PRIESTLY OBLIGATIONS TO THE PART
9:01 am – YERUSHALAYIM, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, A.D. 30
WHILE YESHUA was being judged by Herod Antipas, Passover activities began in the Temple courts. Despite the sleepless night, Kaiafa and the other priests could not afford a morning of rest. Soon they would cross the bridge that linked the Upper City to the Temple and prepare to attend to the day's duties.
Long lines of pilgrims were already forming there, which intensified the incessant bleating of the lambs. The first sacrifices would take place at noon, as required by law. Rows of priests began to gather, some carrying bowls of silver or gold. They were used to catch the blood of lambs when they were beheaded. Then they would be carried to the altar and the blood would be shed in sacrifice. A choir of Levites also gathered, along with men who would honor this great day with the blast of their silver trumpets.
***
YESHUA BEFORE HERODES ANTIPAS
9:01 am – YERUSHALAYIM, FRIDAY, APRIL 7, A.D. 30
THE PALACE OF THE ANCIENT Hasmoneans, the temporary residence of Herod Antipas during his brief stay in Yerushaláyim, was very close to the wall that ran from the superb palace complex of Herod Magnus, at the western end of the city, to the Temple. It was an old building, based on huge ashlars twenty cubits long and ten wide, which could not be dug or broken with iron, nor moved with all the machines in the world.
At the gates of the palace, a part of Antipas's personal guard, made up mostly of Thracian, German and Gaulish mercenaries, met them. Many had previously served the father of the present Herod. They wore long green half-sleeved tunics with the torso and belly covered by a sort of shirt or braided breastplate made of metallic scales. Most of them had leather quivers on their backs, full of arrows. In view of the considerable number of soldiers Yousef saw inside the palace, Herod must have feared for his personal safety.
Janus exchanged a few words with the porters, and the guard gave way to the Roman escort and a small group of priests. The others, including Yousef de Armathajim, had to wait in front of the building. Naturally, the centurion could not imagine that Antipas' interrogation of Yeshua of Natsrat would be as brief as it was barren.
Despite the antiquity of that palace, Herod had undertaken to beautify it to unsuspected limits.
From the central courtyard, occupied by a rectangular tank and where, on the slab, countless doves pecked, some of the servants, always guided by a somatophylax, or bodyguards of the Herodian court, led them to the upper floor.
On the first floor of the palace, open entirely to the interior garden and covered by an artistic marble cloister, was the audience room of Antipas. What first caught Yohanan's attention in the spacious room, perfectly lit by three large windows facing north, was a black wooden armchair, masterfully carved and placed to the right of the chamber. It was undoubtedly a throne. It had been placed on top of a dais, also made of dark wood. A short distance away, and occupying the center of the room, opened up a circular pool of four to five meters in diameter and depth difficult to calculate, because of the white liquid that filled it.
At the foot of the throne, some twenty individuals were propped up on large white feather pillows.
When they saw the entourage, there was a great silence.
The prisoner was placed by the centurion in front of the wooden armchair, between the swimming pool and the throng of brilliant cousins and friends of the tetrarch, who stared in amazement at Galileo and the Roman legionaries.
Kaiafa finally broke the heavy silence. He advanced to the group of courtiers and handed the scroll of charges to an extremely weak individual, similarly leaning back and half-hidden between the cushions. As he rose to his feet, there appeared before him a Herod that was difficult to imagine. Despite his fifty-five years, he looked like an old man. Beneath the practically transparent tunic, the skeletal body could be seen, covered with gray and dirty scabs, probably caused by a disease the Romans called mentagra. Those ulcers had especially attacked his hands, neck and face. To top it off, Antipas sported long, cropped hair over his forehead, dyed a brilliant blond.
After examining the parchment, Herod cast a glance at Yeshua, while the high priest multiplied himself with all kinds of explanations about the case that had been raised against the imposter and about the desire of the Roman procurator that the tetrarch proceed with the Galileo's interrogation.
Antipas hurled the scroll at Kaiafa's feet. The latter, confused by the unexpected reaction of the procurator of Galilee, fell silent, while one of his Levites hastened to take the parchment. Without saying a word, the tetrarch began to circle the Nazarene. Finally, he stopped in front of Yeshua with loud laughter. The courtiers were quick to imitate him, and laughter eventually echoed off the marble walls of the room. Herod then raised his arms and the laughter immediately ceased.
Then, slowly lowering his hands, he commented, amused.
— And so, in the end, the smug miracle worker son of David ended up visiting the old fox.
The tetrarch evidently knew the Rabbi of Galilee and was aware of the words of Yeshua, who called him a fox. Antipas waited for the prisoner's answer. But Yeshua, with his head lowered to his chest, did not even deign to look at him. For a little more than fifteen minutes, Herod's son Magnus pursued the prisoner with questions, but he did not get a single answer.
One of Antipas's main concerns, judging by his questions, was the possibility that this Galilean was the reincarnation of Yohanan Baptista, whom he had executed three years earlier. It was obvious that remorse had taken possession of the soul of that despotic and cruel ruler.
Disillusioned by the Galilean's silence, Herod changed tactics. Signing one of his loyalists, he exclaimed:
— Manaen! Call Herodias!
