the risk? Sometimes it's safer just to take the money. As far as the messenger goes, well, apparently it was "out of sight, out of mind."
So I woke up Sunday, celebrated Easter, and wrote this email. He is risen indeed.
With love from the far side, Steve and Laura
PS We are heading back to the US in May for Sarah's graduation from Rice University in Houston, TX. Then we plan to spend the summer in Colorado with our kids and Laura's parents before returning to Taiwan at the beginning of September.
Dr. Steve and Laura Spinella, Sarah, Joey, Robby
Da Yi Street, Lane 29, #18, 2F-1, Taichung 404, TAIWAN
011 886 4 2236-6145, wk 2236-1901, fx 2236-2109, cell 9 2894-0514
USA: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, 719.528.1702, cell 719.355.4809
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<www.team.org.tw/spinella>, <www.team.org.tw/ccg> <spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
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