And so they made their way towards Jerusalem for the celebration of the
Passover. Long ago Moses had delivered the Jews from bondage in Egypt,
and led them back to their native land. In grateful remembrance many
thousands assembled every year at Jerusalem at the time of the first
full moon of spring, made a pilgrimage to the Temple, and, according to
the ancient custom, ate of the Paschal lamb, with bitter herbs, and
bread made without yeast, as once they ate manna in the wilderness. At
such an assembly there was of course much commerce and show. The
execution of criminals took place at that time, so that people were
sure of one terrible spectacle in accordance with the words of the
Rabbis in the Temple who said; He who breaks the Law shall be punished
according to the Law.
"I should like to see such a thing once," said the disciple Thaddeus to
his comrades as they went along. "I mean such a punishment."
"You'll easily find an opportunity in Jerusalem," replied Andrew; and
added with light mockery, "to see criminals impaled is the correct
merry-making for poor men. It costs nothing. And yet I do not know a
costlier pleasure."
"How is the impaling done?" Thaddeus wanted to know.
"That's easily described," Matthew informed them. "Think of an upright
post planted in the earth and a cross-beam near the top. The poor
sinner is bound naked to it, his arms stretched out. When he has hung
there in the people's eyes for a while, they break his legs with a
club. For very serious crimes they sometimes fasten the limbs to the
post with iron nails."
Thaddeus turned aside in horror. "May it never be my lot to look on at
such a thing."
"Do not imagine that such talk is a jest," said another. "Every one
implores God that such a doom may never befall any of his relations or
friends. We are all poor sinners. When our Master establishes His
Kingdom this horrible mode of death will be abolished. Don't you think
so?"
"Then all modes of death will be abolished," said Simon Peter. "Are
you asleep when He speaks of eternal life?"
"But He says Himself that they will slay Him."
"That they wish to slay Him He means. Just wait till He once shows
them His power!"
So they often talked together, half in pleasantry, half in simplicity,
but always behind the Master's back.
A change had come over Jesus since the events on the high mountain. It
was as if He had now become quite clear about His divine call, as if He
had only now fully realised that He was God's messenger, the Son of the
Heavenly Father, summoned from eternity to go down to earth to awake
men and save them for a life of bliss with God. He felt that the power
of God had been given Him to judge souls. The devils fled before Him,
He was subject to no human power. He broke with the history of His
degraded people; He annulled the ancient writings, falsified by priests
and learned men. He recognised that in His unity with the Heavenly
Father and Eternal God, He was Lord of all power in heaven and on earth.
So it was with Him since that hour of light on the mountain. But the
knowledge of all this made Him still more humble as a man on whom such
an immense burden had been laid, and still more loving towards those
who were sunken in measureless poverty, distress and subjection,
resigned to their fate of being lost in blindness and defiance, and yet
full of wistful longing for salvation.
The relations between Him and His disciples had also changed since that
day. Formerly, although they had treated Him with respect they had
always been on familiar terms with Him. Now they were more submissive,
more silent, and their respect had become reverence. With some, love
had almost become worship. And yet they always fell back into
unruliness and timidity. There was one especially who disagreed with
much. When, in order to avoid the high roads, they went through the
barren district on the other side of Jordan, and endured all sorts of
hardships and privations, the disciple Judas could not forbear uttering
his thoughts. He had nothing to do now as treasurer of the little
band, so he had plenty of time to spread discouragement behind the
Master's back. Why should not the Messiah's train of followers appear
in fitting brilliance? He explained what Jesus taught about death as
implying that when the beggar prophet died, the glorious Messiah would
appear! But why first in Jerusalem? Why should they not assume their
high position in the interval; why were the honours of the new era not
already allotted?
Jesus' popularity had increased once more, and in the more thickly
inhabited districts the people hurried together. "The Prophet is
passing through!" They streamed forth bringing provisions with them,
and the sick and crippled came imploring Him to heal them. He accepted
enough to meet His immediate needs from the store that was offered Him,
but He did not work the desired miracles. He forbade His disciples
even to speak of them. He was angry with the crowd who would not
believe without miracles, and would not understand the signs of the
times. "Directly they see a cloud rise in the west they say: It's
going to rain. If a south wind blows they know that it is going to be
hot. But they do not understand the signs of a new world uprising. If
they cannot understand the spiritual tokens, they cannot have others.
