As we drew near to Bethany, we noted many hundreds of travellers on the
road, the most part on foot, but many on asses and camels; for rich as
well as poor were journeying to the new prophet. A full score of Scribes
went past us in the space of an hour; there were also some soldiers going
to Machærus; here and there was a tax‐gatherer; and Baruch took note of
certain that were sinners, outcasts from the synagogue of Capernaum. We
had now been journeying for a day and a half; and toward the end of the
second day, we began to see the valley of Jordan right over against us.
Going down a little further, we perceived that there was a great multitude
gathered together near the bank of the river; and presently we could
clearly discern the prophet himself.
Around him stood men in white garments awaiting purification; at a
somewhat greater distance, the mixed multitude hearkening to his words.
John himself, wearing no tunic, but clad only in a rough mantle of camel’s
hair with a girdle of untanned leather, was sitting upon a rock, and
thence he was speaking to the people in a clear voice, whereof the sound
(though not as yet the meaning) was borne up even to our ears. For a while
we stood still, with one consent, marvelling at the sight; for there had
not been a prophet in Israel for four hundred years and more; but
presently, riding down with all speed, we came into the valley, and joined
ourselves to the multitude: and, albeit, we could not come very nigh to
John, for the press, yet was there such a stillness among all the
assembly, that we very soon understood whatsoever he said.
He had been speaking (this I learned afterwards from one of the
bystanders) concerning the old wars and troubles which the Lord had sent
on Israel; how, according to the saying of the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord
had brought the Assyrian against the land as an axe, whereby He had cut
down our chosen nobles and princes, even as a woodman felleth the choicest
trees. Also how, in the days of the Prophet Jeremiah, the Lord had sent
the blast of His wrath upon the people, and had winnowed away the unstable
and faithless into captivity, even as a winnower fanneth the chaff from
the wheat. The same things were at hand even now, he said: “Now also the
axe is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth
not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.”
Hereat the multitude cried aloud, saying that it was even so; for indeed
we all felt in our hearts that the prophet spake the truth. As the
Assyrian axe in the days of old, so now the Roman axe was laid at the root
of Israel; and unless the Lord turned away His wrath from us, the nation
would be destroyed. But then a stillness fell upon the multitude, as we
waited till the prophet should tell us what we should do to turn away the
Lord’s wrath.
Then the prophet set his face toward the men in white garments, and said
to them that they should cleanse their hearts and not their bodies merely,
and put away the iniquity of their souls, and he called upon them to
confess their sins. He bade them also not to trust in their being children
of Abraham, nor in the purifications of the Law, nor in the observances of
Sabbaths and feast‐days. If, said he, the tree was to escape the axe, it
must no longer be barren: “bring forth fruits therefore worthy of
repentance, and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our
father, for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up
children unto Abraham.”
Saying these words, he beckoned to the men in white robes that they should
follow him. The multitude made way for them; and he led them down to a
place by the side of the river where the reeds and thickets of willow‐beds
had been rooted up, so that there might be free passage into the water.
Then he cried in a clear voice, “Receive the baptism of Repentance,” and
bade them plunge themselves beneath the surface. At the same time he
offered up prayers to God; and we upon the higher bank said, Amen. When he
had made an end of baptizing the men, he went up again to the rock, and
thence he again spoke to the people; and as many as desired purification
went up to him there.
Now while the people were going up by courses, I also began to resolve in
my heart that I too would go up in the order of my course. Yet had I sore
misgivings in my soul; for it seemed as if I were on the verge of a great
sea, launching out into the deep I knew not whither. For the teaching of
this new prophet in no wise agreed with the teaching of the Scribes and
Lawyers, whom I had reverenced; and if I went with him, I perceived that I
must needs go away from them. Now it came to pass that a certain Scribe
(who was with our company) perceived the reasonings of my heart, and that
I was desirous to receive purification at the hands of John. Therefore he
took me by the cloak, and held me back, saying, “Behold, if John the son
of Zachariah speaketh well, the Scribes have spoken ill, and have taught
ill. Yea, and all thy study of the Law, and thy painful meditations
therein, and thy nightly watchings and weariness of the flesh have all
been in vain. But wilt thou lightly forsake the teaching of the Law and
the Traditions of the Fathers, and all for the sake of one new prophet,
concerning whom thou knowest not as yet even that he is a prophet? And
wherefore shouldst thou thus seek after prophets? Knowest thou not that
the Inscrutable (blessed be He) decreed that, after the destruction of the
first Temple, there should be no longer with us the Shekinah, nor the Holy
Spirit, nor the Urim and Thummim; wherefore it is said, ‘From the fourth
year of King Darius, the Holy Spirit no longer rested upon the prophets.’
