time to either eat or sleep, and he himself desirous to hear and see
him, invited him to his spacious apartments to dine, where he had
assembled his friends. As Jesus approached the entrance, Ruth and
Magdalene ran spat upon him, when he, taking Magdalene by the hand,
smiled and said, "Mary." Then kissed Ruth and passed in as Simon's
guest.
The recognition of Magdalene had been noticed by Simon and a dark scowl
knit his brow, as he mentally connected her with sinful episodes, and
thinking Ruth must be a sister of Jesus, he wondered how she tolerated
the fearless maid with whom she was associating.
Washing feet and fondling hair was a mark of great respect, often paid
to illustrious guests, but Simon, knowing Jesus to be weary and hungry,
waived all ceremonies, as he bade them sit for the sumptuous repast.
After the guests had entered and darkness had dispersed the throng
outside, Ruth and Magdalene walked back and forth in front of the
entrance, which was a curtained arch through a high wall into a
canopy-covered, miniature garden, decked with a profusion of soft rugs
on divans with lace-embroidered coverings.
As the interesting Jewess walked back and forth, Ruth engaging her in
low tones, she, Magdalene, turned quickly and contrary to all customs
of her race and times, unceremoniously tossed back the drapery and
stood before the assembly.
Dead silence reigned, as the Pharisees gazed upon the bold intruder. A
scarf of veil-like appearance hung carelessly over her head of abundant
auburn hair rambling over her shoulders, while from a neat dark habit
which enclosed her erect form protruded her shapely arms and one
extended foot protected by an adorned slipper.
Jesus glanced recognition, which encouraged her, and then turned his
eyes upon Simon, which seemed to rivit him to the spot, as Magdalene
approached with angelic grace and kneeling before Jesus began weeping
and kissing his feet.
Simon's disdainful look blended into sympathy as he gazed upon the
famous beauty, while he hesitated as though he would lay his hand upon
her head. Jesus bowed to his impulsive friend, as he called her by the
name she bore when a child, and then turning to his host, said, "Simon,
I have somewhat to say unto thee."
"Say on, Master."
"There was a certain creditor who had two debtors, the one owed 500
pence and the other 50, and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly
forgave them both; tell me, therefore, which of them will love him
most?"
"I suppose the one whom he forgave most," was Simon's answer.
"Thou has rightly judged," and turning to Magdalene, he said, "Seest
thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water
for my feet, but she hath washed my feet with tears. Thou gavest me no
kiss, but she hath not ceased to kiss my feet, wherefore I say unto
thee, her sins are forgiven," and turning to her he said, "Thy faith
hath saved thee."
Magdalene softly passed out through the curtain way while Simon would
gladly have had her remain, and now to her the stars shone more bright
than ever before, Ruth's embrace was more dear, while her hatred for
poor penitent Peter was quietly passing away.
COUNCIL OF THE DISCIPLES
When they arrived at the apostle's tent, Magdalene, in her impulsive
manner, ran to Peter, and placing her hand on his shoulder, for a long
time engaged him in earnest conversation. No one was more pleased than
Peter, whom she had scorned for years, and he was glad to forget all
and forgive the dashing maid whom he had often designated as Tornado
Mag of Galilee.
After the evening meal, which the women had prepared and practically
provided, reports were received and commented upon. Thomas overheard
a priest declare that if Jesus had blasphemed, he ought to be put to
death at once, while John had learned that the Ninevites and Rechabites
had declared that God had come to his own, and many of the like for
or against were received. All of this James, the brother of Jesus,
received coolly and assured them that it would require time for the
tumult and confusion to subside, during which time all should deport
themselves in an exemplary manner and prepare for the worst, "for," he
continued, "in times of old, God often called those He loves, to tread
the thorny path, but it must be that the afflicions of our momentary
existence cannot be compared with the joys of Eternity. Jesus, you
know, has often told us, 'My Kingdom is not of this world,' and true it
is that the real life lies beyond this scene of continued death."
"James, James," cried Peter, "are we to reap no earthly benefit from
this course?"
"Truly, truly, Peter, if we live the spotless life which Jesus lives
our rewards will be great, but God's plan----"
"Can I speak?" interrupted Ruth, as she raised to her feet.
