He is risen!
This afternoon we sat in the back room of Vovo Wilson’s home, overlooking the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, and read through part 2 of Vovo’s commentary on the events of the first Easter morning. This is exciting not only for the fact that we are rejoicing to see another step completed in the Jesus Atlas project, but also in the content. Wilson’s two Easter morning commentaries show how it is possible, and indeed, plausible, to harmonize all four gospel accounts of Easter morning. They tell the tale and imagine the grief, bemusement, and then joy of the many walks -or runs!- to and from the tomb.
Although our artist, Hayim Otsarya, has not yet completed the illustrations for this part of Jesus’ story, nor are the final maps finished, this commentary relies on data from our preliminary maps of Jerusalem, as well as from Vovo’s finished harmony of the gospels, and lays a more solid groundwork for the completion of this part of the Jesus Atlas. As usual, Wilson pays attention to the geography, highlighting that it is about a mile from the upper room to the tomb, and that no matter which route through the city is taken, it is at an incline – the earliest believers definitely got a workout that first Resurrection Sunday!
One other thing Vovo highlights is the fact that it was no coincidence that Mary, Mary, Mary, and Salome were the first to see, hear, and proclaim that Jesus is risen. Nor was it a coincidence that John got to the tomb, looked inside, and believed. These are the very same ones who did not scatter when the Shepherd, Jesus, was struck down in mock trial and crucifixion the previous week, but who followed him to the foot of the cross and stayed there all day until the end.
He is risen indeed.
