Decision
The temple of Jerusalem was the pride of Israel. It was on the scale of the Colosseum of Rome (70A.D.), or the Acropolis temples of Athens. The Jerusalem temple was a mile in circumference, it had a footprint of thirty-five acres, and nearly all of its area was available to worshipers. Temple business was conducted under covered porticoes, which ran the perimeter of the walls, and in corridors running underneath the court level. Israel prided itself that its God could not be contained within a stone image, and the inner most room of the temple — the Holy of Holies — was empty.
The sacrificial system was unmatched by any other temple. Thirty-four cisterns of water washed away the blood of sheep and cattle in a continuous manner. Stray blood, hide or muscle was not to be found. Shifts of over 500 priests saw to this industry, and the temple employed perhaps 10,000 priests, administrators, musicians, police, tailors, and workers of every sort, in a city of 100,000 permanent residents.
The temple was not only a sacred site, it was an industry, and the largest single industry in Israel. The temple of Jerusalem was the recipient of a small temple tax, but also of a tenth part of the produce and income of four million faithful Jews in the empire. Actual theft from the large temple treasury was rare…largely because the money could be obtained by sanctioned means.
Jesus was teaching in the temple daily. He deliberately found a corner or an alcove, or some similar place to speak, lest the priests accuse him of interfering with the operation of the temple.
On one such occasion he came upon a certain woman Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband, and then as a widow. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. From her deep dedication to the Lord, she made prophecy to the children of Israel.
Anna had prophesied on the occasion that the infant Jesus had been brought by his parents to the temple for dedication to the Lord. Now she was one hundred and seventeen years of age. She did not seek to satisfy her curiosity, and made no special attempt to observe the prophet...indeed she had seen him years prior. She was of the belief that the Lord would give her all that was needed, and she was content not to seek any other person or knowledge. Jesus had noticed her piety and was aware of her good actions, and now approached her.
Jesus spoke to Anna saying, “Most honored daughter of the Lord, it is I, Jesus the prophet who speaks to you now. Recall mother, how years ago you testified of me as Messiah. It is now so.”
Jesus paused and knelt down to Anna, took her hand but remained silent, waiting.
Anna was in thought and recollection, but then spoke, “Master, all of Israel has awaited you, since the days of Solomon and before. You are the Messiah long awaited who will redeem Israel and all the world. My spirit soars, and my salvation is at hand. My labors will soon cease and my time of rest will quickly be upon me. Know this my son and my God, that you have lived a life of virtue until now, never knowing sin. You will soon become the very sin you are to redeem. You will enter into sin as the lamb of the Passover, which is soon to be celebrated. The sin that you will become, will not triumph over the eternal virtue that you are. The two will cause struggle, and even those men you walk with will abandon you.”
“You will call on your men to stand watch in prayer, but they will sleep. I will assist you with my poor prayers on that night watch. In your communion with humanity you will share not only in sin, but also in the virtue of those who care to help you. Your moral struggle will not be less than your cross of wood, but both will bring many into your kingdom.”
Anna was then silent, and then tears came to her eyes. Jesus spoke briefly thanking her, then left.
Jesus went about the temple areas teaching and healing, many priests and Pharisees followed, and observed him closely. Jesus observed the many money changers and the sellers of birds and sheep for sacrifice. He observed that the people were exchanging silver shekels of Roman, Greek and Phoenician origin for a temple coin required to purchase the animals. The temple coins were bronze or copper and were required for every temple transaction. Neither Gentiles nor their money could proceed past the court of the Gentiles.
The people had long complained about profiteering in exchanging silver for copper, and the premium prices for lambs and pigeons for sacrifice. The temple coins were also non refundable. There was no redress available, as the temple authorities themselves were complicit in the abuse.
Jesus approached a row of money changers and spoke loud prophecy at them saying, “You are thieves of the good fortune the Father gives to you. This holy temple was intended to be a place of prayer, where one might raise his soul to God. You have made it a den of thieves who steal from the poor and the faithful. You are unworthy stewards and the Father now reclaims that which he gave you in trust!”