And old syntroplzos, the tutor of Herod Antipas, hastened out of the audience hall to go in search of the lord's mistress. Far from being irritated by Galileo's muteness, Herod seemed to take intimate satisfaction in it. That attitude was very strange and, covertly, the tetrarch walked along the edge of the pool, trying not to slip on the polished marble floor, inlaid with pink coral. His passion for Hellenism was evident not only in his clothing and the men around him but also in the decoration of the palace.
The floor, for example, exquisitely worked with pieces of bright and uniform coral called angel skin, taken from the Mediterranean, was one of the most eloquent proofs of the sophistication that this character displayed. Phoenician craftsmen in the service of Antipas had managed to form a most beautiful and gigantic picture of the legendary Medusa and her slayer, Theseus, embedding thousands of granules of coral into the marble slabs, which shaped the mythological scene.
In this way, Yousef approached Janus and, in a low voice, asked him why the tetrarch adopted that attitude. The centurion who knew the disorderly life of Antipas well suggested an explanation that was far from underestimating:
— All Israel knows that Herod feared and respected the fiery prophet whom they called the Baptist. At one point, this madman even commented that Yeshua of Galilee could be Yohanan. It would not be surprising that, upon checking the prisoner's silence, his unbalanced reason had regained its calm.
Suddenly Antipas came out of his thoughts and, taking up a crystal goblet, approached the pool. He bent down and filled it. Then, placing the cup at the level of the Nazarene's face, he asked him with malice:
— Tell me, Galileo, can you turn milk into wine?
Yeshua, motionless, did not blink. He kept his head down. Herod shrugged and returned to his feather bed. One of the servants, a eunuch, judging by the rings in his ears and the feminine sway and hips, knelt in front of the tetrarch to put him on. Those sandals with golden straps attracted everyone's attention. Both soles appeared to be covered with a series of very thin pads.
Once they were on, Antipas stood up and, to Yousef's surprise, with the weight of his body, the bags began to ooze a clear, aromatic liquid. They were sprays, a kind of deodorant that had begun to make a fuss among the wealthy classes of Rome and Greece, and that largely eliminated the unpleasant smells of perspiration.
When Herod Antipas fell in love with his brother Philip's wife. Tetrarch in the region of Perea east of the Jordan, he took advantage of a trip to Rome to join Herodias. His legitimate wife, daughter of the Arab sheik Areta, fourth king of the Nabateans, had to leave Israel and return with her family. Since then, Yohanan Baptista has taken what opportunities he has to rebuke Herod and his mistress, Herodias, into permanent adultery.
The criticisms of Yeshua's first cousin were so harsh that Antipas, possibly on the advice of Herodias, had the Baptist imprisoned in a remote fortress on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, which the Bedouins still know as Mashnaka, or Pending Palace. There he would be beheaded shortly afterwards. Since then Antipas has always lived in fear that the ghost of Yohanan Baptista would return to bring justice.
Antipas would not surrender, and he tried to get Yeshua to amuse him with one of his wonders. He took a silver platter, on which small strips of meat were lined, and, presenting it to Yeshua, he incribed him in the following terms:
— If you were able to multiply loaves and fishes, I don't think it would be too difficult for you to do the same with these flamingo tongues... Would you be kind enough to...
Silence was the only answer.
Herod, who had gone from mockery to wrath, lifted the piece of metal, dropping his favorite delicacy on the Nazarene's head and shoulders. The gesture was immediately supported by the laughter of his acolytes. But Yeshua was not impressed. The grotesque scene was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a woman. Antipas, seeing her, hastened to meet her, taking her by the hand and leading her to Yeshua.
Despite having passed the barrier of forty, the beauty of Herodias, lover of Antipas, was exciting. Her attire consisted of a series of Maltese gauzes, which formed a double tunic, revealing her olive skin. On her head was a white band that girded her temples and from which rose three layers of braids, as black as her eyes. The original hairstyle was finished off with small curls, made of hair rings.
Seeing Herodias, Janus fixed his eyes on her small breasts, perfectly visible through the fabrics, and turning to the other Roman he winked at him.
Antipas approached Yeshua and, flicking some of the flamingo tongues that had become tangled in his hair with his fingers, reassured the woman that this magician was not even the shadow of the annoyed Yohanan Baptista.
Herodias, her eyebrows and eyelashes smeared with a greasy substance and her eyelids shaded by a mixture of ground lapis lazuli, watched the defendant intently. Then, wiggling his hips without the same modesty, he moved away from the prisoner, going to sit on the wooden throne. Once there, and in the face of general expectation, he beckoned to Antipas, begging him to approach. Herod obeyed immediately. After whispering something to him, the tetrarch, grinning mischievously, got down from the dais and went to stand behind the Rabbi.
Then he took the hem of Yeshua's robe, slowly lifting it so that Herodias and her courtiers could gaze at the legs of the Nazarene. Antipas continued, until he discovered the entirety of the prisoner's muscular legs, as well as the loincloth that covered him. Herodias's crimson red lips parted with visible admiration, at the same time a wave of indignation began to burn my insides.
Janus noticed Yousef's rising anger, leaning towards him, commented:
— Don't be alarmed. Jewish law grants that pig a maximum of eighteen wives, but his impotence is so public and so notorious that Herodias even looks to the slaves in the stables for comfort... And Herod knows it.
