Authors: Kathleen O'Neal Gear
The Betrayal (39 page)
Zarathan slumped down on the rock shelf in front of one of the unin-scribed ossuaries and watched Cyrus and Barnabas where they stood talking and gently touching the box marked YESHUA BAR YOSEF
.
119
The last half hour with the three of them together had been like a revelation. That same divine bliss that came over him when he'd prayed all night now filled his heart, but even more powerfully; it was an ineffable radiance, a peace such as he had never known.
.
119
The last half hour with the three of them together had been like a revelation. That same divine bliss that came over him when he'd prayed all night now filled his heart, but even more powerfully; it was an ineffable radiance, a peace such as he had never known.
He looked around. They'd gone over each ossuary again with Cyrus, and he'd added his own knowledge of the people whose names were written on them. Zarathan felt for the first time as though he truly knew these long-dead saints.
They had decided that the tomb simply marked YOSE may have been their Lord's brother, rather than his adopted father, which conveniently settled a dispute, and that Yuda bar Yeshua was probably a relative from a decade or two later. His ossuary did seem different. It was smaller and more crudely carved. Maria and Mariamne were likely his mother and sister. Matya was still a mystery, one that, even now, Cyrus and Barnabas quietly debated.
“It's possible that he might have been the disciple known as Levi, but if this is our Lord's family tomb, it seems unlikely the former tax collector would be here and none of the other disciples would be.”
Cyrus was smoothing his hand over the Yeshua bar Yosef ossuary as though touching a lover. “I agree. Again, it could be a family member from the same time as Yuda. Perhaps even Yuda's brother.”
Cyrus' deep voice had a strange resonance, a kindness that left Zarathan trembling.
The wind outside increased to a roar and a fierce gust swept into the tomb and blew around the ossuaries like a ghost, kicking up dust.
As though something had just occurred to Cyrus, he jerked his hand away from the ossuary, whirled toward the entry, and his eyes went huge. “Kalay! I forgot! Brothers, stay here. I'll be right back!”
He ran for the entry and ducked outside into the howling gale.
Barnabas stared after him, then he glanced at Zarathan. “I'm sure she's well.”
But in a quarter hour, when neither Cyrus nor Kalay had returned, Barnabas began to grow anxious. He walked to the entry and peered outside. The moonlight had given way to a cerulean hue, heralding the coming of dawn.
Barnabas turned back to Zarathan, took two steps, and opened his mouth toâ
A tall body blocked the entry, and Zarathan could see several other men behind, filling the gorge.
“Brother!” Zarathan cried as he leaped off the stone shelf and stared wide-eyed over Barnabas' shoulder.
Barnabas swung around.
Four Roman soldiers ducked into the tomb and took up positions around the chamber, their swords drawn. They wore bronze helmets and held the shields of the legion. The clinking of all the metal sounded loud in the quiet tomb.
Two other men, both dressed in the black robes of bishops, entered after them.
The tall, younger bishop had short blond hair and a clean-shaven face. The older man was short with wispy brown hair and heavy jowls. He looked to be about Barnabas' age.
Barnabas said, “Who are you?”
The blond bishop extended a hand to the other man. “This is Pappas
Macarios of Jerusalem. I believe you remember me, don't you, Brother Barnabas?”
Macarios of Jerusalem. I believe you remember me, don't you, Brother Barnabas?”
Barnabas stared daggers at Meridias.
Macarios glanced between the two men, then bowed slightly to Barnabas. “Brothers, greetings in the name of our Lord. Do youâ”
Meridias interrupted, “What are you two doing here?”
Barnabas folded his hands in front of him and Zarathan wondered if he was thinking about the dead monks in Egypt, many of whom Barnabas had known and loved for twenty years. In a matter-of-fact voice, Barnabas said, “You know very well what we're doing here, Meridias. We're searching for the Pearl.”
