Daily Excelsior... Editorial

Significance of Good Friday and easter Sunday

By: Miss Anju Gill

"But how can we disobey
the command of our Lord ?"

By Arun Shourie

It isn't just that it is our right, it is our duty. For our Lord, Jesus Christ, has commanded us to go to all the nations of the world, and spread his message and baptize", the missionaries say, and even lay ..more

EDITORIAL

CRICKET FANS

In yet another very positive move to establish people to people contacts between the two countries, liberal visas have been issued to Pak cricket fans to witness India-Pak cricket test at Mohali. It is not the question of who wins or who loses or who cheers whom. Of particular significance is the boldness with which Indian Prime Minister has been endeavouring to fulfill his part of the commitment to Lahore Declaration. Close on the heels of relaxation of visas to several categories of Pak elite, nearly one thousand Pak cricket fans have crossed Wagah border. This is for the first time since partition that so many people have been allowed in this country. It is obvious that India is all set to go for further liberalisation. These are only one-sided initiatives yet. No sooner Nawaz Sharif reciprocates it would result in emotional attachment of the people manifesting their wonderful impact on the Indo-Pak relations.

No further proof is needed regarding the jubilation and excitement of the 1000 Pak citizens, many of whom return to India after 51 years. The excitement is not as much for cricket but also no less for being in India, a country that has all along been projected to Pak people as enemy number one. Here these Pak citizens come with messages of 'Peace and friendship'. One of the placard carried by them reads, ''Na Hindu Na Musalman; Hum Sab Ek Hain''. This means as far as people are concerned they are not miscarried by belligerent attitude and actions of Pak Government pronounced by them so frequently. This is also a slap on the face of fundamentalists not only in Pakistan but also those in India who have opposed tooth and nail normalisation of relations between the two countries. Another poster pulled out by an enthusiastic visitor from across the border was all praise for Prime Minister Vajpayee for allowing them in India in such large numbers so soonafter Bus Diplomacy episode. His poster thus reads, ''Mr Vajpayee, Aaj Teh Hogi Balley Balley''. This conveys the message that they would love to have Daler Mehndi and others of his ilk amongst them in Pakistan, the cultural contacts to be precise. It also shows how keenly they watch our singers, dancers and other artists on various TV channels. ''Balley Balley' is something that reminds how close is East Punjabi this side and West Punjabi on other side of border. Only successive rulers have befooled them to promote enmity and nurse ill-will. The truth happens to be otherwise. Yet another wonderful gesture was the 'pink rose' brought by young house wife and presented to our officials with message ''This is for peace and friendship''. All the visitors like to go places while in India besides visiting their separated kins at the time of migration to Pakistan in 1947. They are also keen to watch the Bangalore final of the triangular cricket encounter. In fact, most of them enquired from officials if they were free to visit other places after the Mohali test. They are indeed a disappointed lot as the visa is for the limited purpose of visiting Chandigarh. It is just a conducted visit due to security reasons as confidence building after five decades long hostility has got to be gradual process and that also on reciprocal basis.

One can as well welcome PIO Scheme announced by Home Minister L K Advani. Persons of Indian Origin numbering nearly 15 million residing abroad are now entitled to have PIO card for just Dollars 1000 each with validity of 20 years. This would obviate the necessity of visa each time Indians residing abroad want to visit their country of origin. It covers four generations and its misuse or wrong declaration would lead to automatic cancellation. Of particular relevance is the contention of Home Minister that he would like to include people of POK for issuance of PIO card as they are as good citizens of India. This step would go a long way in promoting people to people contacts between PoK and J&K provided no obstacles are put in the scheme by Pakistan. PIO scheme incidentally excludes Pakistan and Bangladesh due to obvious reasons. Former is the product of partition while the latter by-product of 1971 war which caused balkanisation of Pakistan with total loss of its eastern wing. To that extent these people cannot be regarded as PIOs having got their separate countries carved out of composite India.

One hopes that Nawaz Sharif would be as much liberal as AB Vajpayee and allow Indian cricket and hockey fans whenever any encounter takes place in Pakistan. Sports and cultural contacts must be kept aloof from politics which in any case is a game of the crooked. One also expects that hawks and fundamentalists on either side of border would change their mindset.