Jesus quickly strode to a man and wife who were concluding an exchange of coins with a money seller. Jesus imposed himself to warn the two, “Sir, please examine your new coins, they are false. You have been robbed by this thief. Do no more business with him, he is not authorized to exchange money in the temple.”
Jesus then turned and spoke to the others who had exchanged their coins saying, “Good people, examine your coins, they are forgeries. You have been cheated. These money changers have been discharged from office by the God of the Temple of Israel. Be warned to avoid doing business in the Temple of God.”
All the coins that the people now held were dull lead, or rusted iron; some seemed to be as painted sand, which crumbled in their hands. The people were enraged. The temple priests placed many burdens on them and this insult was intolerable.
All those holding the false coins encircled the money changers and demanded their Roman shekels back. The money changers were unable to do so, because even these had become false coins. The people overturned the tables and broke open the strong boxes searching for their money.
The temple guards were called out, but not before the money changing operation was destroyed, and the money changers chased from the temple. The temple captain promised that each person cheated would receive a temple lamb at no cost. The victims were many, as everyone who was still holding the exchanged money, even from the morning, had found that it had turned false. The lamb, sparrow, and pigeon stalls were completely emptied by the victims given the false coins.
Jesus too was enraged, the temple authorities were seeking to arrest him now for his prophecy. Jesus turned to the Pharisees and the priests and inveighed against them saying:
“Woe to you temple priests and Pharisees. You boast of your asceticism, yet you live a life of privilege and delegate tasks that you say will defile you. You claim that the tasks of the temple do not allow you time to work for your bread. Instead you tax the poor, and use much of your day attending to your own profit and not the souls of the faithful. Many are the poor who work in the day and pray at night, it is you who should donate to them!”
“Woe to you because you are filled with a high estimate of self worth, but self has no worth, if you had advanced into a selfless life, you would not later find yourself eaten alive by the flames of Hell.”
“Woe to you scribes, you speculate endlessly on the wording of the Law, as if the scrolls are God come to earth, and yet your offense is the least of many.”
“Woe to you elders who make the temple a place of profit. If only you collected virtue in the same amounts as gold. You loan the donations of the poor to those already rich, and you reap interest on this money of others, and return none of it to them. Your gold talents will be chained to your neck and pull you down into the pit of scoundrels and usurers.”
“Woe to you elders who dine with your own kind that you may praise one another. Will you find praise on the day of judgment.”
“Woe to you elders who take many wives when they are young, and discard them by divorce, saying ‘I have only few wives.’.
“Woe to you Pharisees, you are like a dog sleeping in the manger of oxen, for neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen eat.”
“Woe to you who grow fat, while others are weak from want of bread.”
“Cursed are you, because now when a prophet appears, you call evil the good that he does. You are like serpents that hide among the scrolls of the Law, ready to poison anyone who steps near. You are like spiders that weave a web so complex that only you know the way through it. So be it, and I am glad that only you find the way, because your exit will not be into Paradise.”
Jesus finished chastising the priests and the Pharisees, and stormed out of the temple. He descended the stairs leading to a western gate and stopped at the top of the steps, just outside the temple. He was no longer directed and purposeful, but frayed and shaking and wiping his tears. The disciples noticed on other occasions that such scolding drained him severely. Jesus stepped slowly toward the bottom of the stairs and rested.
In time Jesus recovered. He remained sitting and observed the row of beggars nearby. The beggars attempted to position themselves as near as they could to the several temple entrance portals. One of the beggars was sitting at an angle against the wall, he looked to be asleep at best, and ill or dead at worst. Jesus noticed him, but remained in place, and in thought.
After a time, Jesus sent a disciple over to assess the sleeping man. The disciple returned and told Jesus that the man was dead, and that the other beggars estimated that he had died an hour ago.
Jesus was slow to speak, but finally said, “That man died ten years ago.”
The disciples expected some kind of action from Jesus, or orders for themselves. Jesus said, “We must bury him.”