Herodias has seized him by the throne and by the testicles. The officer's words were as sure as they were prophetic. Antipas hardly suspected that this very woman would be the cause of his final disgrace.
The humiliating scene was interrupted by the centurion.
Time was short and with kind but firm words he asked the tetrarch to communicate his verdict.
— Verdict? Replied Antipas, who had long ago understood that Galileo did not want to open his mouth. — Tell Pilatus that I thank him for his kindness, but that Judea does not come within my jurisdiction. Let him decide.
Turning around he walked towards one of his friends. He tore off a rich purple robe with which he covered himself and, without further words, went to place it on Yeshua's shoulders, letting out a long and shrill laugh, which was applauded by friends and relatives.
Kaiafa and the priests, as disillusioned as Antipas, headed for the door, while Janus, after greeting the tetrarch and Herodias with a raised arm, pushed Yeshua aside, indicating that the audience was over.
***
THE TRAITOR WHO BETRAYED HIMSELF
YERUSHALAYIM, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, A.D. 30
YEHUDHAH ISH QERYOTH always traveled alone. Yeshua chose to spend the day resting, so he and the other disciples stayed at Elazar's house while Yehudhah went on to Yerushaláyim. It had been five days since the disciples arrived in Bethany and three days since Yeshua entered Yerushaláyim on the donkey. But he had not yet publicly announced that he was the Christ nor had he done anything that might lead to an insurrection against Rome. However, he infuriated the religious leaders, which put a target on both his and his disciples' backs.
— They will hand you over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me — Yeshua predicted the day before, when they were all sitting together on top of the Mount of Olives.
Yehudhah did not accept to follow Yeshua to be hated or executed. If he would simply admit to being the Christ, he would triumph over the Romans. No doubt the religious authorities would be willing to ally with him if that happened. There would be no more reason to speak of death and execution. So Yehudhah decided to force him to take action. He made that decision just moments ago when Yeshua and the disciples were having dinner at the home of a man known as Shim-on the leper.
The group lounged on the cushions around the dining table, picking up morsels of food from the small plates with their right hands. As had happened so many times, a woman approached Yeshua to anoint him with fragrant oil. It was Myriam, Elazar's sister, who broke the bottle's thick neck and poured spikenard ointment, an exotic perfume imported from India, over Yeshua's head to demonstrate her devotion.
Yehudhah expressed his indignation at such a waste of money. Passover in particular was a time when it was customary to give money to the poor. This time, he was not alone: other disciples agreed with Yehudhah, until Yeshua put an end to the discussion.
— Why are you bothering this woman? — Yeshua retorts — She did a good deed for me. For the poor you will always have with you, but me you will not always have. When she poured this perfume over my body, she did so in order to prepare me for burial.
Again, Yeshua's words are baffling. He allowed himself to be anointed like the Christ and at the same time foresaw his death.
Now Yehudhah was courageously returning to Yerushaláyim. The smell of smoke from the various fires wafted through the night air. Passover would begin on the night of the first full moon after the spring equinox – Friday.
Yehudhah chose his path cautiously along the bumpy dirt road. His journey could be stupid and he knew it, for he intended to go directly to the palace of Kaiafa, the most powerful man in the Jewish world. He believed he had an offer of great value that would interest the leader of the Sanhedrim. Everyone knows, however, that he was a disciple of Yeshua, so his plan could very well land him in prison. And even if none of that happened, Yehudhah wasn't sure if a religious leader of Kaiafa's stature would receive a dirty follower of Yeshua.
After crossing the valley and the gates of Yerushaláyim, Yehudhah made his way through the crowded streets to the luxurious quarters of the Upper City. Finding Kaiafa's palace, he told the guards what he had come to. Much to his relief, he was not arrested. Instead, he is welcomed into the sprawling palace and led into a sumptuous room where the high priest is gathered with other priests and elders.
The living room was enclosed and decorated with gold-inlaid wood. The windows looked out on two panoramic views: one of the Temple Mount itself; and the other, from the streets of that wealthy sector of Yerushaláyim.
A little later, Antipas and Herodias entered, striding imposingly, dragging their royal robes and followed by Kaiafa and the sullen Ananus. It was then that Yehudhah entered and they could barely stay where they were without rushing to him. Then an employee came in and poured some glasses. Everyone took it.
Yehudhah was wearing a beautiful blue robe that neither of the disciples nor Yeshua had seen him wear when in the company of Yeshua. Smiling, he chatted with Kaiafa and Ananus. He looked entirely at ease. They welcomed him and it seemed that they already knew him.
— More wine? — He muttered, head down and changing his voice.
Yehudhah turned to him, distracted, said:
— Of course — As the servant refilled the goblet with a trembling arm, Ananus wasted no time.
— He's gone too far already — said Ananus in a plaintive voice. – We have to end this.
— More wine, my lord? — Asked the helpful servant again, gently refilling her goblet. He thanked her, nodding at her.
— That's easy — said Kaiafa, raising his eyebrows — pin it up.
— On what basis? You faltered when you let that confusion of two days ago in the Temple go uninvestigated. – Yehudhah's voice was indignant. – Now they have no excuse. He leaned forward. 'And he won't.' He is smart. He knows exactly what to do, how far to go.
— Then we'll invent one — Kaiafa said.