SUMMER OFFENSIVE

Lt. Gen. Krishan Pal GoC 15 Corps has done some plain-speaking on the current status of militancy in valley in particular. According to him after the Lahore Declaration there has been no perceptible change in the hostile acts being sponsored by Pakistan. The ground situation has just not changed. It is the same border firing and under its cover infiltration of mercenaries carrying sophisticated weapons. There are at least 450 such mercenaries awaiting across the border to cross over as soon as the snows begin to melt. To pre-empt such attempts troops have been ordered to take positions at heights so that the message to prospective infiltrators is loud and clear that this time round death awaits them as soon they attempt infiltration. The General also informs that for every nine militants killed there is one casualty amongst his troops. This ratio is quite favourable in this type of proxy war when the advantage is invariably with the terrorists provided they have local support. The fact is that locals are now increasingly coming forward to help the army to eliminate terrorists. This is a very healthy development.

Army besides taking care of borders is quite active on the civil front as well by launching various welfare schemes for the border area people. This includes establishment of 14 schools and some more are on the anvil. Army has also been providing medicare to people in far flung areas. The goodwill gesture now assumes added significance in that most of the local people who lost their limbs in the Pak firing or blasts have been provided with artificial limbs free of cost. This has been very well received by the people who are not only grateful to the Army for such kind gestures and programmes for their welfare but also the mood is now in favour of Army and providing it with all types of information about the movement of militants. A few days back programme for helping surrendered militants was also announced wherein monthly honorarium for each one of them has been initiated. Some rehabilitative and training schemes have also been launched for the widows and orphans of the surrendered militants who have been killed by the pro-Pak terrorists let loose on the citizens.

The overall scenario as viewed by the GoC reflects impressive improvement despite persistent attempts by Pakistan to cause maximum anarchy and mayhem. The summer offensive is meant to neutralise the enemy further.

Significance of Good Friday and easter Sunday

By: Miss Anju Gill

Good Friday is celebrated through out the world. This Friday is a Good Friday for all because on this day Jesus Christ was crucified. Some of you might be thinking that I have gone mad to call the day of Lord's crucification a good day but it is not like that. This Friday reminds us of the price paid for our sins by Jesus. Nothing in this world is as important as our soul. God wants to save our spirit and soul so we can live with Him in absolute peace and harmony for all eternity. I and you are human and we have failed to live perfect lives we need someone to redeem us from the wages of sin. Jesus came into this world, suffered and bled and died on the cross to redeem our soul and was risen from the death on the third day i.e. on Sunday.

Easter reminds us of the price Lord Jesus paid for our sins by dying on the cross and defeating death by His resurrection. Easter is the cause of much rejoicing and thanks giving.

In the Holy Bible says in Gen. God said to Adam," of the tree of good and evil you shall not eat for the day you shall eat of it you will die. The Bible says also in Ezekiel 6:23 "the wages of sin is death." Adam and eve died spiritually. When they sinned, they were cut off from God and lost their holy relationship with Him. They also lost the desire to be in the presence of God and hid from Him among the trees of the garden of Eden. Perhaps some lack of bodily strength or illness caused them to remember God's warning.

It certainly is alarming to see the result of sin face to face but did the first family lose all its privileges? Has hope therefore been lost to mankind of ever being able to return to the State in the garden which was lost as a result of sin? No! For God is love and His love is rich in mercy and with him is great forgiveness. Love moved his heart with compassion which has no delight in the death of the wicked. He has become the savior and redeemer of mankind in the person of Jesus Christ. Man's salvation is based on redemption. This is an actual fact necessary to the removal of the burden of sin from fallen man. We all agree that Adam fell and that his fall involved all mankind, for Adam was man's representative in the divine test. For this reason God in love planned the removal of penalty of sin from man, whom He has created in His likeness by providing a substitute for him.

God in His love for mankind willed that Christ should participate in a flesh and blood relationship with man and be a perfect substitute for man. It was necessary for Christ to pay the full price to remove sin from the world. Christ paid it by dying on the cross and He carried our sins in His body. Jesus experienced hunger, exhaustion, pain, poverty, sickness, death, sadness, accusations, loneliness, rejection betrayal and fear. He was tempted in all things but was without sin (Hebrews 4:5) Jesus understands us. His compassion is real and His ability to teach us in every situation and to guide us through is perfect. He Himself was tempted in that which He had suffered and He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Christ was born of the spirit of God. From the time of his birth He remained innocent and pure, He didn't even once, nor did He ever lapse. Never will any person be born like Christ because He is the son of mother Mary. All of us inherit our names from our fathers. Why then was Jesus named after His mother? Because He has no father comparable to other fathers. He was born of a virgin. His birth depended on God's power and His eternal purpose.

