Lights in a Western Sky
Page 25
The location of the house in which the last supper was held – probably on the Thursday evening before Jesus’ arrest – cannot with certainty be identified with the house of John the Priest (the most likely candidate for the ‘disciple whom Jesus loved’) but this must be a strong possibility. It was on the recollections of this John that John’s Gospel – attributable to another John – was based. In this gospel it is reported that he was among those who believed they had witnessed the risen Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
The true fate of Mary of Magdala (in later Christian parlance Mary Magdalene) after the crucifixion of Jesus is not known, but is seems not inconsistent with James’ character that he should have taken her in when he arrived in Jerusalem to assume leadership of the messianic community there. James was to hold this position for at least two decades. He died at the hands of the high priest Ananias in 62 CE, by which time Christian communities had been established – often with the help of Paul – in various cities throughout the eastern Mediterranean.
Finally, it is not widely realised that the hillside village of Nazareth lay only three miles or so from – and in sight of – the large town of Sepphoris, the administrative capital of Galilee. Although Sepphoris is hardly mentioned in the Bible it cannot be doubted that Jesus and his family would have known it well. In this story Judas Thomas is an artisan in the town, carrying on there the business of Jesus’ family.