Journey to Death I           

With the arrival of spring, the month of Nisan has also arrived, the month of my thirtieth Passover. I have two weeks left. But I feel calm. Today a messenger is going to Capernaum to tell our families to wait until we arrive. I have carefully planned the journey. Normally, people come to Jerusalem a week before Passover. Seven days are needed to be purified from impurities that may have been incurred during the year, such as births or deaths. Because there are always people in every traveling group who need to be purified, most Galileans leave for Jerusalem about ten days before the feast. We will set out more than a day after the main stream of pilgrims. From Ephraim, we must first head north. At this time of year, Galileans walk through the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem. The road through Samaria is therefore open to us.

       *      

Nevertheless, we are recognized along the way. In a village on the border between Galilee and Samaria, we meet ten lepers. They remain at a distance, as their disease requires. They look at us. One suspects who we are and calls out, "Yeshua, Master, have mercy on us!"

What should I do? Deny who I am? But as they stand there, with hope in their eyes, I can only say one thing: "Go and show yourselves to the priests to see if you are cleansed." And they take that first step of trust. Like planting a mustard seed.

From a distance, I see them questioning each other excitedly. Then cries of joy ring out. One of them runs back to us, falls at my feet, and thanks God for my words. From his speech, I hear that he is a Samaritan. Is he, a non-Jew, the only one who comes to thank God? Where are the others? And I say to him, "Get up and go; your faith has saved you."

*       *

One of my friends asks me, "When will the kingdom of God come?"

'The kingdom of God does not come in such a way that you can point to it. You cannot say, "Look, here it is" or "There it is." For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you and within you. If you recognize it, you will find it.

There will be days when you will wish that the Son of Man would intervene as king, but you will not see such a thing. People will say to you, 'Look here' or 'Look there'. But do not go there, do not follow them. For false 'Anointed Ones' and false prophets will arise. They will even perform miracles to deceive people and, if possible, even the elect. But you have been warned.

Even if they tell you that I am in the desert, or in your house, do not believe it. For as lightning flashes from one end of the sky to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. He will send his heavenly armies with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by the people of this time.

As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be on the day of the Son of Man: they ate and drank, they married and were given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

As it was in the days of Lot: they ate and drank, they bought and sold, they planted and built. Until the day Lot left Sodom, and fire and sulfur rained down from heaven, destroying them all.

So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of his house. Let no one in the field return to what he has left behind. Remember Lot's wife: whoever tries to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses it will save it. For in that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding together; one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left."

"Lord, what about those who are left behind?"

The most difficult question they could ask. Unfortunately, I have no other answer than the one I was taught: 'Where the bait is, there the vultures of the devil will gather.'

But I don't want them to become discouraged by my despondency. Not for themselves in times of tribulation, and not for the others who would be left behind. That is why I give them a parable to urge them to continue praying for all people:

"There was a judge in a city who did not fear God and did not respect anyone. Now there was a widow in that city who came to him and said, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' And for a while he refused. But finally he thought to himself, 'Although I do not fear God and do not respect anyone, I will grant her justice.  For this widow is bothering me; she keeps coming to me and saying, 'Defend me against my adversary.' Now I am afraid of God, and I do not fear him, but I do fear what you people may do. But if I am not afraid of God, why should I fear you, who have no power to do anything in the least? Even the birds of the air are fed by God, and the lilies of the field are clothed, and God cares for them. How much more will he not defend his own, if he does not first avenge them? But if you do not avenge them, who will? If you do not, will he not avenge them? But if you do not, who will? But if you do not, will he not avenge them? But if you do not, who will? But if you do not, will he not avenge them?

But when the Son of Man comes, will he find people on earth who are waiting for him?

