Philochristus

Jesus looked after him as he went; even as a physician regardeth the patient which struggleth against the knife of healing. And he stood still, and marvelled much because of the power of the things of this world over the mind of man, and yet more because of the power of the Lord to deliver the souls of men from the things of this world. For when he considered the weakness of men and the strength of this world, then it seemed to him (as he was wont to say) a harder and a greater work to redeem a rich man’s soul than to uproot a tree or a mountain, or what else may be wrought by art of magic. So he turned to us and said, “Children, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” Hereat we were astonished out of measure, saying among ourselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked upon us and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”

Afterwards as we walked behind him, we discoursed further among ourselves concerning these words, and Judas said, “How then? Are we never to be rich!” But another said, “He meaneth that none that are rich can enter into the Kingdom; howbeit when we have attained to the Kingdom, then shall we be rich, though we be poor now; but the rich shall be shut out.” But Nathanael said to me privately he thought Jesus meant otherwise; as if he divided the children of men into two parts, the one part having their hopes and treasures in heaven and the other part having their hopes and treasures on earth (according as he had himself commanded us to have our treasure in heaven, saying that where our treasure is, there would our heart be also): now if a man have his treasure in heaven, then though he have five hundred talents on earth, yet they harm him not, for he useth them to good end: but whoso hath his treasure on earth, though he have but five hundred pence on earth, yet they harm him, clogging his soul, and hindering him from looking upwards, because he useth his little wealth to the ends of his own pleasure. “For,” said Nathanael, “as often as Jesus speaketh of wealth, he meaneth ever some spiritual meaning, as when he speaketh of bread and corn and wine, and the like.”

I doubt not that Nathanael interpreted aright the words of Jesus. Howbeit also true it is that very few whom the world calleth rich, entered either then or afterwards into the Kingdom of God. Therefore I judge that Jesus meant also perchance to warn us how dangerous a thing it is for a man to have more wealth than is needful for simple wants. For the experience of the saints hath been, everywhere and at all times, that fewer men come into the Church with five hundred talents than with five hundred pence.

But after we had discoursed a long time concerning the matter, Judas moved Peter to question Jesus, and to ask whether indeed it was true, that the disciples should never be rewarded with wealth. So Peter went to Jesus and said, “Lo, we have left all and followed thee.” He said no more, but Jesus perceived what was in his heart; and he answered and said to us all, “Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the Gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come eternal life.” Then he ceased; but when we thought that he had made an end and we were departing, he added, “But many that are first shall be last, and the last first.”

These latter words of Jesus troubled us not a little. For of late since we had left Capernaum, many new disciples had joined themselves to us, and Jesus had suffered them gladly; and now we thought that his intent was that, in the kingdom of Jerusalem, they, even these new disciples, should have equal reward with us, who had followed him through all his wanderings. Moreover we were vexed because in the beginning of our consorting with Jesus he had set much store upon us his followers, saying unto us, “Whosever is not with me is against me,” as much as to say that only we, which followed with him, were his friends, but all else were his enemies; but now he seemed to set store upon all them that were not siding with his enemies. For of late when John the son of Zebedee saw a certain man adventuring to cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, and yet he followed not with us, John would have forbidden him. But Jesus said “Forbid him not: for whosoever is not against me is with me.” These words were contrary to the words which he had spoken before, insomuch that we knew not what to think.

But as concerning the first words of Jesus, namely, that all our goods, whatsoever we had left for the sake of Jesus, should be multiplied an hundredfold, and that too even in this life, we rejoiced exceedingly. For some that had left small fields, began to reckon that they should have great estates; others that had left houses or boats, counted up whole villages and navies that should be theirs when Jesus should be king in Jerusalem. Moreover a certain Scribe, who followed with us, said “This saying of Jesus is also in accordance with the sayings of the Wise; for it is said all things are done according to exact retribution, whether in way of punishment or reward. Even as Samson (who followed after the desire of his eyes) was blinded by the Philistines; and Absolom (who boasted of his hair) was hanged upon the tree by his hair, so that he died. Moreover also Ham the father of Canaan (who sinned by seeing and by telling, that is with the eyes and with the teeth) was therefore made a slave; as Moses also enacted that whatsoever slave was sinned against by his master in the matter of teeth or eyes, so as to suffer loss thereof, he should be made no longer a slave but free. For this is according to the law of retributions; for with what measure a man measureth, THEY measure to him.”

“Nevertheless,” said Matthew the Publican, “I would fain know how, when we attain to the Kingdom, the mothers of the faithful should be multiplied an hundredfold.” But some one said, in answer to Matthew, that perchance the meaning of that hard saying was, that as many as were in the Kingdom should be as one family; so that all men, esteeming one another as brethren, should look upon the mothers of their brethren as being their own mothers. Howbeit most of us agreed to the words of Judas, who said that we should take our stand upon the clear sayings of Jesus and leave the dark sayings: now Jesus had said that our houses and lands should be multiplied an hundredfold, and that saying ought to suffice for us.

