Frustrated at the possibility of having to cross two more names from my dwindling list of suspects, I replied impatiently, “Joseph, the history of this world is filled with men and women who have lived a life of lies in order to line their pockets or to seize power or hold it once they have it.”

“How about you, Matthias? Could you live a life based on a He?”

“Perhaps,” I heard myself saying, “under certain circumstances.”

Joseph scratched his left nostril and studied me closely. “You say you could live your life based on a lie, and I will admit this is possible for any of us. But could you lay down your life for a lie?”

“No, of course not,” I snapped. “Not even a fool would do that.”

Check! As soon as the words left my mouth I knew I had been trapped. I waited helplessly for Joseph of Arimathea to close me out.

“Matthias, would you consider any of those you have met, so far, to be fools?”

“No,” I admitted.

“And in your extensive research, did you ever learn the ultimate fate of James, the brother of Jesus?”

Checkmate! “Yes,” I answered reluctantly. “He will be stoned to death by orders of the high priest Ananus in A.D. 62.”

“And Matthew?”

“Tradition has it that he will die a martyr in Ethiopia.”

“And James, the son of thunder?”

“He will be beheaded by Herod Agrippa, in A.D. 44.”

“And Peter? What fate will befall our friend Peter?”

“Peter will be crucified in Rome in A.D. 68, with his head at the bottom of a wooden cross. He will request that he be crucified in that manner since he does not believe he is worthy of dying in the same position as his Lord.”

“Yes,” the old man said as he rose, “I would say you had made great progress, considering this is only your third day. Now, if it will not disturb your schedule too much, would you like to accompany me after lunch when I deliver my annual Temple tithe to the high priest, Caiaphas, at his home? I’m certain he can add a fact or two to your collection.”

“I can ask him anything, without getting you in trouble?”

“So long as he agrees to meet with you in private, yes.”

“Even why he has a black-hooded man following us?”

The old man chuckled. “You can save your breath on that one. I’ve learned we are being spied on by Pilate, not Caiaphas.”

“And we’ll get to Pilate eventually, won’t we?”

“If he doesn’t get to us first.”

nine

“JESUS?”

“Yes.”

“Jesus … Jesus,” he murmured. “It is such a common name.…”

“A young preacher—from Galilee. Crucified. By Pilate, about six years ago.”