Capernaum                           

In Capernaum, it is a wonderful reunion with the families. With my mother and my brothers. With the parents of John and James: Zebedee and Salome. With the parents of Levi, little James, and Simeon: Mary and my father's brother Chalpai from Judea, who happened to be visiting with their youngest son Joses. With the wives and children of my twelve friends. And, of course, with the ladies who have regularly sent us money all this time: Mary of Magdala, Susanna, and Hannah with Chusas, her husband. And people keep coming.

Not everyone feels comfortable in this motley company of pious people and sinners, rich and poor, rebels and Herod's officials. When we sit down at the table, I tell them a parable:

"Tomorrow we are going to Jerusalem for Passover. Like us, two other people made the journey, one a pious man and the other a tax collector. The pious man stood in the temple and prayed to himself: 'O God, I thank you that I am not like other people: robbers, unjust, adulterers, or someone like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all my income to charity." The tax collector stood at a distance and did not even raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "O God, have mercy on me, a sinner!"

I tell you, the second one went home justified, unlike the first. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

While we are still talking, some mothers bring their children to me. Soon they will have to go to bed in their own homes, and tomorrow we will leave early again. The little ones crawl around everywhere. They often demand the attention of their parents and also of me. The conversation is frequently interrupted. Some of the group react irritably. I don't like that. "Leave the children alone. Don't stop them from coming to me. For God wants to be king over such little ones. Realize that whoever does not accept God's kingship as the children do excludes himself." I take the children one by one in my arms, lay my hands on them, and bless them. Then they go to bed.

Journey to Death II   

The next morning, as we are about to leave for Jerusalem, a man comes up to us who has heard that I have returned to Capernaum. I know him well; he is one of the rich fishermen of the city and also a leader in the congregation. He has never attacked me, but he has never defended me either. He must sense that this is my last visit. Nervously, he falls to his knees. "Good teacher, what must I do to be sure of eternal life?"

"You call me good? No one is good except God. And why do you ask me about life? You know the commandments."

"Which ones?"

"Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not bear false witness, and thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother."

"But teacher, I have kept all these commandments from my youth."

"I know. And yet you are uncertain. This is what you need: sell everything you have and give the proceeds to the poor. Then you will know yourself a treasure in heaven. Come back and follow me."

I see the disappointment in his eyes as he walks away. I hope he saw the love in mine. Saddened, I say to my friends, "How hard it is for a rich man to truly accept God's kingship."

This startles them, for they too are not without possessions. So I say it again: "How difficult it is for people with possessions to accept God's kingship. You will see a camel pass through the eye of a needle before a rich man becomes God's king over his possessions."

Now the flame catches fire. They look at me in alarm. "But then who among us can ever be saved?" "Do you understand now what this is all about? But don't be afraid. Once the Baptist asked me the same question. And you see: with God, all things are possible."

I see my brothers looking at me. Then Peter adds: 'You know, sir, that we have left everything behind to follow you?'

"I know. And everyone who has given up their home, their brothers and sisters, their father and mother, their children or their fields for my sake will receive a hundredfold in return. Both your home, your family and your fields – even if it may be under persecution – in this world, and life in the world to come. Yes, when the world is recreated, and the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you too will sit on thrones and rule the twelve tribes of Israel. But be careful, for many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.'

       *      

Our procession is moving forward. I walk alone at the front. Most of the people behind me are curious about what is to come. But the Twelve, who know more than they do, are full of concern. I call them to me: "You know that the time has come. We are going to Jerusalem, and everything that has been written by the prophets will be fulfilled in the Son of Man. For he will be handed over to the high priest and his council. They will condemn me to death and hand me over to the Gentiles, because they themselves are not allowed to execute anyone. I will be mocked, spat upon, tortured, and killed. But on the third day I will rise again."

The others do not understand what is happening. My aunt Salome comes to me and pulls John and James with her. She kneels down before me. "Yeshua, may I ask you a favor?"

"What would you like?"

"You spoke of coming to the throne. May my two sons be your left and right hands?"

"You don't know what you're asking. Can you drink the cup that I must drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I must undergo?"

"We can."