Macarios frowned as though confused, but he looked excessively nervous. Despite the wind and cold, his forehead glistened with sweat. “I don't know what that is.” Macarios turned to Meridias for an explanation.
Meridias didn't look at him. He kept his narrowed gaze on Barnabas. “And did you find it?”
“Of course not. It's a legend. A fantasy created by some cruel prankster three centuries ago.” Barnabas pulled the papyrus from his pocket and threw it on the floor. “There's the map, if you want it.”
Meridias gestured for Macarios to pick it up. The elderly little bishop stooped, grasped it, and looked at it briefly before he handed it to Meridias.
Zarathan couldn't speak. He stared at the map in Meridias' hand in horror. The man who'd destroyed their monastery, killed their brothers, was now holding the sacred artifact. It was almost too much to bear.
Meridias glanced at Zarathan. “You. Boy. Why are you crying?”
Zarathan planted his feet, swallowed hard, his mind racing. “IâI'm sad because we didn't find the Pearl.”
Again Macarios said, “What is the Pearl?”
Impatiently, Meridias said, “No one knows, it'sâ”
“It was supposed to be the tomb of our Lord, Iesous Christos,” Barnabas said to Macarios. “Just foolishness.”
A stunned look of reverence came over Macarios' face. “Andâand the map led you here?”
“If we followed it correctly, yes. Though I'm still not certain we did. However, the ossuaries in this tomb do make one wonder.”
“What do you mean?” Macarios took a step forward.
Barnabas gripped Macarios' arm and led him around the chamber, reading the inscriptions aloud. Macarios' expression grew more awed with each name.
Zarathan knew how he felt, but Pappas Meridias seemed totally unaffected ⦠until they came to the tomb inscribed YESHUA BAR YOSEF.
Meridias shouted, “
What?
Is that correct? Macarios, you read it. Is that what it really says?”
What?
Is that correct? Macarios, you read it. Is that what it really says?”
Macarios leaned down to study the inscription. After several agonizing moments, he straightened. “Yes, that's what it says.”
Meridias spun around to the soldiers and ordered, “Crush every one of these ossuaries and scatter the shards in the desert. Then come back to destroy this tomb! I want itâ”
“Why?” Macarios asked in a calm, inquiring voice.
“Don't ask me idiotic questions. I give the orders here. Decurion, arrest these men!”
The decurion marched toward Barnabas and grabbed hold of his sleeve.
“Wait, Rufus,” Macarios said almost casually to the decurion, and it occurred to Zarathan that the soldier was, of course, stationed in Jerusalem, and therefore accustomed to obeying Macarios. “There's no reason to arrest these men. These ossuaries are nothing special.”
The decurion released Barnabas.
Meridias looked to be on the verge of exploding. He yelled, “What are you
talking
about? If the bones of Iesous Christos are in that box, don't you see what it will do to our Church!”
talking
about? If the bones of Iesous Christos are in that box, don't you see what it will do to our Church!”
“Pappas.” Macarios sighed. “Your reaction is understandable, but it is misguided. I have two ossuaries in my office at the monastery inscribed in exactly the same way,
Yeshua bar Yosef.
When we return I will be happy to show them to you.”
Yeshua bar Yosef.
When we return I will be happy to show them to you.”
Meridias seemed totally taken aback. He glanced around the chamber, as though he feared he were the butt of some terrible joke. “Two?”
Macarios gave him an indulgent smile. “We have recovered over two thousand ossuaries from the hills around Jerusalem. From the written information as well as the ossuaries we've gleaned, we have determined that perhaps one thousand men in Jerusalem at the time of our Lord were named Yeshua and had fathers named Yosef.”
Angrily, Meridias said, “And what about Yakob son of Yosef, brother of Yeshua? Surely there can't have been many men who carried such a name.”
“No, that's true. But I estimate perhaps twenty or twenty-five.
