A Glance at Jerusalem.
The customary prayers and preparations for the celebration of the
festival being completed, the greatest part of the inhabitants of the
densely-populated city of Jerusalem, as also the strangers congregated
there, were plunged in sleep after the fatigues of the day, when, all
at once, the arrest of Jesus was announced, and everyone was aroused,
both his friends and foes, and numbers immediately responded to the
summons of the High Priest, and left their dwellings to assemble at his
court. In some parts the light of the moon enabled them to grope their
way in safety along the dark and gloomy streets, but in other parts
they were obliged to make use of torches. Very few of the houses were
built with their windows looking on the street, and, generally
speaking, their doors were in inner courts, which gave the streets a
still more gloomy appearance than is usual at this hour. The steps of
all were directed towards Sion, and an attentive listener might have
heard persons stop at the doors of their friends, and knock, in order
to awaken them--then hurry on, then again stop to question others, and,
finally, set off anew in haste towards Sion. Newsmongers and servants
were hurrying forward to ascertain what was going on; in order that
they might return and give the account to those who remained at home;
and the bolting and barricading of doors might be plainly heard, as
many persons were much alarmed and feared an insurrection, while a
thousand different propositions were made and opinions given, such as
the following:--'Lazarus and his sisters will soon know who is this man in
whom they have placed such firm reliance. Johanna Chusa, Susannah, Mary
the mother of Mark, and Salome will repent, but too late, the
imprudence of their conduct; Seraphia, the wife of Sirach, will be
compelled to make an apology to her husband now, for he has so often
reproached her with her partiality for the Galilean. The partisans of
this fanatical man, this inciter of rebellion, pretended to be filled
with compassion for all who looked upon things in a different light
from themselves, and now they will not know where to hide their heads.
He will find no one now to cast garments and strew olive-branches at
his feet. Those hypocrites who pretended to be so much better than
other persons will receive their deserts, for they are all implicated
with the Galilean. It is a much more serious business than was at first
thought. I should like to know how Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea
will get out of it; the High Priests have mistrusted them for some
time; they made common cause with Lazarus: but they are extremely
cunning. All will now, however, be brought to light.'
Speeches such as these were uttered by persons who were exasperated,
not only against the disciples of Jesus, but likewise with the holy
women who had supplied his temporal wants, and had publicly and
fearlessly expressed their veneration for his doctrines, and their
belief in his Divine mission.
But although many persons spoke of Jesus and his followers in this
contemptuous manner, yet there were others who held very different
opinions, and of these some were frightened, and others, being overcome
with sorrow, sought friends to whom they might unburden their hearts,
and before whom they could, without fear, give vent to their feelings;
but the number of those sufficiently daring openly to avow their
admiration for Jesus was but small.
Nevertheless, it was in parts only of Jerusalem that these
disturbances took place--in those parts where the messengers had been sent
by the High Priests and the Pharisees, to convoke the members of the
Council and to call together the witnesses. It appeared to me that I
saw feelings of hatred and fury burst forth in different parts of the
city, under the form of flames, which flames traversed the streets,
united with others which they met, and proceeded in the direction of
Sion, increasing every moment, and at last came to a stop beneath the
tribunal of Caiphas, where they remained, forming together a perfect
whirlwind of fire.
The Roman soldiers took no part in what was going on; they did not
understand the excited feelings of the people, but their sentinels were
doubled, their cohorts drawn up, and they kept a strict look out; this,
indeed, was customary at the time of the Paschal solemnity, on account
of the vast number of strangers who were then assembled together. The
Pharisees endeavoured to avoid the neighbourhood of the sentinels, for
fear of being questioned by them, and of contracting defilement by
answering their questions. The High Priests had sent a message to
Pilate intimating their reasons for stationing soldiers round Ophel and
Sion; but he mistrusted their intentions, as much ill-feeling existed
between the Romans and the Jews. He could not sleep, but walked about
during the greatest part of the night, hearkening to the different
reports and issuing orders consequent on what he heard; his wife slept,
but her sleep was disturbed by frightful dreams, and she groaned and
wept alternately.
