When Jesus had ended all these words, he came down from the mountain, and
we followed, reasoning much among ourselves. Baruch spake first,
complaining that the new Law was full of hard sayings. “For,” said he,
“when the Prophet proclaimed a blessing on the poor and hungry, that was
easy to understand, and I rejoiced thereat: but afterwards, when he bade
us bless them that cursed us, and do good to those that injured us, yea,
and turn the left cheek to him that had smitten us on the right, and give
our coat to him that had taken away our cloak, then indeed his doctrine
seemed too wonderful for the mind of man to fathom.” Then a certain Essene
(who at that time followed with us) made answer and said, “This world is
but as a vestibule before the world to come: therefore the Prophet’s
intent is to instruct us how to prepare ourselves at the vestibule so that
we may find grace to come into the King’s presence: and his words enjoin
on us to abstain from all earthly cares and pleasures, and to withdraw
ourselves from the cities of men.” But to this Simon Peter made answer
that Jesus had taught us to live in the sight of all men, like a city on
an hill or like a candle on a candlestick: moreover, he had promised that
we should inherit the earth.
But here Eliezer the son of Arak could no longer constrain himself. “I
marvel,” he said, “that we listen so long without first asking this
Prophet by what authority he sayeth these things, or what sign he can work
in Heaven to prove his authority. For other teachers received of teachers
before them; as, for example, Hillel and Shammai received from Shemaiah
and Abtalion; and Shemaiah and Abtalion received from Jehudah the son of
Tabai, and Simeon the son of Shatach; and so on successively; but this
teacher maketh mention of no teachers from whom he hath received his
doctrine: neither worketh he any sign in Heaven. But whence doth he draw
his knowledge about the Unapproachable (blessed is He)? Even from the
creatures; even from the weeds of the field, and the silly birds that are
caught in the snare of the fowler; from the senseless rain and from the
shining of the sun; yea, and from the nature of the heart of man, which is
evil from his youth! But how much better than all these is the Law,
whereby was created all that is; according as it is said, ‘Beloved are the
children of Israel, in that there was given to them the instrument by
which the world was created.’”
No answer was made to the words of Eliezer: but Barabbas took up the words
of Baruch, and said, “If we are to turn the left cheek to him which hath
smitten the right, and if we are to do good unto them which do us harm,
who shall cause injustice to cease in the world? For verily the unjust
will wax fat in their injustice and will go on from oppression to
oppression.” But said Judas of Kerioth, “Listen unto me, O foolish ones,
and take counsel from me: for is it not even as I foretold? Did not I say
unto you that the Prophet would not at this time make laws that should
endure for ever, but only ordinances for a season, till we had gained the
upper hand? Wherefore ye must know that it is in the mind of the Prophet
to draw unto himself the hearts of all people by fair words and gentle
dealing: but when the time is come for different policy, then we shall
take fresh counsel according to our needs. But now hearken. Did not the
Prophet prophesy woe to the rich and the powerful? These are the Romans;
and in foretelling woe to them, he foretold woe against the Romans. Again,
did he not prophesy blessing for the poor? And we are poor: and in every
city of Israel the poor are the greater part, and will fight on our side,
and will have a part in our blessing. I grant, he said not that we should
be judges and princes: but he promised that we should have that for which
we asked; and is not this enough for us? Yea, and albeit he mentioned not
expressly money, or lands, or houses, yet he said that our reward should
be great. But if persecution or the shedding of some of our blood must
needs come before our success, who is so fainthearted and womanish as to
draw back for such a cause? Therefore, I say, be of good heart; and though
there be some dark sayings of the Prophet, let us be content to stand fast
on those sayings which are plain. But as touching the words of Eliezer, we
all know in our hearts that Jesus is not a man as other men, but that he
is a leader sent from God; and howsoever he teacheth, and whithersoever he
leadeth, it is our wisdom to obey him and to follow him.”
The words of Judas pleased us: and we all agreed to them. Only a certain
Alexandrine (whose name was Quartus) said to Baruch that he judged not
that the words of Jesus were intended to be merely transitory ordinances.
