Days of Peace
It was in Galilee that the new prophet began his mission several months ago. Since then, he had been alternately threatened with harm, and praised as the Messiah. On balance, he had much evidence of success; great crowds gathered to hear him, and he had more disciples than could travel in his itinerant group.
Galilee was the breadbasket of Israel. It was largely built around the Sea of Galilee with its fishing industry and population centers. Cities and villages ringed the lake, including the administrative center of Galilee, the city of Tiberius where its Jewish ruler Herod Antipas supervised his tetrarchy...with Roman permission. Its western border did not extend to the Great Sea, or east of the Jordan River, and it was divided from Jerusalem by hated Samaria.
Formerly all of Galilee had been Jewish, but most of the population had been exiled to the north in 721 B.C. by the Assyrians. The land had been repopulated by surrounding peoples who largely did not adopt the Jewish faith, or in the case of the Samaritans, did so in an adulterated manner. Additionally, the original Jews did not return in sufficient numbers from exile. Galilee was no more than half Jewish.
Galilean Jews had a tendency to trade religious precision for practicality and many did not keep the finest points of the Law to the satisfaction of the Pharisees. A thousand years prior, the temple authorities might have simply excommunicated the lot of them, but now there was precious little to dispose of, and the Galilean Jews lived instead under the contempt of the temple community.
About five percent of the Jews considered themselves as belonging to one of four extremity groups within the faith: Sadducee, Pharisee, Essene, Zealot, and occasionally a Jew attempted the fifth category of Messiah. The Pharisees were literal pietists, and often synagogue rabbis. The Essenes were spiritual ascetics, and the Zealots were partisan nationalists, fighting the occupying Romans. The Sadducees were Jerusalem aristocrats and self appointed temple chief priests.
The Sadducees were the controlling element of the Great Sanhedrin, which was the ruling court of Israel. It had power within the Jewish community in religious, and some civil matters. Its actual power varied greatly depending on the strength of competing powers in Israel. The former king, Herod the Great allowed the Sanhedrin only the power he wished to allow it. In the absence of a king, the Roman governor was the primary power, which strangely increased the power of the Sanhedrin. Rome wanted taxes, order, and an empire, and was content to let their provinces rule themselves within these requirements.
The Sanhedrin met in the “Hall of the Hewn Stones”, located in the inner court buildings of the temple, but the full Sanhedrin of seventy-one members rarely met. Daily governance was conducted by the Lesser Sanhedrin composed of twenty-three of its members. Metropolitan Sanhedrin courts of twenty-three members located in every city decided local matters and even villages had councils.
Half of the population in Israel was non-Jewish and mixed rule was more art than law. By implication, those living in Jewish enclaves subjected themselves to Jewish law. When a dispute arose between Jewish and Roman law, it was decided by a Roman court. The Jews were the only people in the region with a religious law that was in strict opposition with the state gods of Rome.
It was agreed by all Jews that the Messiah, the anointed one was imminent. He was expected to be the greatest ruler of Israel — priest, prophet and king. Prophecy of the Messiah could be traced back hundreds of years, and was given by the prophets of Israel. Details of the coming Messiah were more poetic than specific, and if stretched some prophecies could be interpreted as meaning the Messiah to be divine. However the core of the Jewish faith — one God — remained intact regardless of prophetic interpretation, and for a Messiah to claim to be divine, was blasphemy punishable by death.
Messiah claimants were reported to the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin took the wise course of letting the Messiahs disprove themselves and they were rarely interfered with. So far they had all proven themselves fraudulent. By this policy, the moral authority of the temple was increased as they had never confirmed a false Messiah.
Most Messiah claimants progressed from ascetic teaching to attempted miracles as their following increased, but failed attempts at miracles proved to be their own destruction. When a potential Messiah involved himself in profiteering or serious heresy he was quickly shut down.