"Certainly, certainly," was the reply, as all turned to listen, for the
scene was unusual.
"I do not comprehend the ideas of brother James as I wish I did, but if
this work is of God, and His mysterious plan is that we shall suffer
defeat in this, our day, in order that the coming generations may
rejoice"----
"Hear! Hear," cried John, and the men all chimed in "Hear! Hear!"
except Peter, who seemed to think that a bird in the hand was worth two
in the bush, as he cried:
"The Kingdom of Galilee is good enough for me; Ruth may be willing to
suffer for the unborn and I am no more afraid of death than she is, but
my motto has always been, 'Let everyone die for themselves,' therefore
I think the maid from Nazareth is out of order."
Peter's self-preservation speech rather upset the maiden's zeal and
she came back at him thoughtlessly. "You better make peace with your
mother-in-law before you assume to thwart the plans of the Almighty,"
to which Peter winked his bad eye, but could think of no reply
appropriate for the occasion.
TURN OF THE TIDE
Months have passed and again we find Jesus at the home of Peter's
mother-in-law in Capernaum. Magdalene and Ruth are serving the women
who are lodging at the home of Aunt Susanna. The homes of John, Philip
and Matthew are all overcrowded, for the Lord's earthly career is now
at its zenith, but tomorrow the doubtful will return home, the venomous
will conspire to destroy, while the faithful will try to induce Jesus
not to go down to Jerusalem.
The next day Jesus, standing in the synagogue, cried, "I am the bread
of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth
on me shall never thirst. I came down from Heaven, not to do mine own
will, but the will of Him that sent me, and this is the will of Him
that sent me, that everyone which seeth the son, and believeth on him,
may have everlasting life."
Then the multitude murmured and said: "Why does this man disdain signs
and wonders and yet says he came down from Heaven? Is not this the
carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James
and Joses, and Simon and Judas, and his sisters, are they not all with
us?"
Continuing, Jesus said: "No man can come to me, except the Father who
sent me, draw him; not that any many hath seen the Father, save he
which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Whosoever eateth my flesh and
drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. My flesh is meat, indeed, and
my blood is drink, indeed. Doth this offend you? It is the spirit that
quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto
you are spirit and are life."
Then many of his disciples, when they heard it, said: "This is an hard
saying; who can hear it?" and from that time many went back and walked
no more with him.
MAGDALENE'S HEROIC PLEA
Evening lowers its dark mantel over the faithful, as they gather at the
home of Aunt Susanna again to discuss and consider the conditions.
"Where is Jesus?" his mother inquired.
"He is walking on the shore," replied John. "He requested to be alone."
Trembling and pale, Mary, the mother of Jesus, stood and looked down
upon the Galilean shore as she murmured, "Oh, how peaceful." Then
closing her eyes she continued, "Oh, that this generation was passed."
Then Magdalene assisted her to a divan and was whispering softly to
her, when James came and caressed her gray locks as he said, "Mother,
kiss Magdalene; she is lovely, isn't she?"
"I," responded Magdalene, "am nothing but a briar," to which James
replied, "Roses grow on briars."
Around and in Aunt Susanna's home a great crowd of men and women had
assembled when Thomas stood up and began, "A strange problem lies
before us for solution this day. For more than two years we have
followed Jesus and listened to his teachings. We had understood that
God, through Jesus, was doing this work. Today the aspect is changed,
for he tells us he came forth from God to do God's will. This implies a
consciousness of existence in a place he calls Heaven, before he came
among men. Some of his most ardent admirers now believe he is beside
himself. If such is the case, we ought to persuade him not to go up to
Jerusalem to the feast of the Passover."
"Does his sermon on the mount portray derangement of the mind?" broke
in Matthew, as he produced a bundle of parchment and began reading: "A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit."
"That is exactly the point," said John. "Either we must deny all, or
admit his version of the source of his power. If you observe closely
you will find his intimacy with God includes more than faith; it
corresponds closely to acquaintance. Notice what he said today, 'Not
that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God.' Then
knowing that we could not understand, he followed by saying, 'He that
believeth on me hath everlasting life.' The knowledge he possesses we
cannot comprehend, and knowing this he simply requires faith."
