Chapter Seven - Part One (50,747 Words)

The miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection angered the Pharisees and the priests. Messages were being brought to us daily warning us not to go into Jerusalem because Yeshua would surly be arrested. They sought to arrest Lazarus as well for being in on such an evil ploy as they saw it. Of course they were all fools and did not understand Yeshua’s true identity. Many Jews came to believe in Yahweh because of the raising of Lazarus. Many others grew more and more angry with him each passing day. We knew the threats that existed and that came out of Jerusalem. That is why we were surprised when Yeshua told us we would be going into Jerusalem the following day and to make ourselves ready.

That evening I was able to be alone to speak with Yeshua. It was the first time we had the opportunity since he raised Lazarus. I was glad to finally have the chance to speak with him about this miracle. Yeshua would allow me to speak little on the manner. Later I would understand that there were much more pressing things on his mind at that time.

“Oh Yeshua, it was so incredible the way you called Lazarus back to life. I do not see how anyone could doubt your identity now.”

“Your faith is strong child but do not be overtaken by the miracles you see. Remember your faith came to you without them. You are unlike the others in that you do not need miracles to believe. Remember this faith and keep it close to your heart, you will need it soon.”

I only somewhat understood what Yeshua was saying to me. I knew he was referring to his persecution and death but I did not understand how my faith without miracles would help me. I could see that I could not ask him now. His eyes had clouded over with other thoughts. I had noticed such things happening to him lately. Much, much deeper matters were on his mind and the silly musings of a woman were of no importance to him, or so I thought.

“What is on your mind, Mary? Do not say there is nothing there; I can see it in your eyes. My eyes are not the only set of eyes that reveal all,” he gave me a wink to indicate that my friend was before me and I could speak openly.

It was difficult for me to find the right words. I did not know how to begin so finally I just started to speak, without thinking about it much, “The thing is, Yeshua, what happened there at the tomb was so miraculous and so wonderful that I often wonder if it really happened at all. Or if it was just part of the best dream one could ever ask for. I suppose I do not really doubt the miracle. I only wish to show you how wonderful and remarkable it really was.”

“You must believe even what seems unbelievable. You can trust it because it is from me and you have trust in me. Do not fear for I will never lead you astray you are one of my sheep and I will always keep you close to me.”

“The only reason I could believe what I saw is because I knew it was from you. Otherwise, there would be no other way.” I grew silent for a few moments before continuing, “Why is it you want to go into Jerusalem? You know they will arrest you as soon as we arrive. I do not want to see you arrested or made to suffer.”

“I must suffer. It is my fate. This is what my Father sent me here to do. I must endure it. I know it is difficult for you to understand. I must go into Jerusalem.”

“Please, Yeshua. Make them come to you.”

“My child, a guilty man flees from his pursuers, but an innocent man greets them with open arms. I will not behave as a guilty criminal for I am not that.”

“But, how can you go willingly into their hands?”

“It is how I must go. Do not think I am not afraid. I am very afraid,” when he spoke these words his voice changed and it became timid and frightened. It reminded me of a small child. He continued, “I am more afraid than when I was tempted by the evil one. I feel his presence all around me trying to get me to abandon the ways of my Father. I cannot give in to him, Mary. I must face this fear. And oh how great that fear is.”

There was nothing I could say that could help ease such a fear in the heart of Yeshua. He knew how much I wanted to help him and how much I wanted to take that pain away. My presence was all that I could offer him.

“I fear that I will yield to the evil one,” tears burst from his eyes after he said this and was wracked with powerful sobs. I thought to myself if Yeshua gives in to the evil one, then my Yahweh have mercy on us all.

***

The following morning, we were all busy going about making the proper preparations for Yeshua’s entry into Jerusalem. Yeshua had instructed them to go ahead of him into Bethany where he told them they would find a young donkey that has never been ridden. He told them to bring it to him and tell anyone who asks that the Lord needs it. I was mending the tunics when they returned with the colt. They had done exactly as he had told them and they encountered no problems with getting the beast.