But in the place of the prophets (who were not always with Israel) thou
hast now the Scribes always with thee, according as it is said, ‘Moses
received the Law from Sinai, and the elders delivered it to the prophets,
and the prophets to the men of the Great Congregation;’ and it is also
said, ‘from the time that the Temple was destroyed, the gift of prophecy
was taken from the prophets and given to the Wise.’”
His words moved me, and I restrained myself for the time. Yet on the other
side there rose in my heart a certain Voice, which seemed to come from the
Lord, saying, “The words of John are right, and they are simple,
converting the soul. Moreover, they are fit for the people of the land,
and not only for Scribes and scholars and pedants. But that he is a
prophet, thine own heart convinceth thee; for even when thou hearest him,
thou knowest that he speaketh not from himself, but that he is taught from
above. And did not also the prophets of old speak like things, saying,
‘Rend your hearts, and not your garments,’ and bidding Israel not to offer
sacrifice, but to shew mercy, and not to observe Sabbaths, but to do
judgment and relieve the oppressed?” So between the words of the Scribe
and the words of the Voice within me I was in a great strait. Howbeit for
the time I restrained myself and did nothing, but remained where I was,
giving heed to the words of the Prophet.
Now it came to pass that certain of the soldiers from Machærus went up:
and all we in the crowd waited silently expecting that the Prophet would
deny purification to these men, except they should first promise to depart
from the army of Herod. But he commanded them only to abstain from robbery
and outrage. Upon this certain tax‐gatherers (whom the Romans call
publicans) took confidence, and they too went up. And now indeed all we
that looked on, expected that there should have been a great outburst of
wrath and of cursing upon them, as upon traitors and apostates from
Israel. But the Prophet received these also, and bade them exact no more
than that which was appointed to them. To others he said that they were to
observe that saying in the Traditions which enjoineth the doing of
kindnesses; that is to say, they were to clothe the naked and to feed the
hungry, and the like.
Hereupon arose a murmuring among certain of the Scribes from Jerusalem,
who were standing nigh to the place where I was: and I heard the voice of
Hezekiah son of Zachariah saying in an austere manner, “It is said, ‘On
three things the world is stayed; on the Law, and on the Worship, and on
the bestowal of Kindnesses:’ what meaneth this teacher of strange things
therefore, to subvert the Law and the Worship, in that he maketh no
mention thereof, but he exalteth Kindnesses to the skies?” Then another
said, “He allegeth the authority of no teacher; why therefore hearken we
to him?” But a third said, “Peradventure he is a prophet, and is taught of
God.” But Hezekiah made answer, “The time of prophets hath passed.
Besides, he hath wrought no sign from Heaven; how know we therefore that
he is a true prophet?”
These things spake the Scribes together, as we went back from the river to
the place where our tents were pitched; for by this time the sun was
setting. But all that night long my thoughts still beat on the doctrine of
John; and I marvelled much whence it came that the people so flocked to
John as to a prophet; yea, and that my own heart also was so drawn towards
him, although he had wrought no sign in heaven, nor so much as driven out
any unclean spirit. But the reason seemed to me partly in himself. For his
very countenance, yea, even his gesture and carriage, proclaimed him to
be, not a student of books, but one that was taught of God; and yet
further the hardships that he endured, and the manner of his clothing and
food (for he fed on nothing but locusts and wild honey) shewed to all men
that he did not prophesy for gain. But another reason lay in his doctrine.
For the doctrine of John was simple and just, commending itself to the
consciences of men; not flattering any nor busying itself with abstruse
matters; but fit for the work of life and the paths of busy men, able, as
it seemed, to carry purity and righteousness even to the side of the
plough, and into the ranks of armed men, and into the shops and offices of
tradesmen and tax‐gatherers. For this cause the teaching of John won a way
into the hearts of men of every degree, save only certain of the
Pharisees. So when I thought on all these things, I began to be convinced
that he was sent of God.
But when I went forth on the morrow to behold the purification of the
disciples and to hear the teaching of the Prophet, my heart was even more
drawn unto him. For I compared him with Abuyah the son of Elishah, and
with the ruler of the synagogue, that had driven away the tax‐gatherers
and sinners from the teaching of repentance; and it seemed to me that John
was as much better than they, as light is better than darkness. For though
he were of a stern countenance and austere in aspect, yet was the
austerity of John in no wise as the austerity of Abuyah the son of
Elishah. For Abuyah was sour and peevish, for that he ever loved to find
fault, and because he desired to obtain occasion for rebuking, to the
intent that he might persuade himself that he was better than others: but
John seemed to be austere only because he hated sin. So I no more delayed,
but went up with the rest, about the second hour of the day; and I
confessed my sins and received purification.
