As Others Saw Him: A Retrospect, A.D. 54Jacobs, Joseph
Religion
As Others Saw Him: A Retrospect, A.D. 54
Jacobs, Joseph
Bible. New Testament -- History of Biblical events -- Fiction; Biographical fiction; Jesus Christ -- Fiction
Yet who should lead the people? Jochanan, the only man whom of recent
times the people followed gladly, had been done to death by Herod. One man
alone since his death had won the people’s heart, to wit, Jesus the cousin
of Jochanan. He, and he alone, could lead the people against the Romans,
and all men wondered if he would. In the midst of their wonder came news
that Jesus the Nazarene was coming up to the Holy City for the Feast of
Passover, the feast of redemption from Egypt. Would it prove this year a
feast of redemption from the Romans? All hope of this depended upon this
Jesus.
It was twenty‐one years ago, but I can remember as if it were yesterday
the excitement in Jerusalem when the news came that Jesus of Nazareth had
arrived in the neighborhood, and was spending his Sabbath at the village
of Bethany. All those who were disaffected against the Romans cried out,
“A leader! a leader!” All those who were halt, sick, or blind, cried out,
“A healer! a healer!” Wherever we went, there was no talk but of the
coming deliverance. As I approached one group of men I heard them say,
“When will it be? When will he give the sign? Will it be before or after
the feast?” “Nay,” said one of the crowd, a burly blacksmith he, “what day
for the deliverance but the Passover day? But be it when it may, let him
give the sign, and I shall be ready.”
“And prove a new Maccabee,” said one in the crowd, referring to his
hammer, whereat a grim laugh arose.
The next day being the first of the week, which the Romans call the Day of
the Sun, I was pondering the words of the Law in my little study chamber
near the roof of my father’s house in the Street of the Bakers near
Herod’s Palace, which at that time was inhabited by the Procurator, when
suddenly I heard the patter of many feet in the street beneath me, and
looking out, I saw them all hurrying, as it seemed, to the Temple. I put
on my sandals, and taking my staff in my hand and drawing my mantle over
my head, hurried out after the passers‐by. But when they came to the Broad
Place before the Water Gate, they turned sharp to the right, and went down
the Tyropœon as far as the Fountain Gate, where I overtook them. There I
found all the most turbulent of the city population. Some of the men I
knew had been engaged in the recent riot under Jesus Bar Abbas. Others
were the leading Zealots in Jerusalem, and all were men eager for the
freeing of the city from the Romans. And among them, too, were others who
cared not for freedom, nor hated the Romans, but would only be too pleased
if the city were given up to disorder and rapine. While these waited
there, we heard cries from behind us, and looking back, saw filing out
from the Temple courts on to the Xystus Bridge, and down into the
Tyropœon, the brigade of beggars who pass almost their whole life in the
Court of the Gentiles. These came down slowly, for among them were many
halt and some blind, and all were old and feeble of limb. “Why come they
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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