Seven hundred years before Jesus' birth, prophet Isaiah prophesied that "a virgin shall conceive, bear a son" God fulfilled His promise. Nothing is impossible for Him. Jesus was born directly of God. He came into his world to save sinners. He healed lepers by an utterance of His tongue and opened the eyes of the blind by His kindness. He stilled the furious storm with words and He drove out demons by rebuking them. He also satisfied the hunger of five thousand hungry people using only five loaves and two fish.

There was a man called Lazarus who had died and been buried. His weeping relatives came to Jesus for help. When He reached their village, he came forward to his grave and called with a mighty voice, "Lazarus come out" and the dead one really came out." When we hear the divine voice of the one who raises the dead, we will be raised from the spiritual death of our sins. Christ died, that is true. He died after a considerable and painful suffering for our sins. He was buried in a grave hewn out of a solid rock. Soldiers placed a huge stone at the door of the grave and sealed it with the seal of the greatest nation of that time so that His disciples would not be able to take the body at night. They also set up armored guards before the door of the grave but after three days Christ arose from the dead and came out of the grave. His disciple afterwards found the grave empty. They were astonished and fearful, trembling when they met the living Christ. But He talked to them and showed them the scars from the nails in His hands and feet. He ate in front of them and allowed them to touch him so that they could be more convinced that He had truly risen and that He had a real body.

Meaning of Christ's resurrection from the dead is that God Almighty proved that He loves the crucified one who accepted He sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world. Until the resurrection death was the greatest enemy of mankind but Jesus defeated death and reappeared alive. He is alive today and forever.

Man's offense against God brought immediate death which resulted in eventual physical death. That death spread throughout the human race. That was the situation in which man found himself when God sent His own son to pay the penalty for sin so that man might inherit eternal life. When Lord Jesus arose from the death, He left the empty tomb. When he comes to redeem His obedient people, He will leave behind millions of empty tombs! Death will have lost its sting, the grave will have lost its victory! And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes, and there shall no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there by any more pain for the former things are passed away. (Rev. 21:4)

Jesus is the mighty mediator for all who approach God in His name. He is love in Himself and He loves all of us. Salvation is a free gift from God. We should confess our sins before God to receive His blessing and never become hard hearted or else we deceive ourselves. We will have to reap exactly what we sow. Prophet David who was a king also asked for forvigeness with tears and Abraham and Ezekiel did the same. Our human body is flesh based, our resurrected body is spirit based. Death is the sowing or planting of a seed. The seed has to first die first to bring forth much fruit. The part of the seed which dies is the shell, the outer cover. This releases the life which is stored inside. The seed carries inside of itself the image of the plant which is to be produced. So it is with our bodies we have merely a shell covering. Death is simply the way the outer shell dies to release the life inside us. The resurrected body that we will have one day will not be made of the same substance as our human body. Our present human body is made from the dust of the ground and will return there one day. Our present body is fragile and weak like a seed and must be protected. In this life we must walk by faith to protect this shell from the attacks of Satan. We should never allow ourselves to be mislead by Satan who says, "don't worry about all that religion stuff. Why let things upset you? What does it matter? We are all just going to live until we die anyway. In the grave where we're all headed, it won't matter a bit how we lived." Satan would like to blind us.

In fact he tries to blind us everyday though we may not even realize it. Satan has always created confusion in the world. With his evil deeds and policies he try to deceive us but when he try to deceive us but when he is unable to reach us through temptations, he switches to some innocent and worthwhile avenues as education, carrier, money fame etc. if he can shift anything from the world system into being first in our affections, taking God's first place of priority. He has effectively sidetracked into the web of worldliness. It doesn't mean that we should start hating the world. We should hate the evil ways of the world. We should hate the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, boastful pride of life, we should try to give up self which is the bitter enemy of human beings. Embracing the evil ways of the world will drive us from God. God's way is the narrow one and no one would like to go through this way because we are not ready to give up our worldly desires, our nature of accusing each other. We should think over it deeply that life is too short to love and to do good acts and spread happiness everywhere then from where do we people get time to do wrong to others and hate others. Jesus said, "love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you." In fact, it is very hard to love enemies but completion of forgiveness is to love that person whom we forgive.

