Mother and John listened motionlessly, while Magdalene bit her lip
nervously, trying to form an inquiry which would open the sealed door
of the tomb.
"Can the dead communicate with the living?"
"No, Mary."
"From whence came Moses and Elias?"
"From the abode of the living."
Mary Magdalene's voice changed to milder tones as she sympathetically
continued: "Oh, can you not ease my aching heart? This burden is
greater than I can bear. I do not understand you. I volunteered when in
Galilee to follow you, but as we near Jerusalem my heart fails me. Is
this the expression of God's love to me? You say you go but do not die.
How, then, will I know that you remember me when you are gone?"
"I will come back again."
IN COUNCIL AT JERICHO
Evening found Jesus comfortably situated in Jericho, while his near
friends gathered in secret to plan for the morrow. A dim oil lamp lit
up the stable-like enclosure, where the dejected and sorrowful had
assembled. Peter's speech, as usual, was lengthy and to the effect that
as Jesus was determined to face his enemies at Jerusalem, it would
be cowardly to abandon him, but if worse came to worse and Jesus was
seized, they might be able to scatter so that the officers would not
recognize them.
John's opinion acted as a glimmer of light 011 the gloom when he
assured them that if they, the disciples, were detained as followers,
they would simply be beaten with stripes and driven from Jerusalem.
Diversity of opinions among the others revealed the fact that most of
them were on the point of breaking away as they did in Galilee, until
Magdalene arose and tried to greet them with her old-time winning smile.
When she began speaking the flush came to her cheeks, her voice became
clear and soon she stood erect, the same Magdalene of old, with that
true feminine grace and spirit of her sex, who flee at a mouse but turn
not aside from a lion, the attention was eager.
"Friends from Galilee, you believe in God, I know you do. You believe
in eternal life as set forth by the Master, I know you do. You believe
that soon we all will pass away from this earthly scene, and as from
Jericho this night we can look back to sad and glad days in Galilee,
so some unknown day, from some unknown place, under some unknown
conditions, we shall look back to scenes of this life and what will
we linger on and love to contemplate most? Will it be the beauty of
face and form we wore? No! Will it be earthly fame? No! Will it be
the days when the soft summer breeze fanned our cheeks and flitted
our souls away on an untroubled sea? No! Will it be that while others
died, we live to good old age? No! Then what will it be? Will it not
be the heroic stand we took for love, sympathy and justice towards our
earth-born companions, when the cruel hand of injustice stayed not from
shame and persecution?
"Dark and gloomy is this enclosure, but greater darkness prevails
outside. Two thousand souls or more line the way to Zion. All Israel
meet now at Jerusalem, but few, if any, know that the foretold
Redeemer, in human form, is on his way to the city of David. Do you
know it? Do I know it?
"Could we know it? Have we the ability to comprehend his claim? Were
his mission for the present inhabitants, we might better understand it,
but if it is for all time, and for all the coming generations, how can
we know, for what is wisdom to us today may be folly to the people in
two thousand years, so let us fearlessly follow and not falter.
"I dread tomorrow. I dread all these coming days. Jerusalem to me is
a throne of wickedness. Satan reigns there and God permits, but Jesus
loves them all. Do you recall his word as he stood on Olive's brow,
'Oh, Jerusalem--Jerusalem, which killest the prophets and stonest them
which are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children
together as a hen doth gather her brood under her wing, but ye would
not.' Does not this sound more like God than man, lamenting over the
unfortunate condition of those who reject him? Will we reject him? Well
I know your answer, but listen--listen, men of Galilee, this night may
seal your doom, desertion falls little short of rejection.
"Behold your house is left desolate. What does that mean? Does it mean
that our beautiful Zion, the throne of David, shall become the home
of the Gentiles, while the Jew stands outside the gate and knocks as
the centuries pass on? We do not know, but one thing is sure; his
kingdom is not for this generation. It either refers to days gone by
or days to come or possibly both. If this is true why not follow the
Master through darkness into light? If this meek and lowly way, dark
and stormy as it may appear, is the magnet of love to win the world,
let us follow that our names may be recorded in the book of life as
the faithful few who, when the night was dark and billows of fear and
trouble ran mountain high, stood firm. Stand up, you men of Galilee,
all who are ready for the fray." All responded quickly but Judas
Iscariot, who slowly raised to a stooping position.
ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM
Nicodemus, who had been listening to Magdalene, now ordered his
servants to conduct her and the Mother of Jesus to his tent, where
Jesus had been resting since dark. Here the fair Jewess, who had
struggled so hard to encourage the men, now seemed to lose nerve at the
impending gloom until Jesus took her by the hand, when she fell asleep.
The following morning she was conveyed by the servants of Nicodemus to
the half-way inn, and the next day to Bethany, where she was nursed
by Mary, the sister of Martha, until the third morning, when it was
being proclaimed the Jesus was to make his public entry into Jerusalem,
according to ancient prophecy.
Accordingly the women from Galilee, with Mary and Martha, ascended the
Mount of Olives from Bethany, crossing over the ridge to the Zion side,
where they occupied a prominent view of the road from Jericho around
Olive and up the steep incline to the walled city.
After the public demonstration John, Peter, Nicodemus and Lazarus
joined the women, when they all partook of refreshments save Magdalene,
whose soul, at times, seemed about to leave her body. She did not speak
until Peter inquired if she did not consider the entry into Jerusalem
wonderful.
"Wonderful,--no, it is only adding fuel to the flames. It is down right
foolishness. Has not Jesus said time and again, 'My kingdom is not of
the world?' What will Pilate, the Roman governor, say?"
"But, Magdalene, this fulfills the prophecy."
"Oh, dear me, Peter. To future generations the prophecies may be
valuable, but we need no such thing to convince us."
Nicodemus then joined in to assist Peter, and between the two they
talked Magdalene to sleep. When they ceased she opened her eyes and
laughingly said, "Nicodemus, I see that Jesus has talked eternal life
into you, all right, and I am glad for your sake, for I shall soon be
waiting and watching for those I have loved in this life to anchor
their barques in that haven of rest where darkness forever hies away,
waves of trouble cease to roll; where the sun never sets, the flowers
never fade and the child-like glee of Mary Magdalene will depart no
more."
After the excitement subsided Magdalene became stronger, until, with
her Galilean friends, she was able each morning to attend the teachings
of Jesus in the temple, where sharp and vehement criticism by the
priests and Pharisees was continually deluged upon him. They appeared
determined to compel him, through act or word, to violate either the
Roman or Mosaic law, that he might be accused of heresy, conspiracy
or insurrection. Their chief aim being to entangle him in a decision
relating to the violation of the law of Moses, in which case Pilate
would turn him over to them for trial.
ADULTERY
For several days there seemed to have been a lull in the persecution,
to which Martha ascribed the smoldering of a diabolical plot, until
one morning, while Jesus was engaged in conversation with several
Rabbinical doctors, a group entered the temple consisting of twelve
Fathers, attired in priestly garb, together with a squatty old publican
from Joppa. They were followed by a middle-aged woman, who was in
charge of four executioners; she at intervals falling on her knees
imploring mercy and begging that her life be spared, while a Roman
officer with a squad of six soldiers brought up the rear.
Magdalene, taking in the situation, rose up quickly and forgetting her
weakness while the flush of maidenhood colored her cheeks, without
hesitation boldly approached the Roman officer and begged an interview
with the unfortunate prisoner, which was granted by the Roman, who
admired her grace and courage.
The accusers squatted on the ground as the officer directed Magdalene
and the terrified woman to the wall, where they could converse
unmolested, which was in strict accordance with Roman law. The prisoner
took much time to explain the situation, for by so doing she was
postponing the awful moment when she should be shoved headlong off of
the rocks, there to have her head broken by the heavy stones from the
hands of the executioners. Her story was to the effect that she had
been married to the squatty old Simon of Joppa when very young, and
they lived happily until he had married a younger wife and she became
their servant, for which she ran away and came to Jerusalem, where she
served a man for three years, after which, as her remarrying would be
unlawful, they began living as man and wife and had lived peacefully
for six years, until this night she had been taken from bed to be
killed for what many of her acquaintances had been practicing for
years, a condition which was well known to the authorities.