It was decided that since the group had no spades or donkey to carry the body, they would bring the body with them as they searched for a solution. The pilgrims had friends in Jerusalem who might help.
Two tunics were laid out, head to head, the sleeves were tied to each other to form a sort of stretcher, which was gripped at the opposite hems by two men. The front part of the tunic stretcher was draped over the body, as if the dead man was now wearing it.
The burial party set off. It was slow going, and it was a mistake. They wished that they had remained at the wall with the body and sent out people to obtain help. For an hour the men traveled with the body, but for one reason or another they were no better off than when they started. Jerusalem was a stronghold of extra pious persons. Many kept the Law in scrupulous fashion, and a dead body was a source of defilement. Whatever it touched became unclean: persons, homes, animals, even the ground. The party of do-gooders was jeered and threatened, and Jesus was expecting Pharisees and temple guards soon.
Another attempt at obtaining help had just failed, no one answered their knocks at the door. Peter said, “Master we can carry this body no further. Something else must be done.”
Jesus considered the situation and said, “Yes.” He ordered the body stretched out where it was. He knelt at the side of the body, closed his eyes, and after some time said, “Repent Enoch...the kingdom of God is upon you. Repent and rise now.”
The beggar Enoch became alive. He sat up and looked at the man who had returned him to life. Jesus said, “I am the one who spoke to you. Take this water, then tell me the story of your death.”
Enoch recounted the ordeal with choked words and much anguish and sorrow. “I was in a court of judgment, it was revealed to me that I had died, and my judgment was at hand. When I had fully understood this three people arrived, angels they seemed. One spoke, one was a scribe, and the other observed. One of them appeared to be a woman, but they were all more than human.”
“The scribe spoke, but also revealed to my mind, my entire life. Every act was laid before me, the good and the evil I had done. I saw my early life, my parents who guided and guarded me. I saw the particular burden of faults that I had to bear in my life. I saw how they influenced what I did and even mitigated my evil actions. I also saw that they could be overcome, even if it required years to do. What was not to be excused was my wallowing in them, and allowing my faults to feed upon themselves, and growing to predominate my will.”
Enoch looked at the prophet hoping perhaps that he would be allowed to end his story. Jesus said flatly, “Tell me the entire event Enoch, you are allowed to live and recount this that others might learn from it, and it is a small price to pay for a second chance at life.”
Enoch continued, “Yes Rabbi. I saw my own wife and family, and how my unfaithfulness to her, and my lack of remorse and change brought my ruin. After she died, my children suffered from my indifference, and lack of moral guidance.”
“All these sins were known by the court that I stood before, and it was made clear to my conscience that I alone was responsible for them, even if others participated. The angel in the middle spoke, sometimes pointing out times when I thought with a clearer head and resolved to live a better life, but never carried through.”
The angel then said. “Enoch we will now wait upon another event.”
Enoch said, “I thought this next event would be my condemnation to Hell. I dreaded it, but I knew in my heart that I could not approach God. I do not know how much time passed, but I heard your voice, and at that moment I found the courage to repent of my evil and do whatever I had to do to make things right. Nothing in this life is worth an eternity in Hell. It was also revealed to me that the faith and prayers of my mother, made years ago when she lived, had in large part obtained me this grace.”
Enoch fell silent. It was a sobering story. He was given some money and set off to find his family, and start a new life.
Jesus spent most afternoons and evenings in the temple. He remained almost exclusively in the court of the Gentiles, which was by far the largest open area of the temple. The priests thought it was bad enough that the Jews called Jesus “Son of David”, and now the Gentiles were choking this large court and calling him “Son of Zeus”. The temple started charging a small entrance fee for Gentiles.
One such afternoon Jesus was encouraging the people to faith, and noticed a young woman clinging to the wall and moving from pillar to pillar. She seemed most preoccupied and worried, but Jesus continued to speak to the people.