— You idiot — said his father-in-law. – The pretext must serve the Romans. If they feel that the mistake was ours, they turn against us.
— Don't worry, it will do for the Romans — Kaiafa said stubbornly. — This man represents a danger to the nation, a danger to the arrangement we have made with the Romans. It can incite a revolt. He must not be allowed to continue doing what he does.
— Kiafa, you surprise me — said Ananus. – Sometimes you even think. — He Turned to Yehudhah. – But he is very popular. That is the problem. Later people will forget, because they always end up forgetting... That's for sure. But now, if we have him arrested, in front of that crowd, it could result in trouble – you saw him in the Temple and you saw that mass of people who cheered him when he arrived in Yerushaláyim... No crowds. And that's why we need you.
— And that's what I can offer you — said Yehudhah.
Only the incessant movement of his feet betrayed any unease.
— I can take you to him when he's alone. I know everything you do. I am responsible for a peaceful prison, away from the adoring crowds. – He spoke quickly.
Ananus nodded.
— Very well.
— But I expect to be paid well. After all, I'm the only person who can offer them this. His voice had gotten thinner and sharper.
— Ten pieces of silver — Kaiafa said in his resonant priestly voice.
Yehudhah burst out laughing.
— Twenty — said Kaiafa, holding up his hands, palms up, in benevolence. – Shekels, shekel coins from Tyre.
Yehudhah shook his head sadly.
— You gentlemen disappoint me — he said. — I offer them something precious and they try to deceive me.
— Thirty coins — said Ananus authoritatively. — And do not talk about this anymore.
Yehudhah moved his head from side to side, considering the offer.
— It's too little — he said.
— Take it or leave it, after all, what you offer us is a private prison. If prison were public, it would be free...
— But it would result in trouble.
— We will know how to handle it. Do we intend to have a Roman court, and what problems would Roman soldiers not solve? Some legionaries, one or another death, they have no qualms about it. They do it daily. Of course, a quiet prison would be preferable, but we can do it in other ways.
— Very well — said Yehudhah.
— Then it's thirty coins.
— Go to my office — Kaiafa said. — There, I will give you the money.
- No. You certainly have that amount right here, a no-brainer, as I said. I'd rather get paid now. I don't want to have to explain to some employee what this is all about.
Muttering, Kaiafa rummaged through his money bag, reluctantly pulling out the silver coins one by one.
— Five... Ten... Two more here...
Yehudhah stretched out his hand and received them.
— What about our agreement that he won't be harmed, is he still standing?
— If you don't mean him harm, why are you denouncing him? — Asked Ananus.
— Because I think it should be protected from itself — Yehudhah said slowly. — He has created an enormous expectation that he will never be able to fulfill. And if he doesn't, people will turn against him. This arrest should give him a chance to reflect, before it's too late.
— And you getting rich in the process...
— With thirty pieces of silver from Tyre? — Gentlemen, you must think that I am a farmer from Galilee. It's an insignificant amount. But I'm glad, — he added quickly.
He still had eighteen pieces of silver to receive. One by one, they were deposited in his hand, joining the pile that was there.
— You joined his group — Kaiafa said — You must have noticed something in him. Why are people following you? I can not understand...
Three four five six. Yehudhah has just collected the missing coins in his hand.
— I believed him — he said, in his normal voice again — I thought I had the answers to the questions I was looking for. I had answers, but not the ones I wanted. Or what I needed. Which is not the same thing. He was prepared to accept the answers he needed, even if they represented suffering. But he didn't. So ... — he opened his arms and the stagnant voice came back — the least I can do is protect him from dangers. Don't you guys agree?
YEHUDHAH LEFT, leaving the place like a shadow. The other conspirators continued to discuss the problem that Yeshua posed.
The meal was over and they had had plenty of wine and sweets. All the servants had already left, with the exception of those who personally attended to the lords of the palace. Strange people attract attention.
Yehudhah would have to get away from Yeshua and the other disciples to alert his new allies to their whereabouts, which could be difficult. Thirty pieces of silver were counted before Yehudhah's eyes, one by one, piece by piece. They clanged against each other as they fell into his pocket.
The traitor received his payment in advance.
Yehudhah returned alone to Bethany. Thieves could be lurking on the roads. He wonders how he would explain his absence to Yeshua and the others – and where would he hide such a voluminous, tinkling reward. But Yehudhah would find a way, for he truly believed that he was smarter than his countrymen and that he deserved to be rewarded in this life.
If Yeshua was really God, soon everyone would know...
The next few hours would take care of that revelation.
YEHUDHAH DID NOT KNOW, but all the time he was being watched closely, he never trusted that bastard and he was right from the start, he could never trust a zealot, deep down they were simply thieves...
***
DID ANYONE KNOW
YERUSHALAYIM, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, A.D. 30
I HAVE TO TALK TO HIM! – Thought James – It has to be before supper, before we all get together. It has to be now.
He approached him, worried. He reached out and touched her shoulder, lightly. He was still looking at the barely visible silhouette of Yerushaláyim. She turned quickly to him, but his expression was not one of satisfaction.
— Yes? – Yeshua said.
— Rabbi — said James. She suddenly remembered the last time she had been alone with him and what had happened. Don't let that influence what I have to say! He pleaded with himself.