Jesus had quickly come to the attention of the Sanhedrin, he appeared from nowhere to perform miracles and teach crowds that were numbered by the thousands. This new missionary rabbi actually denied nothing of the faith, but seemed to want to make his own self the hub of it, rather than the Law. He did not say “reject the Law”, but “believe in me”. Belief…to what extent? Believe that he existed, that he was a rabbi, a prophet, a man Messiah, or the Son of God? The Great Sanhedrin had found it most productive to allow those claiming to be the Messiah to bring about their own downfall, and all had. At the moment there were at least two Messiah claimants in Israel, Jesus of Nazareth and Solomon the Shepherd.
Jesus continued his work in Galilee, mostly on the west side of the lake. Jesus sent disciples ahead to Arbela to announce that the prophet would be visiting two days hence, on the Sabbath. The people would be resting from their work, and available to turn out. The pilgrims spent the night a few miles outside of town, and arrived in mid-morning. Those wanting first services from the prophet did not wait, and found the group soon after daybreak.
By now the disciples had developed an effective system of crowd control. Everyone kept one eye on Jesus and the other on the people who approached him. People were allowed access according to a word or gesture from Jesus or by the judgment of the disciple-body guards, and there was the inevitable breach by which some desperate soul would penetrate the ring of men. Those successfully gaining unauthorized access usually fell at his feet begging; one man dropped in beside Jesus from a tree limb. The women as usual did much of the finer work, and were unexpectedly acknowledged and thanked by Jesus.
Disguise was sometimes utilized. When circumstances became too kinetic the disciples might wrap their heads in scarves and Jesus would do likewise. With the prophet no longer identifiable, the crowd would calm itself. Distinct head scarves or outer tunics might also be exchanged for the same effect.
The order of events changed as the ministry progressed, in the early weeks until now, Jesus had healed first to establish his authority, then he preached. Now, his reputation alone would bring large crowds and now he would preach first then heal. He would select a location to speak based on the return report of the pair of disciples he sent ahead. If the town had a large public area, he would often preach there. The area around the village well was often large to allow herds to water, market areas worked, and fishing villages had pier areas.
Arbela was located within a few miles of several other villages, and Jesus expected a large crowd. He intended to speak from a ridge outside of town, and that is where he assembled the people. The prophet sat down on the ridge top, and the disciples had the people sit on the down slope. It was a good day to speak, the absence of a breeze allowed the speaker’s words to carry far. Jesus rose and addressed the people who were some two thousand in number.
“Friends...thank you for hearing me today,” Jesus spoke slowly, loudly and clearly.
“The Messiah is now among you, and invites you to enter into the kingdom of Heaven…now. It is for this fulfillment that the Law of Moses has guided Israel for centuries. During these centuries the prophets spoke of the Messiah, and now in your presence these prophecies are fulfilled.”
The crowd murmured, Jesus waited then continued speaking, “The Law is your guide, but it cannot be your fulfillment. Your fulfillment is the resurrection spoken of by the prophets, and spoken of today by the temple Pharisees. Those who keep the Law will be those who share in the resurrection. I am the resurrection and the life.” {25}
“I do not ask that you cast off the Law, but rather bind yourself to the Son of Heaven, that you may share in his eternal life. The Father of Heaven and the Son of Heaven are One.”
“Bind yourself to your Father in Heaven in every possible way. Live justly and expect your daily bread from the God of Israel. Your God is not like a stingy paymaster, but gives with joy and from a love that seeks to burst from his heart, but is so often rejected.”
“Bind yourself to hope. Hope is your spirit planning for the good things of God.”
“Bind yourself to the spirit of poverty. Numbers have no meaning, own what you require for your pilgrimage in this life, and for your particular calling. To be poor in spirit is to be rich in the graces of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell in those parts of the soul which are already occupied by the trinkets of this life.”
“Bind yourself to purity of thought, uncontaminated with envy, anger and unchaste desires. You will progress in this only as you persevere in its practice.”
“Bind yourself to the Father’s Son, who is the Messiah now among you.”
“Bind yourself to the virtue of humility. Humility frees one from self. You too will be Messiah, but only if you renounce self.”
The people were buzzing and moving, some closer, others were leaving. Jesus continued.