Now this Quartus was a man of no common understanding and discernment; and
inasmuch as his father had been a Greek and had caused him to be trained
in the Greek learning and philosophy, he spake with more art and subtlety
than most of my companions. Howbeit he lacked not faith and the love of
righteousness; and, his mother being of our nation, he had been
circumcised, and had conformed himself to the worship of Israel; but
having been bred up in the schools of the Greeks and in the school of
Philo, he was at all times desirous to compare the teaching of other
philosophers with the teaching of Jesus. He was a merchant, and his
business brought him oftentimes to Capernaum, where I had met him; but I
had also met him before in the house of my uncle at Alexandria. So when I
overheard Quartus saying these words to my cousin, I questioned him how he
interpreted the sayings of Jesus, and in particular, that saying
concerning the turning of the cheek to the smiter.
Then said Quartus unto me, after some pause, “Be not displeased if I speak
in a parable. Many times in Capernaum have I seen mariners (such as know
not your waters) grievously tossed by a storm while they strove to enter
into the harbour by a straight course, and toiling hard for many hours,
but all to no purpose; but others (which know the secret) leave the
straight course on one side, and stand far out to Taricheæ. Thence floweth
a current toward Capernaum, strong at all times; but in stormy weather it
cannot be resisted. Falling into this current therefore, the wise mariner
needeth but to row softly, or scarce at all, and lo, he entereth into
Capernaum as it were upon wings. Now even such a wise mariner doth Jesus
seem unto me.”
I marvelled at his words. But Quartus perceived that I understood him not;
and he continued, “I speak as one groping in the dark. But the meaning of
my parable is this: The lake is the world; the vessel is Israel; and
Capernaum is redemption. Other pilots have striven to guide Israel to
redemption by dint of force, but they have failed: Jesus is the true
pilot, and knoweth the currents and streams in the nature of men and
things; and by his wisdom he thinketh to guide us aright.”
“But what,” I asked, “are these streams and currents?” Again Quartus was
silent for a while, and longer than before, so that by this time we were
almost come down from the mountain; but at last he said unto me, “What
seemeth to thee the strongest current in the nature of men?” But, when I
held my peace, not knowing what to answer, he spake again very earnestly,
“Thou art a student of the sayings of the Wise, O Joseph, and canst answer
with discerning. Tell me, then, on what standeth the earth?” Then I
replied according to the saying, “Upon the pillars; and the pillars upon
the waters.” “Yea,” replied Quartus; “and after these cometh the wind; and
what after the wind?” Then I said, “Beneath the wind is the storm, and
beneath the storm is the arm of the Holy One; for it is said, ‘Underneath
are the Everlasting Arms.’” Then said Quartus, “It is so; and verily the
foundations of earth are the Everlasting Arms of the Father in Heaven: but
if the Fatherhood of God be the strongest thing on earth, and if this be
the mightiest stream or current in the nature of men, then how may we best
sail with that current?” I remembered the words which Jesus had spoken
that we were to become as little children; so I answered, “I suppose, by
approaching Him as children.”
Here Judas interrupted us and said, “Nay, but wisdom is the strongest
thing in the world, for it is written of wisdom, ‘The Lord possessed me in
the beginning of His way, before His works of old. When He appointed the
foundations of the earth, then I was by Him as one brought up with Him.’”
“Thou sayest well,” said Quartus, “but what human wisdom is like unto that
wisdom which revealeth God to men? Now as no child can understand his
father unless he love his father, so no man can know God (who is our
Father in Heaven) unless he love Him; but whoso loveth, understandeth;
therefore to love God is the highest wisdom of man.” Then Judas scoffed at
him and said, “This is nothing but repeating in new words the old saying
of the Law, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.’ What! do
ye then deem our Master to be naught but a merchant that retaileth old
wares as if they were new?” So he left us and went on before.