— Yes? — Yeshua repeated. She was looking at him strangely, not coldly, but almost as if she didn't recognize him.
— Master, today I was spying, and quite well, I must say. The high priest, Kaiafa, was there, as was old Ananus...
— A beautiful meeting, — Yeshua said in a rare sarcastic tone. – Were you impressed?
That question irritated him.
— No — he said irritably. — Why should I stay? There's nothing to envy those people.
— Many people would envy them — he said.
— I'm not one of them — James replied, wishing he'd stop teasing him — And if wealth impressed me, remember that I wouldn't have left everything behind and followed you.
He continued to look at him in silence, finally he came a little closer and said:
— I overheard their conversation. They consider you dangerous. They want to silence you.
Instead of commenting, Yeshua continued to stare at him, forcing him to look away.
— The most revolting thing was that... — He paused.
Would you have the courage to say it?
— Yehudhah was there too. He told them things about you. And he agreed to bring them to you, in secret.
Now, it finally looked like Yeshua was listening.
— Yehudhah. He put his hand to his head.
— Yehudhah. Yes, Yehudhah!
He took a deep breath.
— Yehudhah. He even... He even received money from them. He accepted money from them to bring them to you.
— Then they wasted the money. The place where I am is not secret. Was that all he had to say?
— They want to arrest him privately, without the people, that crowd, seeing him — he shouted.
— Yehudhah — he said. — Yehudhah. My dear Yehudhah, no! No!
— But it was Yehudhah. I saw it and heard it. I was also very sad. He was a person... so close... He understood what you were saying so well... He seemed sincere... But now, Rabbi, you must protect yourself from him!
He took another deep breath.
— He's evil! He is our enemy!
— There is no way to avoid evil — Yeshua said after a pause. — What has to come, will come. But woe to him who brings evil.
— Yeshua… — He reached out toward him.
I have to say it. I have to tell you that I regret everything I tried to do, as I understand now, as I do now...
— I can't bear to hear any more — he said, interrupting him. — Thank you for telling me. Had to be brave. Leave me now, please, and say no more. I have to prepare myself, as well as prepare others. But I have to tell you about my feelings, about all these things that trouble me...
— Yes, Rabbi — he said, obeying and walking away.
The others were busy.
Shim-on Cephas had been in charge of the fire and was giving orders about the skewers that should be placed to roast the meat.
Mateus took care of the wine, which would soon arrive, guaranteed.
Seeing them worried about those banalities, Tiago felt even more saddened by their secret knowledge.
Yeshua joined the others, smiling and satisfied, as if nothing bothered him.
Was he showing that those everyday tasks were important? And yet he himself had condemned them, commanding his disciples to forget the things of daily life. Perhaps he himself wasn't sure what was really important, thought James. Maybe... maybe we've all followed a man who, deep down, is also an apprentice!
They all sat down at the table to eat supper together. Yeshua broke the bread, holding it in his strong hands, as he always did, and gave thanks. His beautiful white robe fell well over his shoulders. Nothing on his face seemed to show that things would not continue in their usual routine.
All gathered... Breaking bread... A peaceful night... Praying early in the morning... And so on.
— Tomorrow night is Passover — Yeshua said at last. – This is the last time we eat together, as we always did until here.
He looked around him, watching them one by one. Nobody asked him what "the last time" meant. As his eyes passed over James, he felt that the Rabbi understood his anguish, but was not really going to talk about him.
— Passover in Yerushalayim! — exclaimed Thomas. — I always dreamed of it.
— It will be a beautiful party — said Yeshua. — I've already made some arrangements. Tomorrow you must go early to the city, Cephas and Yohanan, and you must go to the Sheep Gate. A man with a pitcher of water will meet them. It must be easy, for few men carry jugs of water. You will have to follow him through the streets and he will enter a certain house. When you are introduced to the master of the house, you will tell him that the master needs a place to celebrate Passover with his friends. He will lead them to a room upstairs, furnished and appropriate. It will be there that you will have to make preparations for our supper.
So, it means that there are also followers here in the city, secret followers, that we don't even know about — thought Tiago — How many of them will there be, scattered here and there, who have joined him, one by one, and that only he knows and we don't even know? We suspect? I am surrounded by secrets and invisible mysteries on all sides...
— My sheep hear my voice — Yeshua said, answering the question she had not asked. – As well as others, who do not belong to this flock. It blew in the wind and the pine branches above them swayed.
Who would the other sheep be? Then came the forbidden and petty thought: does he love them more than us?
Yeshua was almost in front of him and the flickering light of the fire gave a reddish tone to his face. And all the others were… Yohanan, as usual, on his side, now with a little color in his pale features; James the Greater, with his jaw clenched; Thomas, as usual, with his handsome face deep in thought; Cephas, laughing and talking to Shim-on beside him.
A mist seemed to envelop Eli and Silvanus; his father and mother had disappeared; and Joel, far away, was still a painful memory. Only Elijah was still real.
Looking at Yeshua and his mother, James was now certain that the bond of motherhood would never be broken.
One day, someday... we will be together again and everything will be understood and forgiven and somehow that will be the work of Yeshua, who we will know. In some way...
— We will leave for Yerushaláyim, friends. I call them friends, because friends are – said Yeshua. — And there are many things I want to say to you as friends. Later you will remember them, and in remembering them you will understand what I mean.