"If that is so, then so be it. But I do not decide who will be at my left and right hand. That is for my father to decide."

The other ten see what is happening and become angry with John and James. But they only asked what they did not dare to ask. Once again, I call the Twelve together. Sometimes I really feel like a schoolmaster. "You know that rulers oppress their people, and that those in power abuse their power over people. It must not be so among you. I have taught you that whoever wants to be the greatest must be the servant of all, and that whoever wants to be first must be the servant of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'

And to everyone:

'Many who are now first will be last, and many who are last will be first. For the kingdom of God is like a landowner who looked for workers for his vineyard. Early in the morning he went to the market and found day laborers willing to work in his vineyard for a day's wage. Around noon he went out and saw that there were still workers standing around. He hired them too, telling them what they would get, and he went out again in the afternoon and again at noon. At about nine o'clock he found some workers standing around and asked them to work in his vineyard that day. When evening came and he paid the wages, he began with the last ones and gave them a full day's wage. When the first ones saw this, they thought they would get more. They became indignant when it turned out that everyone received the same wage. "The last ones only worked for an hour, and we had to work hard in the heat of the day. How can you treat us the same as them?" But the landowner replied, "Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't we agree on the standard daily wage? Take your money and go. I want to give the others enough to live on. Am I not free to give my own money to whomever I want? Or are you angry about my kindness?" So the last will be first.

Jericho                                                                                 

Our procession has grown to nearly a hundred men by the time we approach Jericho. Late pilgrims from Galilee, former disciples from Perea, people everywhere are joining us. The judges in the small villages we pass through let us go. The group is too large for them, and after all, we are on our way to Jerusalem.

As we approach the city of Jericho, I hear someone calling out, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!" I ask the people to bring the man to me. They encourage a man who is groping his way toward me. He is a blind beggar, the son of a man named Timon. His cloak slips off him, but he doesn't care. "What can I do for you?"

"My master, I would so much like to see again." I touch his eyes. "Go, your faith will not be disappointed." At that moment, his sight returns. He praises God, and the people around us cheer.

An ever-growing crowd surrounds us, hoping for more healings. Jericho is a beautiful tropical city. While it is still cool in Jerusalem, it is wonderfully warm here. Trees have been planted along the streets to provide shade. In one of the trees, I see a small, fat man in expensive clothes. I ask someone from Jericho who he is. With contempt in his voice, he tells me that he is the richest man in the city. It is Zacchaeus, the owner of the tax office in this wealthy border district. In Judea, the Romans have leased the tax collection to independent entrepreneurs. They promise the governor an annual sum in advance and are allowed to keep the rest. I see how much effort the hated man is making to see us. How long has he been deprived of love? Another practical consideration flashes through my mind. We are still protected by the crowd, but Zachchaeus could be our protector for the night. Which court would demand my arrest from him at a moment's notice?

"Zacchaeus, come down. I would like to be your guest tonight."

The man is pleasantly surprised. He quickly climbs down. The people along the street murmur indignantly. But once we are all eating together, he stands up and asks for everyone's attention. "Lord, I want to give half of my possessions to the poor. And whatever I have overcharged people, I will repay them four times over." A miracle has happened in the heart of this little man. A camel has passed through the eye of a needle!

"Today this house has been healed, for you too are a son of Abraham. That is why the Son of Man came: to seek and to save what was lost."

Bethany                                                                      

I have one more week before we leave Jericho. We arrive in Bethany shortly before the Sabbath. Simon has arranged lodging for our group. Lazarus tells us that he has heard many people wondering whether I will come to the feast. The situation in Jerusalem is quite tense. It is believed that rebel leader Bar-Abbas and his men have mingled with the pilgrims, and the Romans are now focusing their attention on him.

Pilate does not need any further tensions as a result of religious differences. His latest military action, against the Samaritan Anointed One two months ago, has led the Samaritans to send a delegation to the Syrian governor Vitellius to lodge a complaint. The High Priest will have to try to arrest me at a quieter moment.