But Quartus continued, “Judas saith truly that the new Law aimeth at the
same mark as the old Law. But the means are diverse. For the old Law
worketh by purifications and feasts and sabbaths; but the new Law belike
worketh in part by these means, but in greater part by other means. And,
as I judge, Jesus goeth toward the end of the old Law; but by a path that
is new, yea, altogether new. For I have myself heard him say that the
redeemers of old were like unto thieves and robbers, using force and
violence; but he himself cometh not like a thief over the wall, but like
the true shepherd through the door of the fold, that is to say, through
the path of Redemption which God hath appointed. Now this path is kindness
or love. And Jesus saith that the former redeemers failed of their
purpose, for they thought to redeem men by force; but he will not fail,
for he purposeth to redeem men by gentleness. And he saith that God
ordaineth strength out of babes and sucklings, and that the spirit of
childhood is the conquering spirit of the world. Rememberest thou not how
our teacher Philo said some things not much unlike to these, teaching that
the highest revelation of God is through love? Howbeit, none methinks,
save Jesus only, can reveal this revelation. For Philo testifieth of that
which is behind the veil; but Jesus of Nazareth hath power to lift up the
veil.”
By this time we had overtaken the others, whom we found all sitting, and
Jesus in the midst of them. By the side of Jesus was a man bearing in his
arms a little child. He was come forth from a house nigh to the place
where Jesus sat, bringing a cup of water for Jesus to drink. While Jesus
was drinking, the father still kept his eyes upon the child in his arms,
and his face was full of compassion and tenderness; for the child was very
sickly. We soon perceived that it was the same man that had denied to give
us guidance in the morning; but at first we knew him not; pity and love
had so transformed his countenance. Now it came to pass that when Jesus
had given back the cup to the man, he laid his hands on the child and
blessed him. And as he blessed him, his face shone as with the glory of
the Lord; and the little one also seemed to rejoice and to partake in the
brightness of our Master’s countenance.
We both stood still, beholding Jesus. Then said Quartus unto me, “Did not
Eliezer the son of Arak say truly, that ‘Jesus looketh upon the book of
the world as well as upon the book of the Law, and seeth in all things
God’? For even as Elias the Prophet loved to commune with God on the tops
of mountains, and in deserts, and in caves, and received revelations of
the Lord from earthquakes and fires, but most of all from the still small
voice; even so doth our Master look upon all things that are, yea even on
the smallest things that live or grow, and from all, he heareth a still
small voice that speaketh of the Father. Yea, and there is yet more than
this. For whithersoever he turneth his face, methinks he giveth of his
love to all things, whether they be the flowers of the field, or the
birds, or the mountains, or the children of men: and because he thus
giveth, it is given to him again; yea, wisdom and joy and peace are given
back to him, even from things that have not life; but most of all from the
children of men, which are made in the image of God. Therefore said I that
Jesus seemeth as the wise mariner of whom we spake but now; for, by the
Word of God in himself, he hath haply hit upon a certain current in the
nature of created things, whereby he will easily prevail over the blasts
of all opposing storms, and be carried into the haven of God, both he and
all they that put their trust in him.”
“Thy words are fair,” I replied, “but they do not persuade me. That the
love of children doth bind husband and wife together, and that the bond of
families is the bond of nations, this I deny not. Perchance also the love
that parents have to their children may have lifted up the hearts of many
in Israel, during many generations, to the true God. But how we are to
take Jerusalem or thrust forth the Romans from Syria by becoming as little
children, this passeth my understanding. Or dost thou not believe that
Jesus will lead us against the Romans in Jerusalem?”
“I know not,” replied Quartus (who spoke as one musing, and not giving
heed to my question); “but what troubleth me most of all is the fear lest
the knowledge of Jesus may haply perish with him; for if he hath (as I
judge that he hath) a certain inborn power of winning men over to his will
by kindness and gentleness, then, as it seemeth to me, this power may be
likened unto the fabled ring of Solomon, which gave unto the owner well
nigh whatsoever he desired. But there is this difference. The ring could
be delivered from one man to another; but the art or secret of Jesus is,
in all likelihood, not able to be delivered to them that shall come after;
but it will perish with him. And then what becometh of his Kingdom of
God?”
As long as Quartus was speaking I heard him gladly: but when he had
ceased, his words seemed like mist in the morning sun; but the words of
Judas seemed as the solid ground from which the mist rolleth away. For
what Quartus said was hard to understand; but the words of Judas seemed
according to reason, and very plain to be understood; to wit, that the
ordinances given on the mountain of blessing were transitory, and that we
were still to wait for the New Law: and to this I agreed, and not I only,
but the most part of the disciples.