Tee hee.

Photo: what usually sits on the top of my desk.

Some of you caught the bug! A historical novelist must have tenacity--once you set out to find that piece of information, you tend to stick with it even though it drives you crazy and takes more time than you imagined.

But those of you who responded did well. Here are the pertinent clips from MAGDALENE:

Siblings: Yeshua’s mother didn’t always travel with us, for she had other children still living in Natzeret. As time passed, I learned that she kept to herself not because she was unsure of Yeshua, but because she was unhappy about strife in her household. Though our rabboni was her firstborn, her other children—James, Joseph, Abigail, Simon, Judas, and Anna—were not reluctant to offer their opinions about their elder brother’s activities. The more Yeshua’s fame spread through the region, the more outspoken his siblings became.

Note: The men were named, the women were not, so the names of Abigail and Anna are fictional. But we know he DEFINITELY had at least two sisters.

Clothing: Four legionnaires had crucified the prophet and piled his clothing near the foot of the cross. Five pieces lay on the ground; each soldier took one item: the outer robe, girdle, sandals, and turban. A single linen tunic remained, and the men hesitated when they saw it. The worn tunics of the two thieves were fit only for rags, but despite the bloodstains, the prophet’s garment looked new—and it had been woven of a single piece.

“Let’s not tear this one.” Flavius shook out the blood-stained garment. “Let’s throw the knucklebones to see who wins it.”

I found it interesting that the inner tunic--the one they didn't want to rip--was woven of one piece just like the inner garments the high priests wore. (I think this is where God says, Well -- what else would he wear?). Tradition says that the Virgin Mary gave him this robe; I had Mary Magdalene give it to him. In MAGDALENE, she thinks of him as a son.

A big thank you to all of you who stopped by to play the game. :-)

Shalom!

Angie