We celebrate the arrival of the day of rest here among the Secluded with reasonable peace of mind. It begins when the first three stars appear in the sky. It is now the eighth of Nisan, six days before Passover. It is unique that the devout, the Secluded, and even sinners celebrate the day of rest together in this way. Martha lights the Sabbath candles and gives thanks to God with us. A little later, Lazarus pronounces the blessing over the bread and wine.

            "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King without end,

            who created for us the fruit of the vine.

            Blessed are You, Lord our God, King without end,

            who brings forth bread from the earth."

A little later, Mary enters. Determined, she sits down at my feet. She has water with her and a bottle of balm. She washes my feet and dries them with her hair. Then she breaks the narrow neck of the alabaster bottle and anoints me. A wonderful scent of nard spreads through the house. I understand what she is doing: "While the king is at his table, my nard gives forth its fragrance," sings the bride in Solomon's song. It must be about half a liter that she pours over my feet and my hair.

It has been more than a year since she saw a prostitute do this, whom I said showed so much love. Since then she must have saved up for this, because the Secluded Ones do not use balm themselves. It is perhaps a month and a half since she could have heard from Lazarus that I will die on Passover.

"Why wasn't this ointment sold for the poor? It's worth a year's salary." It's the voice of my friend Judah, the son of Simon from Keriot, our treasurer. But he mustn't destroy so much love. "Leave her alone. She has saved this for my burial. You can always think of the poor, but I will soon be gone. Let me tell yo , that wherever in the world the message of God's kingship is brought, her act of love will also be spoken of.

There is no contradiction between what she has done and what you want, Judah. When the Son of Man comes in his glory and with his heavenly armies, he will sit on his throne. And all nations will be gathered before him. And he will separate the people, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will ask, "But Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison?" Then the king will answer, "Whatever you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me."

But to those on his left, the king will say, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For you did not care for me when I was hungry and thirsty, a stranger in your city, naked, sick, and in prison." And they too will ask, "When did we meet you in this way and did not help you?" Then the king will answer them, "What you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."

These will be punished forever, but the righteous will live forever.

Do not wait too long. Do not put it off. Save as Mary saved for today, for there will come a day when you will need your treasures in heaven. Then the kingdom of God will be like ten bridesmaids with lamps for the wedding procession. Five were wise and five were foolish. For the foolish girls took lamps with them, but there was no oil in their lamps.

They had to wait a long time for the bridegroom and they all fell asleep. When they were awakened because the bridegroom finally came to fetch his bride, each one hurriedly lit her lamp. But the lamps of the foolish girls went out immediately, because there was no oil in them. They asked the others to share their oil. But that was even more foolish, because then none of the lamps would shine long enough to bring the groom to the wedding hall. So the wise girls replied, "Go to the oil sellers and fill your lamps there."

When the groom arrived and the girls told him that the others were still coming, he did not want to wait for them because it was already late. So the procession went to the wedding and the door was closed behind them. When the other girls arrived later, they knocked on the door in vain. The steward would not let them in because he did not know them.

So don't wait too long to save. Don't put it off. Because you don't know when or at what hour the bridegroom will come.

I see that Judah is not satisfied with this story. I will come back to him later.

King                           

When most of us have gone to bed, I consult with Simon. He tells me about a cave in Gethsemane, a walled olive grove on the Mount of Olives, where we can hide if it becomes too dangerous. I tell him that I want to go to the city tomorrow evening and ask him to arrange for a donkey. He understands the signal I want to give to the High Council and the Rebels. "I see that you want to fulfill Zacharias' prophecy:

            Behold, your king is coming to you.

            He is righteous and conquers in humility.

            He rides on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.

            Then I will destroy the chariots and their horses,

            and also the battle bow.