They would fain see the sign of Jonah, who lay three days in the
whale's belly? Be it so. They shall see how the Son of Man, after
being buried for three days, shall live again."
Judas shook his head over such talk. "That doesn't help much." But
the others, especially John, James and Simon, did not think about the
kingdom of the Messiah, or about earthly power; their hearts were
filled with love for the Master. Yet they, too, had their own
temptations. They often talked together of that other world where
Jesus would be Eternal King, and where they--they who firmly adhered to
Him--would share His glory. And in all seriousness they dreamed of the
offices and honours that would be theirs, and actually disputed who
among them would hold the highest rank. Each boasted of his own
achievements. James had brought Him the most friends in Galilee.
Simon rested his claim on the fact that he had been the first to
recognise in Him the Son of God. John reminded them that he came from
the same place, and had once worked with Him as carpenter's apprentice.
John might have said that the Master was especially fond of him, but he
did not say so. Simon, on the contrary, put forward most emphatically
the fact that the Master had called him the rock on which He should
found His community.
When Jesus noticed how they were disputing He went to them and asked
what they were discussing so eagerly.
"Master," said James boldly, "you come to us as if we had called you.
We want to know who among your disciples will be first in the Eternal
Kingdom. See, brother John and I would like to be nearest you, one on
your right hand, the other on your left, so that we may have you
between us then as we have you now."
Upon which Jesus said: "This is not the first time that you have talked
thus foolishly. You don't know what you want. I tell you, when you
have done what I do, and have suffered what I shall suffer, then you
may come and ask."
They replied: "Lord, we will do what you do and suffer what you suffer."
These resolute words pleased Him, and He said nothing of the enormous
distance between Him and them. They were too simple to understand
that. He only said: "Leave that to Him who will show you your place.
For every ruler has rulers over him; One alone has no authority above
Him. Consider: if a servant has worked hard and faithfully, he will
not therefore in the evening sit at the upper end of the table and
begin to eat before his master, but he will first prepare his master's
food, and place a footstool under his feet. And so it is with you.
Whoso would be greatest must serve the others. I, too, have come not
to be ministered to but to minister, and to sacrifice Myself for others
and to give My life a ransom for many."
It alarmed them that He should speak more and more often of giving up
His life. What did it mean? If he perished Himself how could He save
others? That might occur in saving people from fire or from drowning,
but how could a man free a people and lead it to God by sacrificing his
life? True, the heathens had their human sacrifices. Judas had his
own ideas about the matter. The Master was depressed by failure, or He
merely wished to test His adherents, to find out if they had strength
enough to follow Him through thick and thin. If only He could be
entirely sure of that, then He would hasten like the lightnings of
heaven to annihilate the enemy and glorify His own adherents. If, as
He Himself had said, faith was so strong that it could remove
mountains, it would be quite easy for Him to show His power at the
propitious moment.
This firm belief of Judas made the disciple Thomas remember the
Master's actual words about faith: Whosoever says to the mountain,
Depart, and cast yourself into the sea, and does not doubt but
_believes_ that it happens, for him it will happen. Mark, _for him_ it
will happen. Whether others who do not believe will see the mountain
fall into the sea He did not say.
"Then, brother Thomas," said Bartholomew, "you think things that happen
through faith happen only for him who believes. They form only an
inward experience, but real enough for him, because he sees them happen
with his spiritual eye. But they are not real for others. If that's
the case, my friend, we should be lost. Jesus may believe that the
enemy fall, Jesus may see them fall; all the same they still live and
live to destroy us."
"That is cheap logic," said the resolute Judas. "Every one has seen
how He made the lame to walk and the dead to live; even those who did
not believe. Take heed! If only the Master would make some outward
demonstration of His power you should see what He could do."
Others were of that opinion, so they followed--followed their Messiah.
But during their long wandering over the bad roads of the desert and
over the fertile plains they suffered continual distress. Although
they had now been some time in the plains they were not always in good
humour. They saw how the Master renounced the power and pleasure of
the world and yet walked the earth strong and cheerful. It was only
later that they understood how the two things could be reconciled. He
enjoyed what was harmless if it did not hurt others, but He attached
little value to it. His bodily senses were all He needed to recognise
the Father's power in nature, and to be happy in that knowledge. He
did not deny the world; He spiritualised it and made it divine. The
things of earth were to Him the building-stones for the Kingdom of
Heaven. So, in spite of increasing doubt, the disciples always found
that things came right, and they, too, determined to despise the world
and to love their simple life.