Magdalene, undaunted, again approached the officer for the release of
the woman whom, she said, was accused under an old Mosaic statute which
had been a dead letter for many years; besides, it was improbable that
Pilate would listen to the case if brought before him. The officer
informed her that he had not the power to release the prisoner.
Besides, he had been informed that she was to be tried before one,
Jesus from Galilee, who had of late entered the city amid pomp and
glory as King of the Jews.
Magdalene staggered backwards, bewildered, and glanced at Jesus. He
stooped and wrote in the sand while the Pharisees drew near, saying,
"Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act; Moses, in
the law, commanded that such should be stoned. What sayest thou?"
When they continued asking he lifted himself up, and casting a
disdainful look at Simon of Joppa he turned to the twelve accusers,
giving each a scrutinizing gaze as though he were reading the page of
their life history.
It was a moment of agonizing suspense; the guard and executioners
stood as riveted to the spot; Magdalene pressed her hand upon her
heart, while the other women held their breath. The disciples craned
their necks, especially Peter, who never could hear very well with
his mouth closed, dropped his jaw that he might catch the first lisp.
The accusers seemed to shrivel under the search of his large eyes and
move backward from the woman, who, on her knees before the Lord, was
pleading for mercy.
"He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
And again he stooped and wrote on the ground. When he arose he saw none
save the woman, to whom he said, "Where are those, thine accusers? Hath
no man condemned thee?"
"No man, Lord."
"Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more."
The effect of the scene so elated the disciples that for a time they
forgot their fear and anxiety; but Magdalene, Mary and Nicodemus took a
different view. Mary, his mother, saying, "Rebuff does not always mean
defeat."
So the day passed until evening, when Mary came over to invite the
Galileans to an evening repast. When supper was over they turned to the
garden for devotion, after which Peter and John escorted the Galilean
women to the house of Joseph, while Jesus and his disciples slept in
the house of Simon.
The following day a strange group approached Zion; Jesus, with his tall
stooping form, so emaciated that one could almost read through his
hand, advancing with a far away look, as though beyond the doomed city
he beheld the anxious father awaiting his son's return. He was followed
by Mary and Martha, two large, dark sisters of the Hebrew type with
swinging gait and sincere expression, who contrasted strangely with the
pretty Magdalene, whose startled gaze gave her the appearance of a bird
or fawn awaiting alarm.
At the brook Cedron they found the others awaiting them, when they all
climbed the hill, turning to the left to avoid the crowd, and passed
around the corner, entering Solomon's temple area by the south gate,
where they were almost submerged by the throng; for the news had spread
that Jesus had yesterday confuted the learned, who had sent to entangle
him, without even laying himself open to criticism.
On entering the treasury, where all expounders were accustomed to
teach, they found the front space again occupied by scribes and
Pharisees, still keenly anxious to gain notoriety by wringing from
Jesus a sentence which might be taken up by the throng as blasphemy,
for which they might stone him to death without danger of punishment at
the Roman Bar.
As Jesus approached the rostrum an aged scribe, of the Arabian type,
cried out, "Who art thou?"
Jesus adroitly evaded a direct reply by asking, "What think ye of
Christ; whose son is he?"
"David's son," was the reply.
"How, then, does David in spirit call him Lord? If David call him Lord,
how is he his son?" Silence was the only response.
Jesus then turned to the multitude, and drawing their attention to his
tormentors, said, "The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. All
therefore, they bid you observe; observe and do, but do not after their
works, for they say and do not." Then, to his accusers, he continued,
"Ye blind guides who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel and say,
'If we had been in the days of our fathers we would not have partaken
with them in the blood of the prophets'; whereof ye be witnesses unto
yourselves that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Ye serpents, vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? I know
from whence I came, and whither I go; ye are from beneath, I am from
above; ye are of this world, I am not of this world. If you believe not
that I am He, ye shall die in your sins. If a man keep my saying he
shall never see death."
"Now we know that thou hast a devil, for Abraham is dead and the
prophets are dead and you say, 'If a man keep my saying, he shall never
taste of death.' Art thou greater than our father, Abraham and the
prophets, whom makest thou thyself?"