We should never be discouraged because sometimes Satan makes use of our past failures to discourage us. We should never let our past failures make us feel frustrated. Only when we stumble do we learn to walk better. We should not be surprised when dark moments come into our lives. Sometimes God allows this to make us understand something. Unbroken sunshine would madden our brain. God works out everything for our supreme good. If have fear of God in our lives will receive God's blessings.

"The result of humility and fear for the Lord, are riches, honor and long life." (Pro. 22:4)

If we remain in the limits set by God for us, the result will be eternal blessings. In our society we do something for a person out of a selfish desire to gain a profit or to manipulate that person to feel obliged to us. Have we ever tried to please God with the pleasure that comes from the depths of our hearts? God wants us to learn to rely on His counsel. We are only safe in our decisions if we include God's counsel.

"There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the lord." God wants us to obey Him. We are accountable when we disobey God. Though we have different beliefs our creator is one and our India, the biggest democracy in the world is also one having 970 million people living in 26 states, speaking 225 languages of India. There are 19 major religions, 20,000 castes and sub castes. We respect every other religion. This we Indians have proved by living in secularism which is our identity in the world. None of our religious books teach disobedience. We obey rules and regulations in our daily life to live a peaceful, joyful life. For example if we do not obey traffic rules, result will be destruction. We can imagine what will happen if we do not obey the rules of God. Though a desire of freedom burns within all of us, we remain slaves to sin. Only God's way is the way to be set free in which there is no fear and insecurity. Though we live in a day when science has harnessed the power of the universe. But such power has not made the world better. It has not solved the puzzle of human evil. It has not helped us to cope with the problems that threaten the world's people. In this world where wrong seems to be winning and right seems to be loosing many of us have tried to bypass God, the creator, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. He gives us the power to overcome fear, insecurity, temptation, to smile in the tears, to have lightness of heart in the midst of life's burdens and trails in the world. But we must open up our heart to Him to ask for forgiveness for our sins. All of us are facing death, and we can know that with Christ there is hope beyond the grave, because the same power that raised Christ from the dead will also raise those who confess Him. In Easter, message of resurrection, there is hope, for us which we will have to realize, we will have to believe that Jesus is alive. Jesus was born on this earth to save humanity from sins, He will come back. With the hope that one day our Lord will descend from heaven, wish you all a joyous and full of blessings Easter Sunday.

"But how can we disobey the command of our Lord ?"

By Arun Shourie

The point apart that the claim cannot stand in law, how much weight can one attach to the claim itself ? What exactly is Jesus supposed to have said ? How do we know he said that ?

Answers to these questions are vital in themselves - they are central to believing the claim or setting it aside. They are doubly important because they lead us to a fundamental point, indeed to what is the fundamental fraud in missionary activity. But first the answers themselves.

The bare sequence is as follows. Jesus has been nailed to the Cross. He dies. His body is interred. A large stone is placed to close the tomb. Devotees visit the tomb. The body is missing. Jesus appears to disciples. He speaks to them.

Now, let us take the sequence step by step. As everyone knows, there are four Gospels - by Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. In the eyes of the Church each is a saint. Every word of each Gospel is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Who goes to the tomb ? For what purpose ? "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre", says St. Luke [288.1]. "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome," says St. Mark, as they "had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him" [16.1]. "Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them", says St. Luke, "bringing the spices which they had prepared" [24.1, 11]. St. John reports Mary Magdalene alone as having gone to the tomb [20.1]. Thus : from Mary Magdalene alone to her and the other Mary, to the two of them and Salome, to the two of them and Joanna plus the other women who were with them. Similarly, whoever went, the purpose was either to "see the sepulchre" or to anoint the body. For the latter they were carrying sweet spices which they had either bought or prepared themselves.

What happened when, whoever went, arrived at the tomb ? "And, behold, there was a great earthquake," says St. Mathew, "for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it" [28.2]. St. Mark mentions no earthquake, no angel descending; instead he says that, while on their way the women had been asking each other "who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre ?," when they arrived they saw that the stone had already been rolled away [16.3-4]. St. Luke too does not report any earthquake, he too says that when the women arrived they found the stone to have been rolled away [24.2]. According to St. John, Mary Magdalene alone had gone. He too mentions neither an earthquake, nor any angel descending. But he too reports that she found the stone to have been rolled away already [20.1].