One day they came to a place in which there was great activity. Men
were ploughing in the fields, hammering in the workshops, lithe carmen
and slow camel-drivers were driving hard bargains. And it was the
Sabbath! "Did heathens dwell here?" the disciples asked. No; it was a
Jewish village, and the inhabitants were so pious that they seldom let
a Passover go by without going up to Jerusalem. Many years ago they
had heard a young man speak words in the Temple which they had never
forgotten. "Men should work on the Sabbath if it was for the good of
their fellows," the young man had preached with great impressiveness.
Now, it is generally admitted that all work is for the good of the
individual and also of the community. So they began there and then,
and had never since stopped working for a single day. The result was
great local prosperity.
When Jesus saw how His words at Jerusalem on that occasion had been so
utterly misunderstood or were misapplied through a desire for gain, He
was filled with indignation, and began to speak in the market-place: "I
tell you the Kingdom of God will be taken from these lovers of gain and
given to a people more worthy of it. For the good of one's fellow-men?
Does good depend on the property a man possesses? Property is harmful
to men; it hardens their hearts, and makes them continually fearful of
loss and death. And you call that good! There was once a rich man who
after years of toiling and moiling had his barns full, and thought: Now
I can rest and enjoy life. But the next night he died, and the
property to gain which he had destroyed body and soul he had to leave
to those who quarrelled and disputed over it and mocked at him. I tell
you, if you gain the whole world and lose your soul--all is lost."
When He had so spoken a very old man came up to Him and said: "Rabbi,
you are poor, and it is easy for you to talk. You do not know how
difficult it is for a rich man to cease adding to his wealth. Oh, the
delightful time I had when I was poor! Then I began to get money
unawares, was glad of it, and began to fear I might lose it. And then
as the needs of my family increased more quickly than my means, I
thought my money was not sufficient, and the more one had the more one
required. I am now an old man; I possess thirty sacks full of gold,
and I know that I cannot enjoy my wealth any more. But I cannot stop
gaining and amassing. I could sooner stop breathing."
Jesus told the old man a little story: "Some children by the roadside
attacked a strange boy for the sake of some broken potsherds which they
were collecting. But when they had got a great heap together the
roadman came along, and with his spade threw the pieces into the
gutter. The children raised a great cry. But the man saw that there
was blood on some of the fragments, and asked: 'Where did you get these
from?' Whereupon the children grew pale with terror, and the man took
them off to the magistrate."
The old man understood. He went away and compensated all who had come
to harm through him, and then on his way home he started once more to
amass treasure!
The next day Jesus and His followers reached another village. There
all was quiet, and the inhabitants lay under the fig-trees although it
was not the Sabbath. Then Jesus asked: "Why do they not work?"
And one of the villagers said: "We should like to work, but we have no
tools. We want spades, ploughs, sickles, and axes, but our smith is
always making holiday. And it is just he who makes the best knives.
There are no other smiths here."
Our wanderers then went to the smith. The man was sitting in his room,
reading the Holy Scriptures and praying. One of the disciples asked
him why he was not at work although it was a week-day.
The smith replied: "Since I heard the Prophet it is always Sabbath with
me. For a man should not strive after material property, neither
should he take any care for the morrow, but seek the Kingdom of Heaven."
Then Jesus went to the entrance of the house, and told, so that the
smith could hear Him, of the man who made a journey. "Before he
departed he called his servants together and gave them money with which
to carry on the work of the house. He gave the first five heavy pieces
of gold, the second two, and the third one. They were to keep house
according to their own discretion. When after a long time the master
returned, he desired his servants to account for the way in which they
had employed the money. The first had increased it tenfold. 'I am
glad,' said the master, 'and because you are faithful in little I will
trust you much--keep the gold.' The second servant had increased the
money twofold; the master praised him also, and gave him both principal
and interest. Then he asked the third servant what he had done with
his money. 'Master,' replied the man, 'it wasn't much to begin with,
so I wouldn't risk losing it. I should have liked to gain a second
gold piece, but I might have lost the first. So I did not use it for
the housekeeping, but buried it in a safe place, so that I could
faithfully return it to you.' Then the master snatched the gold piece
from him and gave it to the fellow who had increased his money tenfold.