The disciples put their cloaks on the donkey and Yeshua got onto it to ride it into Jerusalem. Yeshua led the way on the donkey and we followed along behind them. I could see the crowds gathering as we began to near the city. There were so many people. There were more people there along the road into Jerusalem than I had ever seen in all my life. The closer we got the louder the crowd grew. I was beginning to hear their shouts.

“Hosanna! Blessed is the name of Yahweh! Blessed is the King of Israel!”

Their shouts were so great it was deafening. I could hardly hear the thoughts in my own head. We had to be careful as crowds were starting to press in on us. Their shouts grew louder and louder the closer we drew to them. As we got closer teachings from the rabbis at the temple in Magdala came flooding into my head. Suddenly, I realized where I had heard this scene before. A passage from Zechariah came into my head: “Do not be afraid, oh Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” Yeshua was boldly professing to the nation that he was their Messiah.

The people continued their shouting and their singing. They were waving palm branches before Yeshua and laying them down on the ground to cover the ground as he walked. The crowd was pushing in closer and closer behind him. Soon we were separated from him, only Peter and John were still close to him. Word quickly spread that Yeshua had arrived in Jerusalem.

We continued along the road to the temple we had come to celebrate the feast. After a time we were able to catch up with him again. We got to him just before he arrived at the temple. The crowds continued to thicken. I overheard some Greeks speak to Philip and asking him if they could speak with Yeshua. Philip and Andrew went to Yeshua and told him of the Greek’s request.

Yeshua answered, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I speak the truth; unless a single grain of wheat dies it will remain only a single grain. But if it dies it will produce many seeds and much wheat. The man that loves his life will lose it but whoever hates his life will gain eternal life. Whoever loves me must serve me and my Father will recognize he who is my servant in His kingdom. My heart is troubled when I think on this burden before me, but what shall I do? Call out to my Father and ask Him to release me of this burden? Now I say, Father, glorify your name!”

Suddenly, a voice rumbled through the sky. It was so loud and powerful I felt it inside my chest. I felt it vibrating off bones. “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” Many people in the crowd were confused. They did not understand the origin of the voice. I heard some people say it had thundered while others were saying that an angel had spoken. I knew the voice that had thundered through the sky was neither thunder nor an angel but it was the voice of Yahweh. I could feel it in my soul. I had heard the voice of Yahweh and I knew for certain that Yeshua was His son. I was shaken from my thoughts by Yeshua’s voice.

“The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time of judgment on this world has come; it is time for the evil one to be driven out. When I am lifted up from this earth I will draw all men to me.”

Someone in the crowd shouted, “The Law says that the Christ will remain forever. So how can you say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

Yeshua answered, “The light will only be with you a little while longer. Walk while you have the light for soon the light will be gone and only darkness will remain. The man who walks in the darkness will surely be lost. Trust in the light so that you might become children of the light.”

Yeshua finished speaking and signaled to us and we went off into hiding from the crowds. We found a nice place among the hills outside the city walls. Yeshua felt save and close to his Father here. The time for his fulfillment was drawing nearer.

Darkness fell and the ground was lit by the moon’s brightness. Yeshua had gone off by himself to pray. I sat in the camp surrounded by the disciples. Their mood was light and merry. They thought the triumphal entry into Jerusalem meant that things were going to happen differently. They thought Yeshua would be accepted and he would not have to die. I wanted to believe that this was the case but I knew what Yeshua had said and he had never deceived any of us. His words were always truth. I had to get away from the camp and their light attitude. I got up and started walking through the night. The light of the moon guided my steps. I rounded a bend and I saw him. He was seated on the top of a hill, his forehead to the ground. I could see he was deep in prayer. I only watched for a few moments. The moonlight bathed in so that he looked as if he was glowing himself. The night was quiet and I could hear him murmuring his prayers to his Father. His words sounded distressed and broken although I could not make the out exactly. He sounded as if he was pleading. I would never learn what he was pleading for but what I saw would remain with me forever.