Upon reaching the tomb, upon seeing the stone rolled away, whom do they encounter ? An angel, says St. Mathew, sitting on the stone he has rolled away, "his countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white as snow", and so awesome was his presence that "and for fear of him the keepers [that is, the guards] did shake, and became as dead men" [28.2-4]. Not an angel, but "a young man", sitting, not on the stone outside the entrance to the tomb, but "on the right side" inside the sepulchre [the women see him after entering the sepulchre]. The young man is "clothed in a long white garment" - not dazzling like lightening, just ordinary white. And upon encountering a young man unexpectedly inside the tomb, the ones who are "affrighted" are the women - there is no mention of guards. St. Luke reports no angel, nor does he report one young man. According to him the women encountered "two men.... in shining garments" [24.4]. St. John has Mary Magdalene going alone, she encounters no one [20.1-2]. Thus, from "an angel" to "one young man" to "two men" to no one.

One woman, two sets of three women, or more than three women have reached the tomb. They have encountered an angel, one young man, or two, or none. The women see that the body of Jesus is missing. What happens next ?

Do not be afraid, the angel told them. St. Mathew says. You are looking for the Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen. "Go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him." The women depart quickly "with fear and great joy", and run to the disciples. But on the way, Jesus meets them. "All hail", he says. They fall at his feet, they hold his feet, they worship him. "Be not afraid", Jesus says, "Go tell my brethern that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me" [28.7-10].

According to St. Mark, neither the angel at the bomb nor Jesus on the way asked them to give that message to the disciples. That one young man did so - at the tomb itself [16.7].

According to St. Luke the conversation takes place with the two men at the tomb. Not only are the words that are exchanged different. No one - not the angel, not one man, not Jesus, not either of the two men - asks the women to tell the disciples that Jesus is going to Galilee ahead of them and that they will see him there [24.5-7].

According to St., John, what transpired was altogether different. Mary Magdalene goes alone. She sees that the stone has been removed, and the body is missing. She runs "to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved", and informs them that the body is missing. Simon Peter and the other disciple run to the sepulchre. They see for themselves, and return home. Mary, on the other hand continues to stand outside, weeping. She looks into the sepulchre and sees two angels "in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain". And then Jesus himself appears to her. Jesus appears to her - as in Mathew. But there are three differences. In Mathew Jesus appears to the two Marys, in John he appears to Mary Magdalene alone. In Mathew he appears as the two Marys are rushing to the disciples, in John he appears when Mary Magdalene, having informed two of the disciples, returns with them to the sepulchre. And, third, in Mathew, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, at once recognise him, they fall at his feet, they hold his feet, and worship him [28.9]. But in John, even when she sees Jesus standing in front of her, she does not recognise him. Instead, she takes him to be the gardener [20.14-15].

Jesus speaks to her in John, as Jesus does in Mathew - though in the latter to two Marys, not one; though on their way to the disciples, and not at the tomb when one of them has returned with the disciples. But what he says is altogether different. In Mathew he says, "Be not afraid : go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there they shall see me." In John, Jesus tells Mary Magdalene, "Tough me not [in Mathew, the two Marys hold him by the feet]; for I am not yet ascended to my Father : but go to my brethern, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" [20.17]. Not a word about going to Galilee !

To proceed. The women have seen that the body is missing. They have or have not been told by an angel, by one man, by two men or by Jesus to tell the disciples one thing or something altogether different. Whom do they go and tell ?

In Mathew, they run to get the message to the disciples - that they get to the disciples can only be inferred. For the account is overtaken by other happenings. First, as we have seen, Jesus himself appears to them. Second,the Gospel diverts to narrate a conspiracy of the Jews - one which none of the other three Gospels mentions : noticing that the body is missing, the guards go to the chief priests who are at that time in assembly with the elders; there a conspiracy is hatched : to deny that Jesus has risen, the guards are to say that they had fallen asleep and, as they slept, the followers of Jesus whisked away his body. The guards are paid, and guaranteed protection. And on this basis the Jews get a concoction to deny the Resurrection unto this day [28.11-15].

In Mark, the women tell no one : after the conversation with the youngman, Mark informs us, "they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed : neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid" [16.8]. It is in what is acknowledged even in the printed Bibles to be one of three different endings to the Gospel of St. Mark that we are told that the women went to "Peter and his friends" and conveyed what they had been told [third alternate, 16.9-10 in The Good News Bible].

In Luke, the women convey the message to "the eleven disciples and all the rest" [24.8].

In John, Mary Magdalene, who alone has gone to the tomb, goes and tells not, for instance, "the eleven disciples and all the rest", she tells "Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved" [20.2].