Nobody said anything. They feared that if they did, Yeshua would not say what he really meant, for he always answered questions whether or not they were inconvenient. They were silent as, around them, the neighbors noisily prepared for bed.
— You already know that there are indications that this era is about to end," Yeshua said, as if he were talking about a simple lack of water or problems with commerce. – Soon it will all be over. And that will be God's work. We must comply with his will, submit to serve the cause as best we can, sacrificing ourselves to that end. I'm completely prepared for this. And you, are you?
No one said anything until Matthew finally asked:
— How are we supposed to know this is going to happen?
— There will be unmistakable signs, in heaven and on earth. Until then, you shouldn't be disappointed. Don't be fooled. Stand firm. My friends – said Yeshua – all of you were sent to me by my Father. And I promised you that I would not lose a single one of you, except the son of perdition, the one destined for destruction – no matter what. Therefore, do not be afraid.
Yehudhah, who had said nothing during the entire meal, was startled when Yeshua mentioned "the one destined for destruction" and looked at James. His face was rigid and his eyes weren't looking directly at him and they had that sinister, empty look again that made him shiver. Tiago noticed that he was without that beautiful blue cloak.
Had he hidden it in a nearby tree trunk, to wear it again when he was reunited with his friends at the Temple?
Yeshua's mother's face was illuminated by the dim light of the fire. She was the only person who looked worried, but she controlled herself. They stayed by the fire for a long time, quietly waiting for it to go out and enjoying its warmth.
Then Yeshua looked at Yehudhah and said:
— One of you will betray me...
— Is it me, Rabbi?
— Whatever you have to do, do it quickly...
He got up and left without the others noticing...
Tiago just stared at him as he remembered the awkward conversation they had the night before.
THEN THEY GOT UP, one by one, heading for the mats on which they slept. Yeshua walked away again, to the top of the hill, and James followed him. This time he was looking towards that ugly valley, which they called Gehenna, south of Yerushaláyim. All the city's garbage was taken and incinerated there. The unpleasant smoke it produced made her nostrils sting as the wind carried her towards people.
— Impurities — murmured Yeshua — All that is dirt and decay is burning there.
She turned to Tiago, who was approaching, as if he had been waiting for her.
— Do you know why the eternal fires burn there?
— No, I don't know," he replied.
— That was the place where human sacrifices were made in honor of Molech — Yeshua said. — Even the kings of Israel, who went to pray in the Temple, sacrificed their sons and daughters in worship of the god Molech. When Josiah became king and adopted the reforms, he determined that the place where the altars to Molech were located would become a garbage dump. And so it is, to this day. However, the evil has not yet been expunged.
He heaved a sigh.
— Something still needs to be done. Evil does not disappear with time.
— There's a lot of impurity and a lot of evil here — he agreed, pointing to the smoke from the valley of Gehenna.
— But Yohanan and I found a quiet, peaceful spot at the bottom of the hill. It is an olive grove and it was completely deserted, even when there was a crowd around it. Maybe you find it relaxing.
— Easy? – Yeshua said, amazed. – In the midst of all this?
— And yes. It's downstairs, to the left of the main path. There is a gate that you can open.
— I want to go there and see — Yeshua said excitedly. — Maybe tomorrow morning.
A small noise behind him revealed the presence of another person.
— What a horrible sight.
Yehudhah was standing right next to them.
Had he overheard the conversation? Had he heard about the olive grove?
— It is the expression of sin — Yeshua said. — If we always saw sin, the vision we would have would be exactly this.
— Unfortunately, we cannot do that — Yehudhah said in a sad voice.
— Satan doesn't want us to see it — said Yeshua — because we could run away in horror.
Yeshua left, heading to the place where the others were already sleeping, and left James and Yehudhah together.
Yehudhah was still looking down at the valley below.
— Yes, evil is very ugly — Tigo said. — Sometimes it reveals its true face. What do you think should be done with her, Yehudhah?
— You should set it on fire — he replied, uninterested.
— As did Josiah.
— People don't burn easily.
Amazed, Yehudhah turned to him.
— People?
— People who sided with Satan, who listened to him.
A long silence followed.
— Yehudhah...
He hated him, and he was ready to prove to everyone that a person who wasn't a Galilean couldn't be worth much, let alone a zealot...
— You know what I mean.
An even greater silence followed. Yehudhah looked like he was about to confess something; several expressions crossed his face, but he eventually resumed his cold mask.
— I'm afraid not — he said. — But maybe you should be more careful and see if your demons have really been cast out. They seem to be talking to you again, leading you astray to shoot fire from the skies at people.
It's very smart. He knows exactly where to strike to render his opponent defenseless... At least, that's what he thinks. It is like Satan himself, as Yeshua warned me.
— I feel sorry for you, Yehudhah — James said in a strong voice.
— But you are wrong.
— About your impulses? We'll see.
— No, I'm not talking about my impulses.
— It really saddens me.
He paused.
— Come on, it's time for bed.
She tried to lead him to where the others were already, putting her arm solicitously around his shoulders.
Was she planning to get out of there when everyone was asleep?
