“My commission’s plan of action is simple. They set out to prove that Jesus did not rise from his tomb but that his body was stolen, instead, by parties unknown, who moved it to another grave, thus enabling his disciples to capitalize on a miraculous event that never took place. I selected the sixth year after his crucifixion for the time setting of my book because history, as well as the New Testament, confirms that most of the main participants and witnesses to the events of the last week were still in Jerusalem. The commission would intend to hear testimony from everyone involved with Jesus and to investigate every possible lead until they finally learn the identity of the culprits who removed the body and where they have hidden it. Then they would obtain signed confessions, by any means necessary, from those who deceived the people, after which they intend to crucify them with their signed confessions posted prominently below their bodies for all to see. The remains of Jesus would also be recovered and displayed, thus destroying this dangerous new movement before it gets completely out of hand and threatens the peace of Rome. In my book I even give the panel of three tribunes a name: the Christ Commission—which, by the way, is also the book’s title.”

Johnny looked puzzled. For several moments he nervously tapped a pencil on his desk top before he reached over and touched my arm. “Matt, I’m not sure I follow you. Do you mean that for twenty years you’ve been writing a book where you expect to prove, through the testimony of those who knew Jesus, that he did not rise from the dead?”

From out of the corner of my eye I could see Ed McMahon leaning forward. I was certain that the big guy was glaring at me. I shook my head. “No, Johnny. I was writing it so that as the plot develops, and the commission examines such witnesses as Pontius Pilate, Peter, Matthew, James, the high priest Caiaphas, and several more, they would gradually begin to realize that the evidence is pointing in a direction other than they had anticipated and they will never be able to recover the body of Jesus, or apprehend any culprits involved in a grave robbery, because none has taken place. At the end of my book, according to my original plans, both the Christ Commission and my readers would, I hoped, come to the same conclusion: that Jesus did indeed rise from his tomb in the garden sometime before dawn on that Sunday long ago.”

“Fascinating … fascinating,” Johnny murmured, interrupting a smattering of nervous applause. “Why don’t you finish it, Matt? It would make a great book, especially with your ability to make complicated facts and clues so easy to understand. It would be the detective mystery to end all detective mysteries.”