But, of course, as she has not encountered anyone at the tomb at this state, she has no message to convey - neither about going to Galilee nor about Jesus ascending to the Father. All she conveys is that the body is missing.

Informed or not, having received only the news of the missing body or having received that as well as a message, having received one message or an entirely different one, which of the disciples goes to the tomb ?

In Mathew no one goes to the sepulchre. The eleven disciples proceed to Galilee [28.16].

In Mark, no one goes to tell the disciples that the body is missing - the women having been struck dumb by fear. So, no occasion arises for the disciples to go to the sepulchre. Subsequently, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. She tells them. But "they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not" [16.11]. In any event, no one goes to the sepulchre.

In Luke, the women narrate everything to the apostles. But, "their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not" [24.11]. Peter alone gets up and rushes to the sepulchre [24.12]. Though later on, when they are talking to the resurrected Jesus, whom they take to be a stranger, two disciples speak of "certain of them which were with us" having gone to the sepulchre" [24.24].

In John, the information is conveyed not to all the apostles, Mary Magdalene informs only two - "Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved". And the two of them rush to the sepulchre [20.2-4].

The body, having disappeared, Jesus appears. To whom ?

In Mathew he first appears to the two Marys when they are rushing to the disciples [28.9]. Subsequently, as he had promised, he appears to the eleven disciples at Galilee [28.16].

In Mark he appears first to Mary Magdalene alone - the occasion is neither at the tomb, nor on the way to the disciples, but an altogether different, sui generis one [16.9]. After that he appears "in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country" [16.12]. And finally he appears "unto the eleven as they sat at meat" [16.14] - where the conversation, to which we shall just return, takes place.

In Luke he appears first to two of the disciples as they are on their way to a village called Emmaus "which was from Jerusalem about three-score furlongs." Jesus walks with them, he talks with them. But they do not recognise him for the longest time - it is only later after he vanishes that, seeing how their hearts burned as the stranger talked with them, that they realise who he was [24.13-32].

They go to tell the eleven. Who says that he has appeared to Simon [24.34]. And as they are talking "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them." Jesus talks to them at length [24.36-50].

In John, Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene - outside the sepulchre when she has returned with two of the disciples. She takes him to be the gardener, as we have seen, till he addresses her by her name [20.14-17].

He next appears to the disciples as they have assembled behind shut doors "for fear of the Jews" [20.19-23].

He appears again to the disciples eight days later - this time doubting Thomas too is present [20.26-29].

He appears a third time to his disciples at "the sea of Tiberias" [21.1-22]. Extensive exchanges take place between Jesus and the disciples on this - the last - occasion.

By this uncertain route we reach the exhortation to carry the message to all nations. But what precisely does Jesus say on the subject ?

In Mathew, after telling his disciples that all power has been given to him in heaven and in earth, Jesus says, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teaching them to observe all thing whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" [28.18-20].

In Mark, he upbraids them for "their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he had risen." And then come the words relevant to our concern : "And he said unto them Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" [16.15-16]. Notice that here Jesus is asking the disciples to go "and preach the gospel to every creature" - he is not asking them to baptize and convert the people they encounter. What he does is to forecast a future for those who believe and have been baptized, and for those who do not believe.

Incidentally, after this Jesus tells them : "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hand on the sick, and they shall recover" [16.17-18]. Are the missionaries able to take up serpents? Are they immune to poison ? Do the sick recover as they touch them ? Are there devils which missionaries drive away ?

Thus, in a word, while in Mathew what Jesus says about baptism is an exhortation, in Mark it is an adjective. The even more consequential fact in this context is that the earlier manuscripts of the Gospel of St. Mark end at the 8th para of this chapter. Paras 9 to 20 - of which paras 15 to 18 which contain the exhortation form a part - are acknowledged, even in the printed versions of the Bible today, to be later add-ons.

In Luke, Jesus is at pains to convince the disciples that what has been visited upon him is in accord with what had been written in the scriptures. Luke adds, "And he said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day," "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" [24.44-47]. Notice that here also Jesus is not asking them to convert and baptize, he is merely asking them to preach in his name - indeed, what he asks them to preach is also limited to "repentance and remission of sins".

John also reports at length the exchanges which Jesus has with his disciples when he reappears to them. There is not a word in these passages about going out, converting and baptising, or even preaching to the others.

Would a claim based on so tenuous a foundation survive in any court assessing evidence ?