“Flee from the worries of the world. You are a pilgrim on earth, striding toward your homeland. Do not invest your efforts in that which will pass away.”
“Flee from honors, and if they find you remain detached and do not bind yourselves to the honor of this world. Rather seek the approval of your Father in Heaven. Be his son or daughter in whom he is will pleased.”
“Flee from sin. Do not let it even take hold in your imagination, for it will want to proceed to your acts. Adulterers, drunkards, thieves and the impious, will not inherit the kingdom of God.” {26}
“Flee from self indulgence. Your soul is to find rest in your God alone. To allow it to rest in luxury prevents it from advancing to God.”
“Become masters of life, by mastering both vice and virtue. Do not give your lesser nature the least allowance. Yes, I say your lesser nature, everyone born of woman must take on his share of the sin of Adam. One who denies this can never progress in its conquest. Think more often of your life to come and your place in it, which will be according to your virtue and faith. Do not think the priests and the solitaries of the desert will gain advantage from their office, they too will be judged only on their resemblance to God their Father.”
“Strive also to be a master of virtue, and not its slave. You have seen slaves of virtue, they are like storm tossed fishing boats that flounder when the seas turn against them. Do not be one who is happy to be fed virtues of health and success but when these are gone, have little strength of soul to sustain one’s faith.”
“These good people have excessively invested in what is bound to one day fail — love of man or woman, health, riches, status and honor. If these do not fail you in this life, they will not follow you into the next. Why then spend undue effort on them? Your life in Heaven will consist entirely of the Messiah himself. You will enter into Heaven when you yourself become Messiah.”
The crowd rumbled and murmured, some shouted. Jesus continued, “You have seen the physicians carve away living flesh from a living person. What then happens to the flesh? It dies because it is no longer part of the body. So must you remain one, with the living one who is called Messiah, and is here now.”
“Before you are set both Heaven and Hell, indeed within your very soul is both good and evil, no one can escape this, but all are called to conquer it.”
“Think of a pleasant day in which all goes well, in which the day unfolds as it should, there is no conflict with those who sell to you, no complaints from those who buy from you, your relatives and children know their place and duties; there are no obstacles of weather, taxes, or illness. This is a small sampling of Heaven, obtained by those who live justly.”
“Now recall a bad day in which everything is in opposition to you, from the time you rise until the time you sleep. You are yelled at, thieved upon, assailed by creditors and in-laws, you are cold and wet and have no wood for a fire and no oil for a lamp. The door breaks off, the roof falls in. Such is a mild sampling of the disorder of Hell, and each new day will be more of the previous.”
“Do not be crushed by your failures, you may not rise unless you first fall. It is good that you see the limitations of success, health, and honor. Your faith and virtue alone will accompany you after this life.”
“The commandments given to Moses? Yes, they are in order of importance. Loyalty and reverence to God is of primary concern. Seek first the kingdom of God, then all else will be freely given. Estrangement from God has put the world in its current predicament, and reunion with God and his virtues will reform evil in the world.”
“Be mindful of your thoughts, both those that you deliberately will and those that wander into your attention. These thoughts are real actions; consider that the angels could make virtue or sin only in thought. I tell you that on the day of judgment, every thought, act and word will be accounted for. It and its owner will find themselves in a place appropriate to these things. Before your judgment, be certain that all your lesser thoughts and actions be given to the Messiah, he will restore them as virtue and you will retain ownership. On the day of judgment your false thoughts and words will have new existence as the very virtues of the Messiah.”
“The Messiah is virtue made from vice. Yes, the Messiah wants all of you, both your success and failure. He will make a glorious kingdom from all that is given to him. Retain nothing for yourself. In a spirit of faith and resolve, give the Messiah even your failings.”
“Give to the Messiah all of your good thoughts and acts, especially those that are hard won. In doing so, you will be acting as Messiah. The Messiah is love in the face of hate, hope in response to hardship, and virtue made from vice. The Messiah will use all this to enlarge the kingdom of God, who is the Messiah himself.”
