"Think of Jesus as living in a purely spiritual condition and volunteering to take on humanity and live with us as animals. In that he came down from on high to that low, hellish animal, condition of last Friday. And, Joseph, when you thought you were laying Jesus in your tomb, he was not necessarily there. I know that I was face to face with Jesus, and there are no scars on his hands or thorns in his brow."
Nicodemus, kneeling beside her, said: "I know you're weary, but can you answer this—If Jesus was not in his body when he spoke your name, how did you hear his voice?"
Her ready reply was: "You are not an apt scholar. Do you remember when you came to Jesus by night, in Bethany, and he explained how one could be born again? And now you're asking me if a body can talk. I do not know how to answer you; I know not the secret of animal existence, and much less that of spiritual life; but this much I do know, that sound and sight both create impressions. One is silent, the other is not, yet they are equally distinct. Will power, thought, joy, sorrow, truth are all noiseless, yet real, so why not suppose all spiritual life be the same. At the tomb he impressed me that I must see the disciples and see Ruth before I came home to him. I cannot explain how it was, but I am sure that Jesus was not in the body, and I do not know as I was."
As she closed her eyes the grizzly counsellor bowed and kissed the tips of her cold fingers, then one by one the listeners drew nearer in silence, but she awoke again.
RUTH COMES TO MEET MAGDALENE
When Joseph learned that Magdalene wished to see Ruth he started a courier on a fleet beast, with orders to take four relays and make sure to reach Nazareth before sunset.
When they arrived at Nazareth they found all in commotion, for the report had come that Jesus had raised from the dead; that Mary Magdalene was dying and had called for Ruth to come to Jerusalem.
Jerome, the tanner, made ready his fleet mule for Ruth, while the men mounted brisk horses, and soon Ruth, Jude and the guide hastened down the narrow streets into the open plain and were off on their lone journey.