“Believe it, Matthias. And you are here with me because I happen to be the only one in all Jerusalem who can help you with your wish. From your research and study you must know that I am on speaking terms with and trusted by not only the followers of Jesus but also the Roman and Jewish authorities. All are in my debt for one favor or another, and with me as your friend and guide they will at least meet and talk with you. I cannot, however, guarantee you any success in your investigation. That will be entirely up to you and your reputed abilities.”

I reached out and touched his hand for the first time. “I have many questions for you too, Joseph.”

“I’m certain that you do. However, should you not interview your ‘witnesses,’ shall we call them, in the same order that you had planned to have the Christ Commission hear their testimony in your book? I imagine, from your reputation, that there was a logical reason why you were going to present them to your readers in a specific sequence, was there not?”

“Yes. In my outline I had planned to devote each chapter in the book to the interrogation of a different witness, in the same order that these individuals played a role in Jesus’ life. That way, when Rome’s governor of Syria, Vitellius, later studied the transcripts of the commission hearings in order to decide on his best course of action, it would be as if he were reading about Jesus from beginning to end—along with all my readers, of course. It was purely a writing device, but it would have been a new and different way to tell the story of Jesus.”

The old man extended both hands, palms open. “There, you see. You would not want to question me until after nearly all the others. I was a late arrival on that stage.”

“True.” I nodded. “According to my outline you would have been quite near the end in giving testimony to the Christ Commission.”

“You are a clever man, Matthias. With your talent and reputation, that book would have a profound effect on millions of people.”