“Be certain to rely on your God, and not on yourself for all things, the food you need, your cloak and your coat, and the joys and trials that you require for holiness. Your dependence on his providence is not a burden for him, but a blessing for you and your God. In your reliance, you are binding yourself closely to him. Do not think that prayer or holy effort are the only ways one shares in the life of God. Become as an infant in your trust of the God of providence, and not an island of self supply. Those who remain self will not become Messiah.”
“I tell you whoever does not hate father and mother, wife and husband, and even his own life and self, cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is like a reptile that sheds his old self for a new one, or one fish that eats another, so that single one may result.”
“When you triumph in faith and hope, it is not you alone who benefits, these are used also as powerful means of redemption for others. In the new kingdom, the children of light will rule cities and peoples. It will be justice that each citizen rule over those he admits to the kingdom. The most able King of Love will rule over all, and his rule will be absolute. Rule will no longer be rebelled against as it is now, rather this rule of love will be sought after. The children of God will seek his rule as an infant seeks the rule of his mother.”
“If you do achieve the One of God, but your own spouse, or child, or mother, or father remains two; I tell you, do not abandon such a person, because the unbeliever is made holy by the faith of the other. By covenant, those who have concern for the interests of their God, will obtain his efforts in their own interests.”
“Do not worry about what tomorrow will bring. Live only each moment, and not in worry or hoarding. The purpose of your life is not to accomplish the tasks of each day, but to grow in faith and in virtue each day. The trials of each day are as a dull rock that contains streaks of gold when turned on its back. So too is every trial of your day. The wealth that may be obtained by triumph over trial could not be contained within the very Temple of Jerusalem.”
“You are a pilgrim, away from your homeland. Do not seek to remain in exile, rather make great strides toward your God who is your Father in Heaven. Others will do as they do. For you, rejoice now that the Messiah is among you and become Messiah yourself.”
“Many choose the burnedsome yoke of status and worry. Many choose the heavy burden of attainment and success. In your pilgrimage, choose the light load and the gentle yoke. Do not burden yourself unnecessarily. Your home is in Heaven where so much of what is held in esteem on earth will appear as foolishness when set next to true wealth.”
Jesus spoke for nearly an hour, and of many things. He detailed the challenges of life in Israel, and of the profitable response. He spoke of obedience to the Law of Moses, and of its expansion and fulfillment. He spoke of his gratitude for the people and their efforts, and for their turnout today.
Marcus Curtius Blaesus had heard Jesus once before.{27} He was a counselor for Quintus Flavius Celsus, who was the governor-mayor of Caesarea and second in command after the Prefect Pontius Pilate. Marcus was tasked with observing and reporting on the activities of the new prophet, who had practical control over a large following.
It was very much a secondary concern, but since the prophet seemed to speak in riddles, it was thought that Marcus might make sense of it. Marcus was well versed in the natural and philosophical sciences and often acted as an emissary to the Jews in Caesarea.
Marcus was impressed with the man. He had a magnificent presence that was understated by his humility and kindness. It was Marcus’ observation that most influential people sought to arrange circumstances for the benefit of their own goals, but this Jesus was imploring the crowd to advance themselves.
The sermon had concluded and the prophet was speaking with people as he wandered through the crowd, and was now the length of two men from Marcus. A woman imposed her child onto Jesus begging, “Great prophet, have pity on my child, he was born blind and deaf...I will do anything you say, but please heal my son.”
The woman thrust her child into the chest of Jesus, who grasped the child as he slid off. The woman then fell to her knees at the feet of the prophet. The child’s face was terribly deformed, with no eyes or nose, he breathed with great effort through his mouth. Jesus viewed the child and wept.
Jesus composed himself and spoke, “Woman will you give me your only child to be my own.”
The woman could not speak, but she moved her head in her hands, and against the feet of Jesus to signify her affirmation.
Jesus spoke to the infant, “If you are to be my own flesh and blood, then you must be as I am.” Jesus then looked at the crowd and said, “All of you must be as I AM.”