Judas Iscariot, the burly disciple from Beersheba, now arose and after
admitting his faith in the Master's claim, began to lay stress on the
fact that as so many were falling away, it might be better for all to
abandon the cause until such time as Jesus could pacify the Scribes and
Pharisees by admitting their prescribed authority.
While Judas continued, two men were overheard conversing in an
undertone as they looked in at the audience.
"Do you see that young woman there facing Judas? That is Mary
Magdalene."
"Really, is that so! I have heard so much about her. I wish I could
hear her speak or sing."
"Do not worry, you will hear her. See her bite her lip! There is a
storm brewing in her soul, and I pity old Jude when she gets the
floor."
"Does she believe in Jesus?"
"Believe! I should say she does; she exhorts every evening. That
elderly woman beside her is Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the one with
her hand on Magdalene's shoulder is Ruth, one of his sisters. Honestly,
those two maids have done more thus far to convince the public than all
of his sleepy disciples."
"She does not look like the tornado of Galilee."
"Tornado, nothing! Why, her folks lived near us before she came over
here, and I do not believe she ever told a lie in her life, but she has
an interesting way of enforcing her opinion. There! There! she has the
floor now! Listen!"
"You, Judas Iscariot," she began, "virtually admit that you have
faith in Jesus as to his sanity and that he is the Christ which was
to come into the world, and still, for fear of apparent consequences,
you advise abandonment. All lives and careers undergo encouraging and
discouraging events, today the world enfolds you in her loving arms,
tomorrow the cruel cold shoulder is turned, and experience teaches
that the rebuff sometimes falls on the worthy, for the world often
goes agog. Truly, the multitude is disappearing, thousands will return
home on account of this 'Bread-of-life' sermon today, for they do not
understand that evolution requires time; that large bodies move slowly.
They may be blameless, but you--you, Judas Iscariot--you who have
been with him more than two years, are you yet befogged, or are you
a coward? Did you today think that Jesus intended to convey the idea
that God was a baker and had sent a loaf of bread down to Capernaum,
and that he, Jesus, was the loaf? I know you did not. I hope I do not
understand you. I hope you are true. I cannot imagine a traitor among
us. Oh, how my heart aches. See how low the lights burn tonight! All
seems so far away."
At this juncture she scowled and looked downwards as though collecting
her thoughts, and then continued: "You know that the priests at
Jerusalem dread Jesus, thinking that his teachings, if not impeded,
will revolutionize the religious world and for this reason they favor a
ransom to have him out of the way. Inasmuch as you are aware of this,
you can imagine my surprise when today I overheard you with the others
say to Jesus, 'Depart then and go into Judaea.'" As she quoted his
words she hesitated, biting her lip nervously, then as though a thought
struck her, she raised her head smilingly and continued, as she turned
from Judas to the audience:
"In the upper corner of our garden nearby, one can see an old cactus.
Some one sowed the seed from which it sprang before any one of us was
born. I used to try to twist and break it when I first came here, for
it seemed to cast no blossoms and bear no fruit. Other plants and
shrubs blossomed, yielded their fruit, but the old cactus seemed just
to live and that was all. One day, as some of you know, Ruth was here
and we discovered a bud on it, called the gardener, who decided it
was a century plant which might blossom soon, but it did not. Evening
after evening all the neighbors came to behold the wonderful blossom
which was expected to come forth from the seed sown nearly one hundred
years ago. It was so slow that we became discouraged, but at last one
evening, when we all stood around, the gardener applied warm water to
the roots and in a few moments the largest and most beautiful blossom
known to the Orient came forth, and think of it, dear friends, more
than fifty years after the one who sowed the seed had gone to his long
home.
"Today the seed of life is being sown in the hilly land of Old Canaan,
the buds are promise, blossoms peace and fruit everlasting life. As
through summer and winter, sunshine and rain, the old cactus came
forth, so through joy and sadness, bitterness and despair, the tree of
life may put forth. When we think of the thorny path over which good
souls before us have traveled, we ought to trust in providence, for God
is with us and knows it all.