Suddenly, a light so bright and blinding that it made the night look like day, appeared. It enveloped Yeshua. I looked as if a hand reached out toward Yeshua. He remained in his submissive position as the hand of light reached out toward him. I held my breath as the light drew closer and closer to Yeshua. When it touched him Yeshua threw his face toward the heavens and stretched his arms out to the horizon. He cried out in a voice that was so loud I was not sure it could be heard. He said, “Father! Father! I will do you will!”

As suddenly as it came the light was gone and I was swallowed by blackness. I began fleeing from the hillside. I did not think I should have witnessed what I did. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me back to camp, falling and stumbling the whole way. When I reached the camp everyone was asleep. I crawled into my tent and lay in bed trembling, unable to sleep.

***

The following morning Yeshua said we would go to the temple. To us it seemed that Yeshua was being reckless by going back into the city that wanted him killed. But he insisted that we were going into the city and going to the temple. When we arrived in Jerusalem and entered into the temple courts I saw a side of Yeshua I had never seen before and did not want to see again.

The temple court was not unlike the court of Magdala’s temple. There were man booths with vendors trading for temple currency and selling animals for sacrifice. It felt more like a market and less like the court of a holy place, let alone the most holy place. I saw anger rise up in Yeshua’s eyes at the sight of all the filth in his Father’s house. All at once Yeshua rushed forward and began flipping over the tables and releasing the animals. He lifted up his staff and began shaking in the direction of the tenders. He chased them out and would not let them return to pick up their spoils. After he had driven them all out he stood up on a platform and began teaching.

“It is written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations.’ But you have made it into a den of thieves!”

Yeshua could not continue teaching because his anger was so great. The vendors complained to the chief priests because they were losing business. This made the chief priests rage against Yeshua and began looking harder for a way to kill him. They were also afraid of him because he did have support for them people and they worried about how the people would respond to their decision.

Evening fell and we were able to get Yeshua safely out of the city, although we began to question how many more time s would be able to do so. It was the first and only time I would see Yeshua angry. It frightened me to see his anger displayed. Up until then I had thought of Yeshua as a peaceful lamb who was unable to be angered. But in that moment in the temple out came rage like a lion’s and I was afraid. He had shown no mercy toward the vendors and uprooted them like a weed in a field.

During the walk back to our camp Yeshua kept very quiet. I could still see the ire in his eyes from the experience at the temple. We were having a difficult time fully understanding Yeshua’s rage. After all, ever since we were children that had been the scene in temple courts. When we arrived back at camp John had the courage to ask him. I know it took a lot of courage on John’s part, as the effects of Yeshua’s wrath were still so fresh in our minds.

“Lord, what was it about the scene in the temple courts that angered you so greatly?”

Yeshua turned to him but the anger was no longer in his eyes, “I realize that was a difficult scene for you to understand but that is because you do not know my Father’s purposes, you only know the purposes of men.”

Peter took his turn to speak, “Rabboni, please, teach us the ways of your Father so that we might abandon the detestable ways of men.”

Yeshua smiled at this, “Ah, Peter, you are beginning to understand. You have spoken wisely. Listen carefully to what I have to tell you. All you have ever known is the temple court’s use as a market. I tell you the truth; this was not my Father’s plan for the temple court. It angers Him to see such unholy business being conducted in His house. My Father wished to see His house as a holy place. A place of quiet, solitude and prayer. A sacred place where all voices are brought to a whisper because you can feel the divinity in the air. This is not what His house has become. This is why I drove those vendors from the temple court. Such business is fine but only in the proper place. The temple court is not the proper place.”

Yeshua’s words were so logical that we began to wonder why others did not see this as well. This was the power Yeshua had over us and us alone. It was this power that we would be instructed to take out into the world on his behalf.