The feel of his arm disgusted her. Normally, people thought it was horrible to touch snakes, but once, James had had to catch a snake that had invaded his room to take it outside, and he found its skin to be soft, dry and fresh and even pleasant to the touch. . Even chameleons, he'd once had a pet, had quirky bumps that she found pleasant to touch when she stroked their heads. But the feel of the arm of that man who had not understood and felt rejected by Yeshua, or disappointed, or whatever it was that Satan had breathed into his ear, was far more abominable than what Asherah had conveyed to him. She pushed his arm away and backed away with a shiver, which he noticed.
— I'm not crazy, but it seems to satisfy you to say I am: more lies, like most everything you've been doing lately. Don't you get tired of lying and pretending you're something you're not?
She stopped and said no more, for fear that Satan would see that he had been discovered. In the light of the nearly full moon, his handsome, slender features lit up, as if the moonlight itself loved him. He had a compassionate smile.
— Oh, James. I never did any of that. I've always asked questions and everyone knows it.
But now James wanted to say: you too are a liar and a traitor. He restrained himself not to say it, not to throw it in his smug face, but if he did it would give him information he shouldn't have.
— You will carry your questions and your falsehood to the grave.
Was all he managed to say.
— Many people of greater worth than I have done," he said. - It will be an honor to keep you company.
— Don't think about the company of philosophers or famous rebels — he stammered. — They wouldn't appreciate your company, least of all we, you know that well. Think of the company of those – I wanted to mention Aaron's disobedient sons and Korah's rebellion against Moshe – who sinned and condemned themselves.
Again, the ironic smile.
— You need to rest — he repeated.
But she didn't try to take him by the arm.
— And you must repent — he replied.
— But who will forgive you?
LAYING ON HIS MAT, Tiago remained a long time with his thoughts turned to Yehudhah. His betrayal tore her apart. He didn't blame Kaiafa and Antipas. They didn't even know Yeshua; they only imagined him as a natural troublemaker from Galilee who was disturbing order at a time when it was very important not to attract the attention of the Romans. But in many ways, Yehudhah had always seemed the most informed, the most conscientious of all the disciples. Maybe that was the problem. Could it be that the more a person understood Yeshua and His message, the more disturbed he would be? For a movement to triumph, it was necessary to conquer the Yehudhah, it was necessary to ask someone to explain to them why their questions were answered – not in a simplistic way, but by a complicated reasoning.
Yehudhah's betrayal did not represent the mere loss of a disciple to Yeshua. It was much more worrying. It was the loss of an important framework for the movement as a whole.
***
YESHUA FOR THE LAST TIME IN PELA
YERUSHALAYIM, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, A.D. 30
YESHUA AND THE TEN APOSTLES arrived at the camp of Pella. This was the last week of Yeshua's sojourn there, when he was very active teaching the multitudes and instructing the apostles. Every afternoon he preached to the people, and in the evenings he answered the questions of the apostles and some of the more advanced disciples who resided in the camp.
The news of Elazar's resurrection had reached the camp the day before Yeshua came, and everyone was excited. Since the episode of the feeding of the five thousand, nothing had happened to stimulate the imagination of the people so much. And so, at the very height of the second phase of the public ministry of the Kingdom, Yeshua planned to teach during this short stint in Pella and then begin the journey south of Perea, which led to the final and tragic experiences of the last week in Yerushaláyim.
The Pharisees and the chief priests had begun to formulate their incriminations by consolidating the form of the charges. They opposed the Rabbi's teachings on the following points:
1. He is a friend of publicans and sinners; he receives the wicked and even eats with them.
2. He is a blasphemer; he speaks of God as his Father and thinks himself an equal with God.
3. He is a lawbreaker. He cures diseases on the Sabbath, and in many other ways he circumvents Israel's holy law.
4. He is linked to demons. He performs wonders and works seeming miracles, by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of devils.
That same afternoon Yeshua spoke to the crowd about the "Grace of Salvation". In the course of this sermon he recounted the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin and then added his favorite parable, that of the prodigal son.
Yeshua said:
— You were exhorted by prophets, from Samuel to Yohanan, to seek God, to seek the truth. Always they said, 'Seek the Lord, while He may be found. And all these teachings should be taken to heart. But I came to show you that at the same time you are trying to find God, God is also trying to find you. I have often told you the story of the good shepherd who left the ninety-nine sheep of the fold and went out in search of the lost one, and when he found the straying sheep, he placed it on his shoulders and tenderly carried it away. Back to the shelter. When the lost sheep was returned to the fold, you remember that the good shepherd summoned his friends and invited them to rejoice at the return of the lost sheep. And again, I say that there is more rejoicing in heaven over the sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance. The fact that some souls are lost only increases the heavenly Father's interest. I came into this world to fulfill my Father's command; but, indeed, it has been said of the Son of Man, who is a friend of publicans and sinners.
He continued:
— You have been taught that divine acceptance comes after your repentance and in consequence of all your efforts of sacrifice and penance, but I assure you that the Father accepts you even before you have repented and sends you the Son and his collaborators. to meet you and joyfully bring you back to the fold, the Kingdom of sonship and spiritual progress. You are all like sheep that have gone astray, and I have come to find you and save those who are lost. And you should also remember the story of the woman who, having made an ornamental necklace out of ten pieces of silver, lost a piece; so she lit the lamp and carefully swept the house, and kept searching, until she found the lost piece of silver.