The woman was the wife Hannah. She entered the temple for several reasons. She shrewdly thought that she could hide in the crowd from her pursuers, and she knew that she would not be stoned on sacred ground, she had heard that the prophet was teaching in the courtyard and if all else failed she might throw herself at his feet and ask that her life be spared. Her lover had just been relieved of his own life.
Hannah remained within sight of the prophet but as far back in the portico as possible. The thought flashed that she should like to die in the arms of the prophet. She resolved then, that if she was allowed to live she would make a new life. Not that she had a choice, her lover was dead and she would be driven from the city and left to...whatever it was that fallen women were left to.
By now Hannah’s father-in-law had assembled over thirty men to search for his son’s harlot wife. They believed that she had entered the temple and posted one man at each gate, and were searching inside with the others. Hannah guessed that every servant of her husband and father-in-law would be searching for her, and all of them knew her by sight.
Hannah thought again about her predicament. If she did escape capture she would have to leave Jerusalem, it was a matter of banishment either way. Her husband was powerful and if he insisted upon honor, banishment would not be enough. Would the prophet publicly forgive her, and force her survival?
She felt exposed, and wanted to move to another spot. She looked slowly from side to side, viewing each face, then quickly turned and...Wham!...ran into the chest of her father-in-law. Malachi grabbed a fistful of hair, yanked her head back and shook her from top to bottom.
The prophet stopped speaking and all eyes turned to the large man and the girl. Malachi was unapologetic, but did not want to do business then and there, and pulled Hannah in front of him, in order to lead her out.
Jesus boomed, “Malachi, what crime do you charge this woman with!”
Malachi was pushing his way out, and did not break his stride when he shouted back his answer, “Adultery!” He then attempted to make better time by walking under the portico. Malachi and Hannah disappeared into the portico, and others of the search party began to arrive, including several temple priests and Pharisees. Jesus and the disciples walked to this last location, where Malachi entered the portico.
Malachi’s plan was thwarted by a crowd choking the portico passage, and he returned the way he left, back into the courtyard. The disciples guessed the physical plan afoot and cleared a path for Malachi and Hannah, right to Jesus.
Malachi would not be judged by any pretended Messiah, and confronted the waiting Jesus, the Pharisees also waited to see the justice of Jesus. Again Jesus asked to be told the charges against the woman. Malachi was pleased to make the accusation and to offer witnesses on the spot.
Hannah began to speak, and would not stop, she spoke passionately about her husband’s crimes, thinking that she in turn would be at less danger of being stoned. Hannah pleaded to Jesus and laid her own charges before the Prophet: “Lord, consider not only my guilt, but that of my husband. He has many wives, and many women who are continually betrothed to him. He marries for their dowry, but he satisfies himself with women who are concubines and harlots. When he finds such a woman, he betroths her for a time, then pays her dismissal with money from the other dowries.”
“It is all done according to the Law, and the priests give their blessings on such matters, but all the wives are done an injustice. Is it any wonder that they seek revenge and satisfaction elsewhere. Lord, if I am judged, then so must my husband be judged for the same crime.”
Hannah clung to Jesus, thinking that her chances were better with him than with Malachi or her husband Gershon. The Pharisees also awaited the judgment of Jesus. Jesus considered them both, then said to Dismas, “Bring me a large stone.”
All waited. Dismas returned with a large block of building stone suspended by his arms. Jesus took the block and raised it over his head saying, “Let us begin judgment according to the Law.”
He turned his stance not to Hannah, but to her husband and said loudly, “Gershon, you have taken many women, you say that you betroth them, but you break the betrothal by divorce after a year. You give them a settlement, and send them off to the next baron, while taking your next betrothed from them. The difference between you and Hannah is only a matter of payment given, and silence kept.”
“Gershon, I judge you guilty of adultery and sentence you to death according to the Law of Moses.” {101}
Jesus shifted back a leg and the stone above his head, readying it. He looked afar, and hurled the stone into the temple wall some sixty feet away where it shattered, leaving a pit and showering those nearby with fragments and dust. The women near the impact screamed and ran, and everyone who saw this knew what had happened was impossible.