In no part of Jerusalem did the arrest of Jesus produce more
touching demonstrations of grief than among the poor inhabitants of
Ophel, the greatest part of whom were daylabourers, and the rest
principally employed in menial offices in the service of the Temple.
The news came unexpectedly upon them; for some time they doubted the
truth of the report, and wavered between hope and fear; but the sight
of their Master, their Benefactor, their Consoler, dragged through the
streets, torn, bruised, and ill-treated in every imaginable way, filled
them with horror; and their grief was still farther increased by
beholding his afflicted Mother wandering about from street to street,
accompanied by the holy women, and endeavouring to obtain some
intelligence concerning her Divine Son. These holy women were often
obliged to hide in corners and under door-ways for fear of being seen
by the enemies of Jesus; but even with these precautions they were
oftentimes insulted, and taken for women of bad character--their feelings
were frequently harrowed by hearing the malignant words and triumphant
expressions of the cruel Jews, and seldom, very seldom, did a word of
kindness or pity strike their ears. They were completely exhausted
before reaching their place of refuge, but they endeavoured to console
and support one another, and wrapped thick veils over their heads. When
at last seated, they heard a sudden knock at the door, and listened
breathlessly--the knock was repeated, but softly, therefore they made
certain that it was no enemy, and yet they opened the door cautiously,
fearing a stratagem. It was indeed a friend, and they issued forth and
walked about for a time, and then again returned to their place of
refuge--still more heartbroken than before.
The majority of the Apostles, overcome with terror, were wandering
about among the valleys which surround Jerusalem, and at times took
refuge in the caverns beneath Mount Olivet. They started if they came
in contact with one another, spoke in trembling tones, and separated on
the least noise being heard. First they concealed themselves in one
cave and then in another, next they endeavoured to return to the town,
while some of their number climbed to the top of Mount Olivet and cast
anxious glances at the torches, the light of which they could see
glimmering at and about Sion; they listened to every distant sound,
made a thousand different conjectures, and then returned to the valley,
in hopes of getting some certain intelligence.
The streets in the vicinity of Caiphas's tribunal were brightly
illuminated with lamps and torches, but, as the crowds gathered around
it, the noise and confusion continued to increase. Mingling with these
discordant sounds might be heard the bellowing of the beasts which were
tethered on the outside of the walls of Jerusalem, and the plaintive
bleating of the lambs. There was something most touching in the
bleating of these lambs, which were to be sacrificed on the following
day in the Temple,--the one Lamb alone who was about to be offered a
willing sacrifice opened not his mouth, like a sheep in the hands of
the butcher, which resists not, or the lamb which is silent before the
shearer; and that Lamb was the Lamb of God--the Lamb without spot--the true
Paschal Lamb--Jesus Christ himself.
The sky looked dark, gloomy, and threatening--the moon was red, and
covered with livid spots; it appeared as if dreading to reach its full,
because its Creator was then to die.
Next I cast a glance outside the town, and, near the south gate, I
beheld the traitor, Judas Iscariot, wandering about, alone, and a prey
to the tortures of his guilty conscience; he feared even his own
shadow, and was followed by many devils, who endeavoured to turn his
feelings of remorse into black despair. Thousands of evil spirits were
busying themselves in all parts, tempting men first to one sin and then
to another. It appeared as if the gates of hell were flung open, and
Satan madly striving and exerting his whole energies to increase the
heavy load of iniquities which the Lamb without spot had taken upon
himself. The angels wavered between joy and grief; they desired
ardently to fall prostrate before the throne of God, and to obtain
permission to assist Jesus; but at the same time they were filled with
astonishment, and could only adore that miracle of Divine justice and
mercy which had existed in Heaven for all eternity, and was now about
to be accomplished; for the angels believe, like us, in God, the Father
Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only
Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin
Mary, who began on this night to suffer under Pontius Pilate, and the
next day was to be crucified; to die, and be buried; descend into hell,
rise again on the third day, ascent into Heaven, be seated at the right
hand of God the Father Almighty, and from thence come to judge the
living and the dead; they likewise believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy
Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.