After we had been purified, I stood with the rest, clothed in white
garments, wholly given up to meditating upon the new life whereto we
seemed to have risen out of the waters. But I was aroused by hearing these
words spoken with a great vehemency of anger: “Ye serpents, ye generation
of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Great
indeed was my astonishment when, raising myself to see what they were to
whom the Prophet was thus speaking, I discerned the faces of some of the
most famous Scribes in Jerusalem. It seemed that they had been questioning
him who he was and by what authority he taught these things. But the
Prophet rebuked them with exceeding indignation. For he said that they
were even as barren trees, full of leaf, but bearing no fruit, fit for
naught but to be cut down and cast into the fire. Then they went backward,
being put to utter confusion; but John turned to us that had been
purified, and spake to us a second time as follows:
“I am not the Christ. Call not yourselves my disciples: for I myself am
naught but a herald in the wilderness preparing the way for the Great
King. But verily the King cometh. Therefore weep no more for the evils of
sin. The rough ways of oppression shall be made smooth; the crooked paths
of deceit and violence shall be made straight. Let the daughter of
Jerusalem rejoice greatly, for her salvation is nigh. For the glory of the
Lord draweth near, and all flesh shall see it together. Notwithstanding
think not of me as your deliverer. He that hath the bride is the
bridegroom, and the Bridegroom of Sion is the Redeemer, who shall espouse
her in the day of salvation. I am but the friend of the Bridegroom. Nay, I
am but his servant, not worthy to follow him as slave, nor to loose the
latchet of his sandal. Ye ask in your hearts who I am. But think not of
me, for I am as one that is no man. I am naught but a voice, even the
voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight.’”
Then he warned us that had been purified not to suppose that we needed no
further purification. Speaking of the old days of Joshua the Conqueror, he
brought to our minds how our fathers had two kinds of purification; one
inferior, with water, wherewith they purified things perishable, such as
garments and the like; but a more searching purification, wherewith they
purified silver and gold and other imperishable things, and this was with
fire. Even so, he said, it was given to him to purify only with the
washing of water; but one would come after him, the Messiah and Redeemer;
and he would purify us with fire and with the Holy Spirit.
In the evening, when we, that had received the purification, conversed
together in the inn at Jericho, there was much questioning whence the
Messiah should come, and by what signs he should be known. But most of the
Scribes did not believe that John was a true prophet; and Hezekiah
protested that he ought not to be called a prophet, for he had wrought no
sign, not even on earth, much less in heaven. But this he said not openly,
for fear of the multitude; for almost all believed John to be a prophet.
But on the morrow, when we turned ourselves to go northward, heaviness
fell upon my heart, and all things seemed flat and unprofitable. All our
counsels of action, whether to join ourselves to the army of Herod, or
straightway to rise up against the Romans, behold, they now seemed no
longer the wisdom of men, but rather the vain talk of children. For what
could Barabbas and the sons of Judas do, in comparison with the true
Redemption which had been prophesied by the Prophet; or how could they
avail to bring about the day of that Redemption? It seemed to be our
wisdom to wait for the Lord, who alone could send the true Redeemer. And
yet, on the other hand, how was it possible for one that loved Israel and
longed after righteousness, to look patiently upon the servitude of his
country? Hence I loathed the thought of living in peace at home.
When I returned to Sepphoris, I applied myself to labour and to study, if
perchance I might settle my thoughts; but I could not, for I was divided
between two minds. At one time I was minded to obey John and his teaching,
and to set no store on the teaching of the Scribes, nor to give heed to
what were called the “light precepts” of the Fathers, such as those
concerning tassels and fringes, and the purification of vessels, and the
observance of the Sabbath for things without life, and the like; and it
seemed nobler to cast these things away, and to say that mercy, and
judgment, and truth, and kindness, were the great commandments, and whoso
observeth these, observeth all. But then at other times, when I considered
with myself how frail and fitful a thing is man, how impotent for all good
ends, and how easily led aside from the right path by passion and by
ignorance, then I trembled at the thought of casting down the fences which
had been raised by the generations of the wise; for I feared lest I should
be guilty of presumption, and should fall, and be swallowed up with an
utter destruction.
But in the minds of other men (and not in me alone) there was at this time
much unsettlement and many searchings of heart. For many others in
Sepphoris became ill‐content with the teaching of the Scribes, and with
the performance of the precepts of the Law. Some men even said that, when
the Messiah came, there should be no more Law. So, if, even before, men
had been expecting the Messiah and looking forward to the Redemption of
Sion, much more did they do so now, after the preaching of John the
Prophet; insomuch that the whole of Galilee became as dry fuel ready for
the flame: and nothing was wanting save a spark of fire from heaven to
kindle the whole into a great blaze.
By this time I had numbered thirty‐four years, or something more; and it
was the fourteenth year of the Emperor Tiberius.