My Dear Father:
You say in your letter, which I received from the hands of the Roman
courier, that you have read with interest all my letters, and more
especially those which relate to Jesus of Galilee. You say that you are
ready to acknowledge him as a prophet sent from God. But you add, "He
can have no claim to be the Christ, because he comes out of Galilee."
To this objection, dear father, Rabbi Amos desires me to say that he
has investigated the records of births kept in the Temple, and finds,
as I have before named to you, that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. He
afterwards removed with his parents to Egypt, and thence returning to
Judea, settled in Galilee, where he was brought up. Of these facts
in his history not only Rabbi Amos is satisfied, but Nicodemus also,
whose learning you will not gainsay; and the latter, very much to our
surprise, and my own delight, added yesterday, when we were talking
over the subject at supper, "There is a prophecy, O Rabbi Amos, which
strengthens this mighty Prophet's claim to be the Messias."
"What is it? Let me hear all that can strengthen!" I asked earnestly;
not, dear father, that my confidence in him needs confirmation, but I
wish others to believe.
"You will find it in the Prophet Hoseas," answered Nicodemus, "and thus
it readeth: 'I have called my son out of Egypt.'"
My heart bounded with joy, dear father, at hearing this prophecy named;
but judge my emotion when Nicodemus, taking the roll of the Prophet
Isaiah in his hand, read the words that follow, and applied them to
Jesus: "Beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which sat
in darkness have seen a great light!" This changes the objection to
his coming from Galilee into additional proof of his claim to be the
Messias.
In my last letter I informed you that Rabbi Amos had invited him
to sojourn with us during the Passover. He graciously accepted the
invitation, and came hither yesterday, after he had quitted the Temple,
from which he had with such commanding power driven forth the merchants
and money-changers.
Hearing, while expecting him, the rumor flying along the streets, "The
Prophet comes! The Prophet comes!" uttered by hundreds of voices of
men and children, I hastened to the house-top. The whole way was a sea
of heads. The multitude came rolling onward, like a mighty river; as I
have seen the dark Nile flow when pouring its freshening floods along
its confined banks.
Mary stood by my side. We tried to single out the central person around
whom undulated the sea of heads; but all was so wildly confused with
the waving of palm branches that we could distinguish nothing clearly.
While I was straining my gaze to make out the form of the Prophet,
Mary touched me, and bade me look in the opposite direction. As I did
so I beheld Æmilius Tullius, the young Roman centurion, now Prefect of
Pilate's Legion, advancing at the head of two hundred horsemen at full
spur, in order to meet and turn back the advancing column of people.
As he came opposite the house he looked up, and seeing us upon the
parapet, he gracefully waved his gleaming sword, saluted us, and was
dashing past, when Mary cried out:
"Noble sir, there is no insurrection, as some of the people have
doubtless told thee, but this vast crowd moving hitherwards is only an
escort to the Prophet of Nazareth, who cometh to be my father's guest."
"I have orders from Pilate to arrest him, lady, as a disturber of the
peace of the capital."
"Shall a prophet suffer because his mighty deeds draw crowds after his
footsteps, noble Roman? If thy troops advance there will be a collision
with the people. If thou wilt withdraw them a little, thou wilt see
that when the Prophet crosses my father's threshold, they will go away
in peace."
The prefect said nothing, but seemed to look at me for some words;
which seeing, I earnestly entreated him to do the Prophet no violence.
"For thy wishes' sake, lady, I will here halt my troop, especially as I
see that the people are unarmed."
The centurion then gave orders to his horsemen to draw up in line
opposite the house. The multitude now came near, but many of those in
advance, seeing the Roman horse, stopped or fell into the rear, so
that I beheld Jesus appear in front, walking at an even, calm pace,
John at his side; also Rabbi Amos was with him. As he came nigher, the
people, for fear of the long Roman spears, kept back, and he advanced
almost alone. I saw John point out to him our house. The Prophet
raised his face and gazed upon it an instant. I saw his features
full. His countenance was not that of a young man, but of a person
past the middle age of life, though he is but thirty. His hair was
mingled with gray, and in his finely shaped, oval face were carved,
evidently by care and sorrow, deep lines. His flowing beard fell upon
his breast. His eyes appeared to be fixed upon us both for an instant
with benignity and peace. Deep sadness, gentle, not stern, seemed to be
the characteristic expression of his noble and princely visage. There
was an air of manly dignity in his carriage and mien, and as he walked
amid his followers he was truly kingly, yet simplicity and humility
qualified this native majesty of port. He seemed to draw out both the
awe and love of those who saw him--to command equally our homage and
sympathy.