He will proclaim peace to the nations.                                           Zechariah 9:9,10a

'You also know what the prophet says:

            They will look on him whom they have pierced,

            they will mourn for him as for an only son

            yes, they will mourn for him as for an only son.                     Zechariah 12:10a

            Strike the shepherd who is my companion,

so that the sheep are scattered.                                                      Zechariah 13:7

'But why, Yeshua?'

       *      

The next day, still on the day of rest, Bethany becomes crowded. Many people from the neighborhood and pilgrims who are camping nearby have heard of my presence. Many people hope that I will proclaim myself king. But I must prepare them for my departure.

"Remember what happened when the first king, Herod, died. He appointed his son Archelaus as king of Judea. But Archelaus first had to obtain the emperor's approval and therefore traveled to Rome.

So too, the Anointed One will be king, but not yet here in Jerusalem. He must go to God to receive the crown. He will call all his servants to him and entrust each one with a small portion of his wealth. When he returns, he will review the results of their work. He will appoint the servant who has increased his wealth tenfold over ten cities, and the one who has increased it fivefold over five cities. For whoever has been faithful with a little will also be entrusted with much. But the one who did nothing with the wealth entrusted to him and kept it hidden for fear of losing it has miscalculated. He would have been better off giving it to the bank so that they could manage it with a return. Nothing more will be entrusted to him. Even what he kept will be given to the one who was put in charge of ten cities.

'But sir, he already has so much?'

'It is not what he has, but what he produces that matters. The king will also have servants who will be given greater wealth to manage. It does not matter whether you are entrusted with one, two, or five parts of the fortune. Whoever manages the entrusted fortune well and increases it will be invited to the king's feast. Whoever hides it out of fear so that it cannot bear fruit will lose everything.

But you also know that the Judeans sent a delegation to the emperor to prevent Archelaus from becoming king over them. When he became king anyway, he deposed the high priest and humiliated the elite of the people. Do not think that those who want to prevent the Anointed One from becoming their king can expect a better fate.

*

When evening comes and the Sabbath is over, I call two of my disciples to me. At Simon's instruction, I tell them to go to Bethphage, which is on the Mount of Olives. At the first house, a donkey is waiting for me. If anyone asks them what they are doing, they should say it is for me; they know about it.

Shortly afterwards, they return with the animal, but they are not alone. A large group of pilgrims, mainly Galileans, realize that I am coming to Jerusalem. They wave palm branches and shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" and "The King of Israel!" My friends sing David's psalm: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

My friends lay a cloth over the donkey and I mount it. In a festive procession, we walk across the Mount of Olives toward the city. Some pick branches to wave or scatter on the road. Others even spread their cloaks on the street before the donkey's feet. I eagerly look forward to the top of the mountain, from where I can see the city and the sanctuary again. The last time I saw her, we were fleeing to Ephraim. When I see her, I am moved. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem. If only you could see today what peace you have in you. But your eyes are blind. A time will come when your enemies will surround you with a wall, shut you in and hem you in. They will crush you and your children and not leave one stone standing."

On the way down, more and more people sing David's psalm, which is actually sung in antiphony in the temple, between the priests and the people. Some of the pious among the bystanders are disturbed by this and shout that I should silence them. But I wouldn't know how. On a day like today, even the cobblestones would sing if they had the chance.

In the temple square, I take another good look at how the gates and colonnades are positioned. Then, in the darkness of the night, we return to Bethany. Simon is surprised when we come back.

"I thought you were going to sleep in Gethsemane? You can't stay here, Yeshua, they asked about you tonight, and even about Lazarus. They seem to be looking for him too."

I tell him how I saw the pilgrims tonight, spending the night on the mountain. Each family with its own lamb in the middle. How I long to celebrate Passover once more.

"But you would die on Passover. Have you changed your mind?"

"No, but can't I celebrate with you? After all, the Seculars are celebrating a few days earlier this year, on the eve of the third day of the week."

Simon thinks it's too dangerous in Bethany. And he's right. But he promises to find an alternative and will send a messenger to us in Gethsemane tomorrow evening.