Jesus continued speaking, “Your sentence remains Gershon, until you repent of your evil and offer mercy to your wife Hannah, in the same manner that your Messiah has offered mercy to you.”
Jesus then spoke to all the people saying, “I say to all of you, you cannot receive that which you reject. If you reject mercy as given by you, you reject mercy given to you. Only one who is here now is free of sin, and is in need of no mercy, yet he offers mercy. If you wish the King of Heaven to have mercy on you, give it so that you may in turn receive it.”
“You know how Solomon built his temple, how he had all the blocks, beams and posts, and all parts cut to fit before assembly, away from the sacred building site. A beam would only fit into a receptacle previously cut. Any part not finding a pre-hewn area could not find its place in the temple. So too is it with all graces given by God. Those who do not carve out mercy for others will not accept it on their own day of judgment.”
Jesus continued speaking to all assembled, “As for the wife Hannah, let he among you who rejects mercy cast the first stone.”
Jesus waited some time, but no one stepped forward. Jesus turned to the three persons of primary role and said, “Gershon, Hannah, Malachi...go and sin no more.”
There was silence among all as the three left. Some Pharisees then stepped closer to Jesus and objected that what he had done was a failure to keep the laws of Moses. The Pharisee Saul was very vocal in this and said, “Man of Israel, how is it that you release the woman, that the Law of Israel has justly sentenced.”
Jesus was not to have a respite between battles. He looked at Saul and said, “Sir, who am I speaking with?”
“I am Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee of this temple and I am disappointed that a Messiah would fail to heed the Law of Moses.”
Jesus responded, “As for the Law of Moses, I fulfill it. How then is that an infraction. Consider rather, that the temple priests and scribes twist it and turn it, so that it now resembles a river flowing where it should not.”
“Saul of Tarsus, why do you persecute me? Month upon month, and year upon year, you imprison me and exclude me, you discharge me from employment and seize my homes. My children are cursed by the priests, and my wives are scorned in the marketplace.”
Saul retorted, “Are you mad? I have never spoken to you before now. But I have heard many fables of you.”
Jesus called for a stool. Judas brought him one. Jesus said as he sat, “Friends you exhaust me, but let us continue in discussion. Saul let us begin at the beginning, what objections do you have?”
“The woman should have been stoned. If not, then she should have been divorced and exiled. She should not have been released...”
Without a break Jesus extended Saul’s statement, “...into her husband’s arms — to receive, and to give forgiveness. Saul what is God if not forgiveness? The history of Israel is one of repentance and forgiveness.”
Jesus paused, held up a hand, then continued, “Saul my friend, mercy is the New Covenant. It is not really a new covenant at all, it is the fulfillment of the existing covenant between God and man. It must be this way.”
“You say that she does not deserve mercy. I agree with you, she does not deserve mercy, but death by stoning. Saul...mercy is not given because it is deserved, but only when it is not deserved. Mercy is not justice, but forgiveness and it is the highest form of love.”
Jesus paused before speaking again, then said, “Saul tell me, do you have any participation in blasphemy?” Saul was of course taken back in offense, and speechless.
Jesus continued, “No you do not. You neither offer such insult, nor do you receive it. If it occurs it is rejected and reprimanded by you, and well done for it.”
“You see, that which is given and that which is accepted must first have form in one’s soul. If irreverence does not first exist in one’s soul, then blasphemy is unable to enter that soul. If irreverence is already present, then blasphemy easily enters and proceeds from such a person.”
“Therefore if one does not offer mercy, it is because the spirit of mercy does not exist in one’s soul. Therefore when mercy is offered it will find no home. Mercy will not be accepted, and that person will not enter into Heaven.”
“You have seen men, more like islands, who make every effort to reject any offering of love. These people will likewise never offer love. If one’s soul is closed to a virtue, then the closed soul may neither give such a virtue, nor will it be able to accept such a virtue when offered to it. The importance of offering mercy is therefore that one may receive mercy, and those who refuse mercy may not enter into the new kingdom.”