"God's mysterious guide oft leads us where we would not go, but never
where we cannot stay. He plans our course, he knows it all and some
bright morn he will reveal. Abraham did not know, when he was called
from home to spend his years among these hills, that when the frost of
time had turned him pale, the angels would appear. Hagar, wandering
in the wilds of Beersheba, did not think that God knew all of her
troubles, and would not let her perish with her child. Moses did not
know when he fled across the desert wilds oft looking back in fear,
that his fair Zipporah would meet him at the well. When Ruth looked,
for the last time, on the scenes of her childhood, and turned from
the hills of Moab, to follow Naomi in the plain path of duty, she did
not know that God had called her to become the mother of the most
illustrious family in the world. All these, my friends, were blessings
in disguise.
"Neither does the seed sown mature so quickly. The seed here sown in
Galilee these days may bear little fruit in our generation, even for
hundreds or thousands of years, but some sweet day, when the storms of
life are over, and the followers of our Lord join hands to spread the
gospel of the "Bread-of-life" as we have heard today, like the sleepy
cactus, it will blossom forth in all lands."
At this point Jesus and James stepped in, unobserved by her, while she
continued: "The storm is upon us now. I hear the distant billows roar.
This night to you who hesitate may be the turn of the tide throughout
an endless Eternity, so bare your bosoms to the storm and look only to
the beacon lights, if dimly you may discern them.
"Earth life is but a fleeting shadow, soon past. I know my name will
never appear on the records of this great struggle, no one will ever
weep at the tomb of Mary Magdalene, but what for aye the morrow. Can
you all meet me there?
"Did you who beheld Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration a few days
ago think he had just come from his grave on Mount Nebo, where he
had been sleeping fifteen hundred years? If you did, I hope God will
wink at your ignorance, but you did not, no--no. The real spiritual,
personal Moses did not die, he has lived, he does live, he will live,
and you and I will just begin to live when these poor eyes will cease
to weep, when this poor heart will ache no more and these soft hands
are cold in clay.
"Is this struggle a sacrifice or a privilege? Oh, friends, the day will
come when the world will envy us who lived in these dark days, and
walked and talked and sang with the real Savior of the world, the son
of the living God."
The last words seemed to thrill the throng with emotion, but the climax
was only reached when Magdalene fainted into the arms of John and Ruth,
who bore her gently away.
JESUS SPEAKS
A tumult now arose as poor impetuous Peter, forgetting that his motto
was each one to die for themselves, swung his brawny arms amid his
tears and cried, "Hear! Hear! Hear!" which was taken up by the crowd
assembled outside, who though they did not catch her words, were
anxious to cheer for the fascinating maid of Galilee.
When the tumult subsided, Jesus stepped forward, leaning on the arm of
his brother James. His tall figure was perceptibly bowed with fatigue
and meditation, while his florid complexion assimilated his face to
that of his mother, whose refinement also appeared in her daughter
Ruth. The Lord stood half a head above his twelve disciples, save
Thomas, who was very tall, contrasting absurdly with Matthew, who
was so small and quaint looking that Magdalene, in her sunny days,
designated him as the embalmed puckerberry.
When all was quiet, Jesus, in a low voice, said: "Did my words in
the synagogue offend you? What, and if you see the son of man ascend
up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh
profiteth nothing. As I have said, the words which I speak unto you are
spirit, they are life. Go you up to the feast, I go not up yet to the
feast, for my time is not yet fully come."
THE EXODUS
The encouraging days of our Lord's career were now at an end. His
"Bread-of-life" sermon was generally misunderstood and taken as
literal, which agitated the question of his sanity, besides his remarks
on the assembly concerning his ascending up to where he was before did
not help the matter. The invincible Magdalene had convinced two of the
twelve and a few of the others that, as he had said his words were
spirit and truth, they must not be taken literally, but the thousands,
which included his friends and relatives, were in doubt. The Persian
and Egyptian scholars, with the Assyrian Knights, Nobles and Princes,
argued that his moral lessons did not voice of insanity, neither of
deceit, still they were returning home somewhat depressed while the
Galileans, including the twelve, save Peter and John, were preparing to
go up to Jerusalem to the feast.
Magdalene, Aunt Susanna and Mary, the mother of Jesus, with Peter and
John, soon set out with Jesus from the Galilean coast as though they
would journey to Tyre. While ascending the hills west of Capernaum,
Jesus, turning for the last time, looked down upon the familiar scenes
before him. It seemed but a moment since he, with other children,
stopped and gazed on old Galilee for the first time. Now along
the shore lay boats like the one from which, in days of his great
achievement, he had taught the eager throng, which had now disappeared.