Every Jew knew the implication of this, and all except the speaker and his disciples began to murmur and protest, or stand perplexed. The prophet began to trace out human features on the face of the unfortunate infant. Jesus pressed hard with the fingers and palm of his right hand. He moved and mounded the flesh into a brow ridge, eye sockets, and a nose. The features flowed into place and proportion under his hand movements. In two minutes a face had been formed. Jesus pulled open the eyelids, and the baby gurgled with happiness.
The people fell to their knees including Marcus, who just did not know what else to do. Jesus hoisted the child like a new father and showed off his new son. He asked the mother, “What is his name?” The woman replied that she had not given him a name.
Jesus said, “His name shall be Zerah, after my own son.”
The crowd applauded with clapping and hooting. The only person showing any anxiety was the mother of the child, who looked longingly at her former son.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, I make you steward of my son.” and handed her the child.
Jesus, his men and women, and many of the crowd then walked toward the edge of the village. It would be difficult now to speak to the crowd, and the good fortune of healing the boy should be followed by celebration. Jesus had general plans to get to the edge of the village to shake off the crowd and regroup, make plans and rest. Depending on what was decided, he would move on or perhaps return to the village later to give more instruction.
The light skinned foreigner Marcus was still two or three lengths away from Jesus, alone and conspicuous as the crowd thinned. Jesus called to him, “Good sir, speak with me.” In other circumstances, a peasant would not call to a Roman or Jewish upper class man and suggest that they speak. However, Jesus had a sort of moral authority by which he spoke to anyone as an equal, and miracle working gave the prophet large license.
Marcus approached and said, “Peace be with you Rabbi,” which was unusual and impressive for a Roman.
Jesus replied, “And with your spirit. What brings you here my friend?”
“I came to hear you speak, I have heard that you are the new prophet.” spoke Marcus.
Jesus said, “I am Jesus from Galilee, and who are you sir?”
Marcus replied, “My name is Marcus Curtius Blaesus, I am counselor for the governor-mayor of Caesarea, who is Quintus Flavius Celsus. I am called simply Marcus.”
Quintus Flavius wore several hats, in addition to being mayor, he was executive officer to Pilate and had cultivated an intelligence network in Judaea and Galilee. He had sent Marcus to the area on several items of business, one of which was observation of the new “prophet”. Jesus was in Galilee, and not under the jurisdiction of Pilate, but that was a technicality that could be observed or not, as Pilate wished.
Marcus was to present the best manners of Rome, and let the prophet know that the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate took interest in his words and actions. Pilate also had other spies — Jewish spies who were not easy to discern from the crowd.
Marcus was to cultivate a relationship with Jesus, and use it to inform, influence or warn him as needed by the Roman authority. Marcus was the perfect one to do this, he had extensive knowledge of philosophy, the sciences, rhetoric, and had studied Judaism in the four years that he had been in Judaea. Marcus was to question Jesus as to his theology and motives under the story that Caesar wanted to compile a survey of the religions of the empire. Rome wanted to know of course if this new “prophet” was building an army of revolt.
With Marcus, was his assistant Philip Alexander. Philip was a Greek scholar and a former lukewarm Pagan priest. Finding little meaning or future in the gods, he had been increasingly attracted to Judaism and the Jewish community in Alexandria. He found work in places where Jewish interests intersected with Greek or Roman activity.
Marcus was prepared for any circumstance, except what had happened to the infant — the miracle, the illusion, the act, or whatever it was. He questioned Jesus about what had happened, “Rabbi, what exactly occurred with the infant? You appeared to heal him, but that would be impossible.”
Jesus replied, “No man could mold flesh anew, there must be some other explanation.”
Marcus said coolly, “Yes Rabbi, that was my comment also...”
Jesus said, “So it was,” and then proceeding to a new topic said, “Tell me Marcus, do you acknowledge the gods?”
Marcus told Jesus that the gods were inventions, useful in cultivating morality, and hope in a better life to come, this hope was what kept people in check instead of in revolt. He thought that the priests found the gods useful in taxing the people, securing their own authority and justifying oppression and abuse.