Saul was not one to deny the truth where ever he found it. He was also the shrewdest of men, and sought to reinforce his essential position, that the man Jesus was nothing more than a do-good, self-serving, magician-false prophet who was not even aware of any of this, a man who fooled himself first, then the people. Saul said, “Rabbi tell us, how are we to know the true Messiah from the many false Messiah’s who plague Israel?”
Saul immediately regretted asking the question, the answer from Jesus would certainly support himself as Messiah. Better to tell and not ask, what the true Messiah was to be like.
Saul quickly changed the topic. He looked at Judas and said, “I see that you have deceived even one of our own. This man Judas is a Pharisee of the temple. Judas you are to return at once to the temple.”
Judas replied, “I am in the temple.”
Saul was seldom outwitted, but he had been today, and more than once. He had not advanced his cause, Jesus had matched him point for point. He had the privilege of ending the conversation, and did so saying, “Rabbi, we will talk again.”
Jesus replied, “South of Damascus perhaps.”
Later that day Jesus was again teaching in the temple. He began to walk about the crowds exhorting them to virtue and faith, he came upon a woman bent over, unable to stand erect. A Pharisee was watching intently in order to defame him before the crowd.
Jesus took the woman’s arms and asked, “Do you want to be healed?”
The woman replied, “Yes teacher.”
Jesus grasped her wrist and said, “Then woman, you are set free of your infirmity.”
The woman shuddered and grasped at Jesus who increased his grip. Demons came out of the woman shouting and cursing and saying, “We have no part in you, Son of God! You now occupy this woman and we are without a home!”
As this had occurred on the Sabbath, the Pharisees who continually watched Jesus objected strenuously. Jesus was angry at their lack of compassion and sternly chastised them saying, “Hypocrites, in healing this woman who Satan has held bound for eighteen years, I keep the Law of the Sabbath! {102} The Law requires one to rest from one’s labors. This woman has labored under a heavy yoke for eighteen years and I remove it on the Sabbath as you require.”
Jesus continued railing at the Pharisees, “It is you who fail to keep the Sabbath laws! For six days you pick at people, you wear upon them as a millstone, yet you do not cease even on the Sabbath! You make great effort to appear as holy, and belittle others to increase your own stature. You do not have the strength to lift a heavy load, so you content yourself to carry only the finest portions of the Law. Many times I have called your attention to these things, but you continue in them. You fail to reform your actions, because the dead cannot hear and attend to their master, only the living are able to do this.”
Both parties — Jesus and the Pharisees — were enraged yet again. The Pharisees had been too tolerant and for too long. The mud builder from Nazareth must be stopped. Not now, not by a few Pharisees, but by the Law enforced by the Sanhedrin.
The Pharisees stormed out, leaving a scribe to state their case. The scribe spoke loudly to all, “One Jew in a hundred thinks himself the Messiah. When the Messiah comes he will unmistakably reveal himself to the nation, and his hallmark will be perfection in the Law. Jesus the Nazarene has divided our nation, those who keep the Law are criticized and those who do not are praised. It is this behavior that called God’s wrath upon Israel. The Assyrians, then the Babylonians, the Greeks, and now the Romans are allowed to subjugate us. If we fail to keep the Law, even worse will come upon us. The man Jesus is destroying our nation, and we must not let it continue. The Sanhedrin has the duty, not only of recognizing the Messiah, but of rejecting every false claimant, and we declare now that the man Jesus is not the Messiah, and is indeed a blasphemer. The faithful are to make no further association with him.”
Jesus too had come to wits end. He could no longer — would no longer — be a renegade sect of Judaism. The New Covenant had to be established, and he would not delay another year hoping to be the Messiah of the temple. The scribe who had just spoken did not have the authority of the Sanhedrin or of the high priest to banish Jesus, but this was now likely to happen. Until now Jesus had more offered, than declared himself to be Messiah. He must now make the claim and demand recognition as Messiah. He must tell of the consequences of the Sanhedrin failing to recognize him as Messiah. Most importantly, he must make the Ne