'The little that he has shall be taken away from the lazy and
unprofitable servant and given to him who knows how to value what he
has.'"
"Do you understand?" Matthew asked the smith. "The gold pieces are the
talents which God gives men--to some more, to others less. Whoso lets
his talents lie fallow, and does not use them, is like the man who has
strength and skill to work the iron, but who lays the hammer aside to
brood idly over writings he cannot understand."
"How is it then," said someone, "fault is found with him who works, and
likewise with him who doesn't work?"
Matthew tapped the speaker on the shoulder. "My friend! Everything at
the right time! the point is to do that for which you have a talent,
not to yearn after things for which you have no talent whatsoever."
The smith laid aside his book and his phylacteries and grasped his
hammer.
Then a man came by who complained that the new teaching was worthless.
He had followed it, had given away all his possessions because they
brought him care. But since he had become poor, he had had still more
care. So now he should begin to earn again.
"Do so," said James the younger, "but take care that your heart is not
so much in it that your possessions possess you!"
And others came: "Sir, I am a ship's carpenter! Sir, I am a goldsmith!
Sir, I am a stone-cutter! Are we not to put our whole heart into our
work so as to produce something worthy? If our heart is not in it we
cannot do good work."
"Of course," said the disciple, "you must exert your whole strength and
talent in order to produce worthy work. But not for the sake of the
work or the praise, but for the sake of God and the men whom you serve.
And rejoice from your hearts that God creates His works through you."
A rustic once came to James and discussed prayer. The Master said you
should pray in few words and not, as the heathens do, in a great many
words, for the Father knows our needs. Well, he had once prayed just
in that way, using few words, but his prayer had not been heard.
Then James said: "Don't you remember what the Master said of the man to
whose door a friend came in the night and begged for bread? He had
gone to bed, took no heed of his friend's knocking, and at length
called out: 'Go away and let me sleep.' But the friend continued to
knock and to complain that he needed bread, and began noisily to shake
the door. That lasted until the man in bed could endure it no longer.
Out of temper, he got up, took some bread and gave it to his friend
through the window. He did not give it him out of love, but only to be
rid of him. The Master meant that with perseverence much might be
attained by prayer."
The man was irritated by the disciple's explanation, and said; "What!
One time He says, Pray shortly, using few words; and at another time,
You must not leave off praying until you are heard."
But James replied: "Friend, you misunderstand me again. Did He say,
You shall pray little? No; He said, You shall pray in few words; but
without ceasing, and with your whole heart, and with faith that the
Father will at length hear you. And the longer He keeps you waiting
for His help, the greater must be your faith that He knows why He keeps
you waiting, and at last He will give you more than you asked for. If
that man gave the bread in order to be rid of the annoyance, how much
more will the Father give the child whom He loves?"
To which the man replied: "Well, I did pray thus, I kept on and I
believed, and yet I was not heard."
"What did you pray for?"
"For this," said the rustic. "I have a neighbour who steals the figs
from my tree, and I can't catch him at it. So I prayed that he might
fall from the tree and break his legs. But I was not heard."
James was obliged to laugh aloud over the foolish fellow who prayed to
the merciful Father for vengeance.
"Pray for strength to pardon your neighbour and give him the figs which
he seems to need more than you, and you will certainly be heard."
"And," continued the disciple, "if it is a question of praying without
ceasing, that does not mean you are always to be folding your hands and
uttering pious words; it is rather to direct one's thoughts continually
with longing to the dwelling of God and things eternal, and to measure
everything in life, small things as well as great, by that standard, in
reverence and faith."
A noisy fellow asked: "How can I measure the corn I have to sell by
that standard?"
"If you refrain from taking advantage of the buyer with mixed, damp
grain, but give him good stuff, then you are doing God's will, and are
not harming your immortal soul by deceit, then your corn and your
method of acting are measured by the standard of God and Eternity."
"But see," exclaimed another, "my business friend gave me bad measure
when he sold me oil, and gave me half water. And it stands in the
Scriptures: As it is measured to you, so shall you measure it again."
As they walked on Jesus shook His head. To think that His simple
teaching could meet with so much misunderstanding, especially among
those wanting in will towards it, those who could think of nothing but
their desires and bodily comforts! "No," He exclaimed sorrowfully,
"they do not understand the word. They must have an illustration that
they can see and feel, an illustration they will never forget."