Jesus seemed to offer no disagreement to this thesis and said, “Continue Marcus.”
Marcus summarized his own feelings on the matter, saying that with all this being true, he was of the opinion that it was not the gods who created man, but man who created the gods, and not honest men but dishonest men looking for another way to rob the people.
Jesus smiled, nodded his head and said, “Consider now the true God, the one God, the God of goodness who abhors the abuses you observe, the God of Israel who now seeks his children who are scattered throughout the entire world.”
Marcus was not fond of being preached to, but he was tasked with understanding the theology of this man who exerted a large, growing, and so far benign influence. Marcus conceded, “Yes rabbi, your one God of Israel does speak of justice, and the people are exceptional in their virtue.”
Jesus continued, “Marcus, prove the one God to yourself. Does anything have absolute existence?”
Marcus replied, “That cannot be known.”
Jesus said, “It is known my friend. Consider that existence cannot be drawn from nothing. There would simply be no thing to bring anything else into existence. If anything exists, it must be either absolute existence or a creation by absolute existence.”
Jesus paused to let what he had said register then continued, “Now, all that exists unconditionally is God. All that is not God, has to have its origin in God, because there is just no other source.”
Again Jesus paused briefly then said, “Either way Marcus, God exists.”
Marcus accepted the proof for the moment. Jesus continued, “As to the one God, consider first the many gods of Rome. If these deities were really God, then the gods would in fact be a single God. All that is absolute and uncreated is God. Every idea and every virtue internal to God is an aspect of the one God.”
Marcus was not offended that Jesus would find fault in the gods, he gave it no thought and said, “Rabbi, it seems that we are agreeing God to be the principles of logic and mathematics which all the world may be reduced to; a God to be learned of, but not one that is capable of being worshiped.”
Jesus replied, “God is indeed logic and the laws of nature, and even more. You say, all that exists has its origin in nature, but recall that it was just shown that nature and all of creation has its origin in God. Your mathematics is indeed an attribute of God, and so are all legitimate elements of our world...including awareness, free will, and intellect. Is this true Marcus?”
Marcus nodded tentatively.
Jesus then continued, “If all these noble traits of man have their ultimate origin in God...and they do, then God is necessarily an aware, intelligent, being of free will. God is not an unaware force of nature, and better still, this God desires your friendship.” {28}
Marcus was silent. The new prophet had his respect. He was supposed to be probing the man’s political philosophy, especially toward the Romans, but Marcus was digesting this lesson instead and finally offered a few words saying, “You speak well Rabbi.”
Marcus continued, “Rabbi, the Governor Pontius Pilate wishes that you retain my assistant Philip Alexander as your own assistant. He will help you in civil matters. Palestine is a patchwork of peoples, all of whom are subject to Roman administration, but are sometimes slow to accept it. Your escort Philip Alexander has the authority of the governor and he will see that you travel unimpeded.”
To a more cynical man it would have occurred that the new Philip was offered as a permanent spy. Jesus simply welcomed the new man who had been inserted into his group of disciples. Jesus then spoke to the remaining people as they approached him. Many of the villagers offered their own home for the prophet’s use. Jesus politely declined, saying that they were too many in number to burden a single household, but they would gratefully accept a meal to return to camp with. The disciples collected a meal at several homes of the villagers, and at their discretion offered a coin in exchange, but the villagers refused the money.
By sundown, the pilgrims had fire, food, water and even wine. Marcus was invited to stay for the evening meal, and did so. The meal was bread, cheese, olives, mutton and wine. Jesus asked Mathias to give the blessing. The group remained sitting, but came to silent attention, looking at the prayer leader who said the traditional words, “Blessed are you Lord our God, who brings forth bread from the earth.”
Because the mutton would take some time to cook, the men began to slowly eat the bread and the other food. Two women were traveling with the band; Suzanna and Judith as usual were doing a disproportionate amount of the work, but they were happy to do it. Their duties included prepari