At last Jesus and His followers reached the sea. When it lay before
them in its immensity, and the white-winged ships flew over the blue
surface; when they saw in the far distance the line drawn between sky
and water, and the firmament rising behind so darkly mysterious, their
courage was renewed, and Simon proposed that they should sail across to
the cheerful Greeks and the strong Romans.
"Why not to the savage Gauls and the terrible Germans?" exclaimed
Bartholomew, with some ill-temper at such an adventurous spirit.
"Ever since I was a boy I longed to see Rome," said Simon.
Jesus replied: "Seek your strength in your native land. Here in the
land of the prophets grows the tree among the branches of which will
dwell the birds of heaven. Then the winds will come and carry the
seeds out into the whole world."
The disciples who had not hitherto travelled much, found a new world in
the harbours of Tyre and Sidon, a world of folk and wares from every
quarter of the earth, strange people and strange customs. They had
never before seen men work with such industry in the warehouses, on the
wharves, on the ships; yet others gave themselves up to continual
idleness, trotting half-naked along the beach, begging with loud
pertinacity in the harbour, or shamelessly basking in the sun. Look!
the lepers are limping about, complacently exhibiting their sores. One
of the disciples looked questioningly at the Master, wondering if He
would heal them? Then, perhaps, they would believe in Him.
"You know quite well," He said reprovingly, "they would fain be healed
and then believe, whereas I say they must believe in order to be
healed."
There were also to be seen in those towns nobles and kings from all
lands surrounded by dazzling brilliance and gay trains; as others here
haggled for spices, silks and furs, so they haggled for dignity and
honour. And there were wise and learned men from among all peoples;
they made speeches, and talked in the public places in praise of their
native prophets and gods. The Hindoo praised his Brahma, the Magian
shouted about sacred fire, the Semite spoke zealously for his Jehovah,
the Egyptian sang the praises of his Osiris, the Greek extolled his
Zeus, the Roman called on his Jupiter, and the German spoke in hoarse
tones of his Wotan. Magicians and astrologers were among them, and
they boasted of their art and knowledge. Naked saints stood on blocks
of stone, flies and wasps buzzing round them, and still as statues they
endured torments for the glory of their gods. The disciples of Jesus
saw and heard all this in astonishment, and were terrified to find
there were so many gods. When they were alone together with the Master
in a cedar-grove near Sidon, one of them who had been deeply wrapt in
thought said: "An idea has just occurred to me. Whether it be Brahma
the reposeful, or Osiris the shining, or Jehovah the wrathful, or Zeus
the loving, or Jupiter the struggling, or Wotan the conqueror, or our
God the Father--it occurs to me that it all comes to the same in the
end."
They were alarmed at this bold speech, and looked at the Master
expecting an angry reproof. Jesus was silent for a while, then said
calmly: "Do good to those who hate you."
They scarcely understood that with these words He marked the incredible
difference between His teaching and all other doctrines.
They were still speaking when a young man with a beardless face and
insolent expression came riding by on a tall steed. When he saw the
group of Nazarenes he reined in his horse; it would scarcely stop,
stamped with its legs on the ground, and threw its head snorting into
the air.
"Isn't this the man with the Kingdom of Heaven?" asked the rider
contemptuously.
James came forward quickly. "Sir, stop your mocking. How do you know
that you will never need it?"
"I?" said the arrogant cavalier. "I need a Kingdom of Heaven that is
not to be seen, heard, or understood!"
"But felt, sir!"
"Then that is He," exclaimed the horseman, pointing to Jesus. "No,
Nazarenes, I do not believe in your Heavenly Kingdom."
To which Jesus replied; "Perhaps you will believe in My empty tomb."
"We will see," said the cavalier, putting spurs to his horse so that it
reared, and galloped off. Soon all that the disciples saw was a cloud
of dust. Matthew looked searchingly at his comrades. "Did you
recognise him? Wasn't it Saul, the dread weaver? They were saying in
the town yesterday that he was coming with a legion of soldiers to
arrest the Nazarenes."
Then they urged in terror; "Master, let us flee."
He was not accustomed to flee before zealous Pharisees, but there was
another reason for removing his innocent disciples from the atmosphere
of these big cities. Simon was always suggesting that it would be no
bad thing to spend the coming Passover on the Tiber, for he felt less
afraid of the heathens in Rome than of the Jews in Jerusalem. He had
no idea of what was before them.
"Not in Rome," said Jesus, "but rather in Jerusalem will we eat the
Paschal lamb."
Soon after they wandered forth and left the noisy seaport behind them.
As the roads became more and more unsafe, they climbed the rocks and
took the way across the mountains.
The gods came down from high Olympus, the Law came down from Sinai,
Light came down from Lebanon. For it was at Lebanon that the great
revelation came, which my shrinking soul is now to witness.