And as soon as he found the lost piece, he called together friends and neighbors, saying:
— Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece that was lost. And so again I say to you, there is always joy in the presence of the angels of heaven, because of a sinner who repents and returns to the Father's embrace. And I tell you this story to instill in you the idea that the Father and the Son go out in search of those who are lost; and in this search we employ every influence capable of aiding us in our earnest efforts to find those who are lost, those who remain in need of salvation. So the Son of Man goes out into the desert to look for the sheep that strayed and, at the same time, looks for the coin that was lost in the house. The sheep goes astray involuntarily; the coin is covered with the dust of time and is hidden under the accumulation of the things of men. And now I would like to tell you the story of the reckless son of a wealthy farmer. This son deliberately left his father's house and went to a foreign land, where he experienced many tribulations. You remember that the sheep went astray unintentionally, but that young man left his house premeditatedly.
It was so:
— A certain man had two sons; one, the youngest, was cheerful and carefree, always looking for fun and shirking responsibility; while his older brother was serious, sober, hardworking and willing to take responsibility. Now these two brothers didn't get along very well with each other; and they always found themselves fighting and arguing.
The younger was gay and vivacious, but indolent, and unreliable; the eldest was stable and industrious, but at the same time self-centered, moody, and cocky. The youngest liked to have fun and avoided work; the eldest was devoted to work and seldom amused.
The bond between them became so unpleasant that the youngest son came to his father and said:
— Father, give me the third that would fit me from your possessions, allow me to go out into the world and seek my own luck.
And when the father heard this request, knowing how unhappy the young man was in his house with his elder brother, he divided his property, giving the young man his share.
In a few weeks the young man gathered all his funds and set out on a journey to a far country; but, finding nothing profitable to do, which was also pleasant, he quickly spent all his inheritance in an unrestrained life.
After spending everything, a great famine arose in that country and he found himself in misery. So he suffered a great misfortune, but when he began to starve he found employment with one of the citizens of that country, being sent to the fields to feed the swine. And the young man would have been satisfied with the leftovers eaten by the pigs, but nobody gave him anything.
One day, when he was very hungry, he came to his senses and said:
— My father's many servants have plenty of bread, while I starve here, feeding pigs in a foreign country! — I will get up and go to my father to say:
— Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; just be willing to make me your servant.
And when the young man had come to this decision, he rose and set out for his father's house.
— That father, however, had suffered much because of his son; he had missed the young man immensely, joyful, if unthinking. The father loved this son and was constantly looking forward to his return, so that on the day he returned home, the father still saw him from afar and, being motivated by the compassion of love, ran to meet him and with much affection embraced and kissed him.
And after that, the son saw the watery face of the father and said:
— Father, I have sinned against heaven and before your eyes; I am not worthy to be called your son' — the young man, however, had no opportunity to complete his confession, for the father, jubilant, said to the servants, who at that time came running: — Bring quickly his best clothes, that that I have set aside, put the son's ring on his hand, and make sandals for his feet.
— And then, after leading the tired and sore-footed young man to the house, the happy father said to the servants, 'Bring the fatted calf and kill it, that we may eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and is now dead. alive again; he was lost and is found.
And they gathered with the father to rejoice at the son's return.
— At that moment, while they were celebrating, the eldest son arrived from his day's work in the fields and, as he approached the house, he noticed the music and dancing. Arriving at the back door, he called one of the servants and asked about the cause of all the festivities.
The servant then said to him:
— Your brother, so long lost, has returned home; and your father killed the fatted calf to celebrate his safe return. Come so that you too may greet your brother and welcome him back to your father's house.
— On hearing this, however, the older brother was so hurt and angry that he did not want to enter the house. When the father learned of this resentment about welcoming his younger brother, he left to beg his son to come in. But the eldest son would not be swayed by his father's persuasion.
And he replied, in these words:
— In all these years I have served you, never transgressing the least of your orders, yet you never gave me so much as a goat to amuse myself with my friends. I stayed here and took care of you all these years, but you never had a party because of my faithful service; yet when that other son returns, having squandered your goods on harlots, and you make haste to kill the fatted calf to celebrate it.
— Since this father truly loved his two sons, he tried to reason with the eldest: But, my son, you have been with me all this time, and everything I have is yours. You could have killed a goat at any time to share your happiness with your friends. And it would be opportune for you to join me in this joy and happiness at the return of your brother. Think of it, my son, your brother had been lost, found himself and returned to us alive!
This was, among all, one of the most moving and effective of all the parables that Yeshua ever presented, to show listeners the Father's good will to receive all who seek entry into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Yeshua was very fond of telling these three stories at the same time. He presented the story of the lost sheep to show that, when men involuntarily stray from the path of life, the Father remains attentive to these lost children and goes out, with his Sons, the true shepherds of the flock, in search of the lost sheep. .
Then Yeshua told the story of the lost coin in the house to illustrate how complete God's search is for all who are confused, confused, or spiritually blind in some other way because of the cares and concerns of life. And he began to tell the parable of the lost son, of the reception given on the return of the prodigal son, to show how complete is the reintegration of the lost son into the house and heart of the Father.
Over and over again during his teaching years, Yeshua told and retold the story of the prodigal son. This parable and the story of the good Samaritan were his favorite ways of teaching about the love of the Father and good neighborliness among men.