Historical Miniatures Part 21

"Love one another."

"Did he say he was the King of the Jews?"

"The Master said, 'My kingdom is not of this world.'"

"Has he not made children rebel against their parents?"

"The Master said, 'He who loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.'"

"Did he not say that one has a right to neglect one's duties as a citizen?"

"The Master said, 'Seek ye first the kingdom of G.o.d and His righteousness.'"

"Did he tell labourers to leave their work?"

"The Master said, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden.'"

"Did he say that he would conquer the world?"

"The Master said, 'In the world ye have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.'"

Caiaphas was weary: "According to all that I have heard and perceived, this man has not answered a single question."

"The Master answers in spirit and in truth, but you ask according to the flesh and the letter. We are not the children of one spirit."

"I don't understand."

"He has sent me to preach good tidings to the poor, to heal the broken in heart, to preach deliverance to the captives, to give sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."

"What you speak in foolishness, young man, can neither bring credit to you nor to your teacher."

"Woe unto you when men praise you, and he who departeth from evil maketh himself a prey."

Caiaphas turned to Annas: "This is not the man who will deliver the Galilaean up to us."

"They have sent another one--Listen! Is your name Iscariot?"

"No; my name is John."

"Then go in peace, but send us Iscariot instead. But wait! Give us in two words the teaching of your Master regarding the meaning of life."

"Death is a gain for the righteous," answered John without stopping to think.

"Is life not itself...?"

"Through death ye shall enter into life."

"We have heard enough. Go."

But Caiaphas repeated to himself, as though he thought he would understand those words in his own mouth better: "Death is a gain for the righteous."

Now there arose a clamour from the market-place and the hall of justice.

Annas and Caiaphas went out upon the battlemented walls to find out the cause. Levites were standing there, and looking down.

"Has he been taken?"

"He has already been seized as an inciter to insurrection, because he bade his disciples to sell their garments and buy a sword."

"Have they found them with weapons?"

"They have found two swords."

"Then he is already condemned."

Then they heard a cry rise from the crowd before the Court of Justice--at first difficult to distinguish, but ever clearer. The people were crying "Crucify! Crucify!"

"Is that not too severe, regarded as a punishment?" said Caiaphas.

"No," answered the Levite; "one of his disciples called Simon or Peter drew his sword and wounded one of the servants called Malchus."

"Do we need any more witnesses?"

"But the Teacher said, 'Put up thy sword into its sheath, for they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword.'"

"That is a difficult saying," said Annas, and went down. But the people continued to cry, "Crucify! Crucify!"

THE WILD BEAST

Before the temple of Jupiter Latiaris in Rome, two men of the middle cla.s.ses met each other. They both remained standing in order to contemplate the new temple, which was different from all others, and looked as if it had felt the effects of an earthquake. The bas.e.m.e.nt had the shape of a roof; the columns stood reversed with their capitals below, and the roof was constructed like a bas.e.m.e.nt with cellar-windows.

"So we meet here again, Hebrew," said one of the two, who resembled a Roman merchant. "Was it not in Joppa that we last met?"

"Yes," answered the Hebrew. "One meets the Roman everywhere; he is at home everywhere; one also meets the Hebrew everywhere, but he is at home nowhere. But tell me, whose temple is this?"

"This is the Temple of the Wild Beast, the Emperor Caligula, the madman, the murderer, the incestuous. He has erected it to himself; his image stands within; and the madman comes every day to wors.h.i.+p himself."

So saying, the Roman made a sign on his forehead, moving the forefinger of his right hand first from above, below, and then from left to right.

The Hebrew looked at him in astonishment.

"Are you not a Roman?"

"Yes, I am a Roman Christian."

"Where do you live?"