"I came forth from the Father and am come into the world--again I leave
the world and go to the Father. Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see
my day, and saw, and was glad."
"Thou art not fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?"
"Verily, verily, I say unto you before Abraham was, I am."
Jesus now discovered suspicious characters with rocks in their hands
and stepped back among the Galileans and left the temple.
While the Pharisees were searching for him, he with the Galileans
crossed the Cedron and climbed nearly to the summit of the Mount of
Olives, where they assembled under a wide spreading olive tree, Jesus
resting one arm on a branch of the tree as he looked down on the
renowned city and wept as he cried, "Oh, Jerusalem! Jerusalem!"
MAGDALENE PLEADING WITH JESUS
While standing there, Magdalene came, and kneeling before Jesus pleaded
with him that he go home with her to Galilee, never again to return to
Jerusalem. The scene of the frail creature pleading for the life of
Jesus, together with the environment and condition, was so touching
that all gave way to their feelings, even brawny old Judas wiped away
the bitter tears with the sleeve of his soiled garment, for all had
learned to love Magdalene, the once haughty maid of the West Shore,
who, as Peter now expressed it, would far outshine all the angels when
she got to Heaven.
All now began imploring Jesus never to return to the city again, to
which he made no reply, but stooping quickly caught Magdalene as she
swooned into unconsciousness. Then all stood in breathless suspense,
while he began stroking back the heavy locks of the death-like creature
as he said in his old familiar way, "Mary," to which she opened her
eyes and smiled as though coming back from the fairy land of spirits.
Then she looked inquiringly at Jesus, saying, "Were you with me?"
Receiving no answer, she murmured, "Surely, I was not alone." Jesus
then taking his weary mother in his arms lovingly smoothed her silver
hair as he kissed away the falling tears, but he gave no encouragement
that he would return to Galilee.
As evening closed in, Martha came over to invite all to dine, and while
she was speaking, Nicodemus came hurriedly to report that a gang of
ruffians, armed with stones, spears and other weapons, were on their
way around to Bethany, expecting to find Jesus at the home of the
sisters. He advised that Jesus and his disciples hasten, in the dark,
north to Ephraim and the second night turn east and cross the Jordan,
where they would be safe from Caiaphas and his persecutors.
This plan pleased the disciples, especially Peter, who remarked
that the walking would be fine, even if it did rain. Philip lent
encouragement by adding that he had an acquaintance on the road, twelve
miles out, who would gladly sup them on fish, eggs, and honey, as long
as they wished to stay. Jesus was inclined to return to Jerusalem, but
after Mother and Magdalene had conversed with him in an undertone, he
arose and followed his disciples into the darkness, none having tasted
food since morning.
AT THE HOME OF MARY AND MARTHA
As the women moved over the hill they were met by one who came to again
sound the alarm that the brigands were nearing Bethany, but on learning
what had taken place and seeing the feeble condition of Magdalene, he
with Martha, made a saddle of their hands and with Magdalene's arms,
one around the neck of each, they carried her down the stony path.
Later in the evening Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathaea and other men and
women of the faith came in to try to cheer the anxious and divert their
minds from impending gloom. The mother, weary and sad, sank down on
a pallet of straw. Mary and Martha interested themselves to make all
as comfortable as possible, while Magdalene, true to her unrelenting
devotion, sat in the midst telling them stories about her early life
with Jesus, and how she loved the family to which he belonged, before
he entered his mysterious mission, "For," said she, with a forced
smile, "you know there are times when a woman cannot sleep, but never a
time when she cannot talk."
"This," said she, "is a sort of watch night, for Jesus, my good friend
John, and the lesser lights. I somehow believe if we keep awake and
think about them it mitigates their weariness, even though they do not
understand the source from which relief comes. Do you believe in such a
theory as that, Joseph?"
"Really, Magdalene, I do not know whether I do or not, but one thing
I do know, we are all glad to hear you talk and receive your opinions,
besides I have had much undisputed evidence that there is some sort
of communication between minds, or souls of near affinity, and my
experience teaches me that this is sometimes kept up after death. Now
please go on and tell us some more things which we have never heard
about yourself, when a child."