The sun's dazzling rays bore down upon the dreamy waters of the
little mountain inland sea upon whose shore he would walk no more.
From Bethsaida, a blue smoke curled languidly over the retreat of his
fisherman followers, while upon the hillside to the south lay the
garden home of Aunt Susanna, where the once beautiful, but now pale
Magdalene had upon every occasion so vehemently defended him whom she
was now to follow to his earthly doom.
The little party traveled to the northwest, leaving Nazareth on the
south, until noon of the second day, when Jesus turned south as though
he would go to Jerusalem, and, as it were, secretly camped in the woods
on Mount Carmel, in plain view of the hills of Nazareth, where many of
his old acquaintances were now boasting of the failure of his mission.
Magdalene would gladly have run over and hugged and kissed Ruth one
more good-bye, but as their route to the south, along the foot of Mount
Carmel, had been unnoticed, the Master's orders were to proceed again
in the night and cross the Esdraelon Plain before day.
After the evening meal, Jesus read the 28th chapter of First Samuel,
and as was their custom, sang and prayed. Then, while the sun still
lingered on the hilltop, Jesus pointed out the position of the two
armies, and the City of Endor, where Saul consulted the woman the night
before he and his sons were slain; then he drew their attention to the
traditional homestead of Elijah, who lived nearly fifteen hundred years
before.
Peter called attention to the beautiful sunset on the Mount of
Transfiguration and inquired if Moses and Elias would ever come again,
at which, while all listened for his reply, Jesus turned and looked at
the mountain, but did not speak.
Before sunrise next morning the little party had passed Jezreel and by
noon arrived at Dothan, where they decided to camp until the following
morning. Here they viewed the traditional pit into which Joseph had
been cast the day his brothers had sold him into Egypt.
As twilight came on, a party was seen approaching from the north, which
proved to be a band of his followers who, having become alarmed, had
followed them with the hope of persuading Jesus to return to Nazareth.
Among them was Cleophas and his wife, Mary, she being the sister of
Joseph, the father of Jesus, but all arguments to induce Jesus to
return were of no avail.
The next morning at Jacob's well they found several hundred who fell
into line and thus the throng increased until they crossed the Jordan,
where they were met by his ten disciples who, with a host of others,
had come up from Jerusalem to meet them, and now Jesus went before them
towards Jericho.
WAITING BY THE JORDAN
When back on the west side of the Jordan, Jesus with the women from
Galilee and the twelve disciples turned south for the night, into
the well known palm grove, while the crowd hastened to Jericho for
bread. After supper he with his mother and Magdalene strolled south to
the shore of the Dead Sea, where he, while reclining his head on his
mother's knee and Magdalene smoothing his hair, fell asleep.
John, who was following, now stole in with pillows and blankets, and
soon Jesus and the two women were lost in dreams in the very plain
where the children of Israel had slept the first night after crossing
the Jordan into the Promised Land.
Since Jesus had left Capernaum he had avoided the curious, for well he
knew he was misunderstood by all save mother, John and Magdalene, to
whom he often confided, maintaining that if his death was required to
awaken the world he would drink the bitter cup and leave the coming
generation to judge of his works, whether they were of man or God.
Accordingly, to avoid the throng, the four recrossed the Jordan at dawn
and sought a sequestered spot, where trees sheltered them from the sun,
when Jesus ordered that all attention be directed to Magdalene, who had
eaten scarcely any food since she left home.
During the day they continued to bring cool water from the spring,
which allayed her fever so that she felt herself again, and said in
her old-time laughing way, "Better then worse, better then worse,
really if we do not return to Galilee soon I think it will be nip and
tuck as to who will get into the Kingdom of Heaven first," at which
Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within you, Magdalene."
"Jesus, can one enter the Kingdom of Heaven before they die?"
"One that liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
"Jesus," she inquired earnestly, "what is death?"
"Did you not hear my parable of the rich man and Lazarus?"
"When is the resurrection?"
"I am the resurrection."
"Will my body ever be resurrected?"