120
These names are extremely common. Why, consider the names Maria and Mariamne in the back loculus. Both are variations of the Hebrew name Miriam, which was the most common female name of the first century. And the names Yakob, Yosef, Yudah, Yeshua, and Matya were so common that we believe perhaps forty percent of all men at the time carried those names.”
120
These names are extremely common. Why, consider the names Maria and Mariamne in the back loculus. Both are variations of the Hebrew name Miriam, which was the most common female name of the first century. And the names Yakob, Yosef, Yudah, Yeshua, and Matya were so common that we believe perhaps forty percent of all men at the time carried those names.”
Zarathan's heart began to sink. Macarios almost had him convinced, and Meridias seemed totally confused. He'd started pacing like a madman.
“Pappas Meridias, think of the holy Roman Empire. How many men are named Gaius, Julius, Marcus, Lucius, or Septus? Thousands in the city of Rome alone.”
Meridias gaped at Macarios in disbelief.
The short priest put a hand on the decurion's shoulder and gently said, “Rufus, please take your men and return to the monastery. You're not needed here.”
“Yes, Pappas.”
As the decurion motioned to his men and they began to file out of the tomb, Meridias cried, “Wait! I haven't dismissed you!”
The soldiers paid him no attention. One by one they ducked outside, and the decurion's voice rose above the wind: “Climb the trail. We're returning to the city!”
Only one man remained guarding the entry. A gray-haired old man that Zarathan recognized as one of the men who'd attacked them at Libni's caves.
A dangerous brew of terror and rage boiled in his veins. If only he could get his hands around the man's throat! Memories flashed of the fight on the beach, of all the fear and pain they'd endured ⦠so powerful was the need to hurt in return, that it took all of his control to remain in place.
Barnabas said, “Pappas Macarios, I'm sure we broke some law when we entered this tomb. Whatever penalties you judge appropriate, we will of course submit to without argument.”
Macarios thoughtfully fingered his beard. “It is illegal to damage graves, or steal grave goods, but”âhe looked aroundâ“I see no evidence
that you did either. You opened the tomb, yes, and that showed poor judgment on your part, but you did no harm.”
that you did either. You opened the tomb, yes, and that showed poor judgment on your part, but you did no harm.”
“You're very gracious, Pappas.” Barnabas knelt before him and kissed the man's hand. “Forgive us for causing such an unintended uproar.”
Meridias stared at them with narrowed eyes. He spun on his heel, stalked out of the tomb, and shouted, “Elicius, we're leaving!”
When the sound of their footsteps died away, Barnabas rose to his feet, faced Macarios, and a slow smile came to his face. Barnabas whispered, “You received the message I sent from Gaza?”
Macarios chuckled softly. “I did.”
Macarios spread his arms, and the two men embraced like lifelong friends.
Zarathan gaped. He stumbled in his haste to reach the entry and look outside. When he was certain no one stood close enough to see them, he hissed, “Do you know each other?”
Barnabas said, “Macarios and I were both library assistants in Caesareaâ”
“Along with several others,” Macarios clarified.
Tears welled in Barnabas' eyes when he looked at his old friend. “When I heard they were hunting us down, I was desperately afraid you would be one of the first they'd find. You are so visible.”
“Yes, but I've made a point of supporting Pappas Silvester's every whim. I wasn't worried about me, but you? I was sure they'd kill you. You are known far and wide as Barnabas the Heretic.” Macarios chuckled again, then his voice lowered. “Do you know anything of the fates of Libni and Symeon? Are they well?”
Barnabas expelled a breath. “I know nothing of Symeon, but when we left Libni, he was gravely wounded. Heâ”
“Meridias' work?”
“Almost certainly.”
Macarios clamped his jaw and looked away as though considering what to do. After a time, his gaze darted around the tomb, and he whispered, “When I received your warning, and the message about what had happened at your monastery, I began my own search. Of course, I've been at it for years, as you have, but I believe I have uncovered something important.”
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