A NAUGHTY MAID
"Well," she began, "as I have told you before, Jesus always manifested
an interest in me, by mentioning my virtues and indulging me in so many
ways. However, naughty as I was, he was still my friend and called me
Mary. Many a time, when I was a little tot, I have cried myself to
sleep with both arms around his neck.
"How well I remember one evening when I had become so big that he could
not fondle me any more, how he stood between me and prison, and how
severely he admonished me when it was all over. It was while I was
living in Nazareth that one dark night I headed a group of dare-devil
maids to steal grapes from the garden of old Benjamin, the potter.
Well, we got caught, and when I found that, not only myself, but I
had gotten all the others into a scrape, I run over to Ruth with my
troubles, as I always did, and she got Jesus to go right down and see
old Ben and then she listened behind the screen and heard Jesus say
something like this: 'Terror to the neighborhood, Benjamin; why, you
talk like a wooden man. Magdalene is not yet in her teens, and you
ought not to call it stealing for maids of that age to help themselves
to a little fruit when they are hungry.' In that way he hammered at the
crusty old miser until he gave in. Then, after Ruth had told me all
about it, Jesus got us girls together and oh, the picture he did paint
about thieves, which set us all to crying but me, and when I laughed
he said something about there being oceans of room for improvement in
me yet.
"Then, after the girls had gone home, wondering at their lucky escape,
he and Ruth took me home, and while we stood in the moonlight by our
old gate, Ruth told him all, how she had overheard him convincing old
Ben that it was nothing, and had told me all about it, which made me
laugh when he made it out so awful to us.
"Before leaving me, he, taking my hand in his, with his other arm
around Ruth, talked to us about being true, and showed us that the
course he had taken in my behalf was just the course God was taking
with all those he loved and that God's power was so great that one was
always safe in his keeping, not only in this life, but even in death,
one would come out victorious, if they trusted in him.
"Of course, I cried half the night and resolved never to steal another
grape, but in a few days I left Nazareth and soon became the ever
irritable night-mare of the over-solemn saints around Capernaum,
and then it was that Peter gave me the nickname of 'Tornado Mag of
Galilee.'"
Here Magdalene paused and listened with that vacant gaze which
betokened that while her body was in Bethany her soul had joined the
wanderers in the dark. "I love Jesus," she murmured, "but, oh, my soul
is tossing about like an empty shell on an ocean wave. Oh, that I could
see more clearly through the misty veil of horror which hangs like a
pall over the once beautiful city of Zion. I love Jesus, as the son of
man, but I love him more as the Son of God. My womanly weakness yearns
for him to return to our home in Galilee, while my inmost soul joins
the song of the distant angels' choir. Oh, God, Thy will be done."
Then stern old Joseph lowered her head to a pillow in the shadows of
the mountain, while the heavenly host beamed down in silence on the
swooning form of the heroic maid of Galilee.
LAZARUS RESTORED
The following morning the party returned to the home of the Galileans,
leaving Lazarus very sick.
A few days later news was received from Jericho that Jesus and his
disciples were on the way to Jerusalem. Then when Martha went out to
meet Jesus the mysterious dialogue took place concerning the death of
Lazarus which caused great commotion, for all thought Lazarus dead,
even though Jesus had said, "This sickness is not unto death--Lazarus
sleepeth."
Now many believed on Jesus, causing the high priest and Pharisees to
say: "If we let him alone all will believe in him." Then they took
counsel to put him to death, and sent officers to Bethany to bring
Jesus to Jerusalem.
In the meantime the Galileans arrived in Bethany and Jesus, after
kissing his mother, took Magdalene by the hand, but neither spoke.
As the tumult arose and the mob outside began to howl, Magdalene became
hysterical, but when Jesus, still holding her almost transparent hand,
gave it a shake, as he said, "Mary," she looked confidingly in his face
and smiled.
Martha, now standing with John and Peter, beckoned Magdalene to come
to them, when Jesus stepped forward and raised his hand. As he did so
a stifled hush invaded the throng while the officers sent by Caiaphas
to take him fell backwards, lowering their weapons, each stooping to
listen and catch his words.
When his voice broke the dead silence, no relief came, for even
unbelievers feared they were in the presence of God.