Joseph of Arimathea (from Jesus, Son of Man) 

There were two streams running in the heart of the Nazarene: the stream of kinship to God whom He called Father, and the stream of rapture which He called the kingdom of the Above-World. 

And in my solitude, I thought of Him and I followed these two streams in His heart. Upon the banks of the one I met my own soul; and sometimes my soul was a beggar and a wanderer, and sometimes it was a princess in her garden. 

Then I followed the other stream in His heart, and on my way I met one who had been beaten and robbed of his gold, and he was smiling. And farther on I saw the robber who had robbed him, and there were unshed tears upon his face. 

Then I heard the murmur of these two streams in my own bosom also, and I was gladdened. 

When I visited Jesus the day before Pontius Pilatus and the elders laid hands on Him, we talked long, and I asked him many questions, and He answered my questioning with graciousness; and when I left Him, I knew He was the Lord and Master of this our Earth. 

It is long since the cedar tree has fallen, but its fragrance endures, and will forever seek the four corners of the Earth. 

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About the Author, Kahlil Gibran

Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, and visual artist, often regarded as a philosopher, though he rejected the title. He is most famous for his book The Prophet, first published in the United States in 1923. The work has since become one of the best-selling books of all time, translated into over 100 languages.

Learn about Kahlil Gibran

Read more about: The Story of Jesus’ Temptations by Reverend Ann Davies