Passing the troop of horse, John and Rabbi Amos conducted Jesus to our
door; but before they reached it there was a loud cry from several
harsh voices to the Roman to arrest him. On looking from whence these
shouts came, I saw that they proceeded from several of the priests,
headed by Annas, who were pressing forward through the crowd, crying
menacingly:
"We call upon you, O prefect, to arrest this man! Shame on thee, Rabbi
Amos! Hast thou also believed in the impostor? We charge this Galilean,
O Roman, with having made sedition. He has taken possession of the
Temple, and unless you see to it he will have the citadel out of your
hands. If you arrest him not, we will not answer for the consequences
that may befall the city and the people."
"I see nothing to fear from this man, O ye Jews," answered Æmilius. "He
is unarmed and without troops. Stand back; keep ye to your Temple! It
is from your outcries comes all the confusion! Back to your altars! If
commotions arise in the city, Pilate will make you accountable. All the
rest of the people are peaceable save yourselves."
"We will take our complaint before the Procurator!" cried Annas, who
was the chief speaker; and, followed by a large company of angry
priests and Levites, with staves in their hands, he took his way
towards the palace of the Roman Governor.
I looked my gratitude to Æmilius for so fearlessly taking part with the
Prophet.
The multitude now began to retire as the Roman horse slowly moved up
the street. Jesus was received into the house by Mary, and taken into
the inner hall, where, water being brought, Rabbi Amos himself removed
the sandals of the Prophet and reverently washed his feet, while Mary,
to do him all honor, dried them with a rich veil, which she had just
worked in anticipation of her coming bridal with her Cousin John. It
was at this moment I entered the hall.
There were in the room not only Amos, and John, and Mary, but the
Priest Elias, cousin to Caiaphas, who, desirous of hearing from the
lips of the Prophet his sublime teachings, had come in with him. There
were also present five men whom I never saw before, but who, John said,
were his disciples. I, however, had no eye or ear for any one but
Jesus. I saw that he seemed very weary and pale, and for the first time
I noticed he seemed to suffer, as from time to time he raised his hand
to his temples. Desirous of serving so holy a person, I hastened to
prepare a restorative which, bringing it into the hall, I was about to
give to him, when the Priest Elias put me rudely back and said, "Nay,
maiden, let us witness a miracle!" He then turned to the Prophet and
said, "Master, we have heard much of thy power to do miracles, but have
seen none by thee. If thou wilt presently show me a miracle, I will
believe, I and all my house. Thou hast a pain in thy forehead; heal it
with a touch, and I will acknowledge thee the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed!"
Jesus turned his eyes upon him and said, "Elias, thou readest the
Prophets, and shouldest know whether he who speaketh unto thee be the
Christ or no. Search the Scriptures, that thou mayest know that the
time of his visitation is come, and that I am he. I do no miracles to
relieve my own suffering. I came into this world to suffer. Isaiah
wrote of me as a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Blessed are
they who, not seeing, shall believe!"
"But, Master," said the aged Levite, Asher, "we know whence thou
art--even from Galilee. But when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence
he is."
"It is true, O man of Israel, ye both know me and whence I am. Yet ye
know not him who sent me. Ye do not understand the Scriptures or ye
would indeed know me, whence I am, and who hath sent me. But ye know
neither me nor him that sent me, for I am come out from God. If ye had
known him, ye would know me also. The time cometh when ye shall know
whence I am and believe in me; but now your hearts are darkened through
ignorance and unbelieving."
When he had thus spoken with great dignity and power, there were many
present who were offended, and some voices murmured against him. Then
Rabbi Amos led him forth to the apartment he had prepared for him.
In going to it the Prophet had to cross the court, and as I was
watching his retiring footsteps, I saw four men, who had climbed to
the house-top from the side street, the doors being closed, let down a
fifth in a blanket at the very feet of Jesus. It was a man afflicted
with the palsy, and their own father. Jesus, seeing their filial love,
stopped and said kindly:
"Young men, what would ye have me to do?"
"Heal our aged father, holy Rabbi."
"Believe ye that I can do this?" he asked, fixing his gaze earnestly on
them.
"Yes, Lord, we believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God! All things are possible unto thee!"
Jesus looked benignantly upon them, and then taking the venerable man
by the hand, he said to him in a loud voice, so that all who were
looking on heard him:
"Aged father, I say unto thee, arise and walk!"
The palsied man instantly rose to his feet, whole and strong, and after
casting a glance around upon himself, he threw himself at the Prophet's
feet and bathed them in tears. The four sons followed their father's
example, while all the people who witnessed the miracle shouted, "Glory
to God, who hath given such power unto men!"
Such, my dear father, are the increasing testimonies Jesus bears, by
miracles as well as by words, to his being Messias.
The God of our fathers keep you in health.
Your loving daughter,
Adina.