Thus for that season we gave not much heed to the deep saying of Jesus: but afterwards when I wrote concerning it to Quartus the Alexandrine, of whom I spake before, he explained it after a different fashion. For he said that Jesus had in his mind a law of retribution indeed, but not such a law of retribution as that whereof the Scribes spake, but a far deeper one, a certain retribution of the soul. “For,” said he, “the meaning of Jesus is (as I understand it) that whatsoever the mind of man giveth to God, this returneth from God to the mind of man again with increase, in like manner as there returneth from the earth to man whatsoever fruit or produce man trusteth to the earth. For God giveth to man many good gifts, such as food, and houses, and lands, and wealth, and friends, and kinsfolk; and these all are as seed. Now if a man keep these good gifts to himself, and use them for his own pleasure, he is like unto a husbandman that should keep his seeds in a vessel, or closet, feasting himself with the sight thereof, and not venturing to trust them to the earth; wherefore they grow not nor return him fruits of increase. But whoso trusteth all these seeds to God, and useth them according to His will, behold, unto him there ariseth a harvest in heaven.

“For whosoever useth food aright, there springeth up for him cheerfulness and thankfulness and temperance and self-restraint; and whoso useth aright lands and houses and wealth, there springeth up for him liberality and generosity and magnanimity; again, whosoever casteth the seed of friendship into the lap of the divine goodness, behold there springeth up for him a tree of living friendship that knoweth not death. And in the same way, whosoever consecrateth unto God the love of mother and father, he receiveth a new power of love multiplied an hundredfold, and a new feeling of fatherhood, whereby he is drawn nearer unto the Eternal Father. For assuredly, whensoever Jesus speaketh of the increase of houses, and lands, and money, and the like, for them that enter into the Kingdom; he hath not in his mind shekels, and vines of Eschol or Engedi, but he ever seeth a certain spiritual coinage and a spiritual vineyard of the Lord.”

After this manner wrote Quartus unto me; making mention at the same time of the words of Jesus, how he had said that whosoever should receive a righteous man, i. e. an observer of the law, in the name of a righteous man, should receive a righteous man’s reward; and whosoever should receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, should receive a prophet’s reward. “Now by these words,” said Quartus, “Jesus signifieth not that a man shall have more or less of shekels, or more or less of food, or raiment, or happiness, for that he receiveth a prophet or a righteous man; but his meaning is this: that whoso by force of fellow-feeling and by the links of faith shall be bound to a righteous man, or shall be bound to a prophet in his heart, he shall become one with the righteous man or one with the prophet, so that he shall receive the like reward with the righteous man or with the prophet, to wit, increase of righteousness, or increase of the knowledge of God’s will.”

Whether Quartus, or he that made answer to Matthew, be the better interpreter of these words of Jesus, I know not even now: howbeit at that time we gave not much thought to these words, nor to aught else of the doctrine of Jesus. For whatsoever we had learned or whatsoever we thought that we had learned aforetime, while we were in Galilee, concerning the forgiveness of sins, and the not resisting evil, and the becoming as little children, behold, all these lessons now began to seem to us dim and far off, and fit rather for the schools of children than for the stir of the lives of men: because we were now going up to Jerusalem, and because the Day of Decision seemed nigh at hand. For each morning, when we arose, we said unto one another, “Perchance the Romans may this day attack us,” and each day, when we lay down to take rest, we reckoned the time and said, “There wanteth now one day less to the day of the Passover: and on that day, if not before, Jesus must of a surety redeem Israel with the strong hand.”

CHAPTER XXIV

On the last day of the month Adar, as I remember, we left the young man Tobias behind us: and about three or four days afterwards, to wit on the third or fourth day of the month Nisan (which is the month of the Passover), we came down to the valley of Jordan over against Jericho. Now therefore there wanted but ten days to the fourteenth day of the month, which is the great day of the Passover. As the time drew nigh for our entering into Jerusalem, Judas began to complain very bitterly that Jesus neither strengthened nor encouraged his followers like a wise leader, but kept back some from following, and others, which followed, he made to be of a faint heart. Especially he reproached Jesus for that he did not set forth the Kingdom in clear words; “For,” said he, “two or three words would suffice, if Jesus would but tell us plainly the when and the where thereof; but now he speaketh darkly, saying at one time, that it is at hand; at another time, that it is among us; anon, that it is still distant; then, that we must strive to enter into it. Wherefore, to what is this Kingdom of God like? Even to a mist, which taketh many different shapes, because it hath no substance.”

Now Jesus seemed to me to perceive what was in the mind of Judas, and to be grieved thereat; but he took no note thereof in our presence, although Judas had been these many days turning his heart from our Master and inclining himself to leave him. For indeed he had by this time begun to repent that he had ever joined himself to Jesus. Notwithstanding even now, at certain seasons, while Jesus was speaking, Judas was drawn towards him as in old times; but, as it were, perforce, and in spite of himself. Hence it came to pass that he was sorely distracted in his mind, being tossed now this way, now that, like unto a troubled sea. For sometimes, upon no apparent cause, he would break out into protestations of love for Jesus; but at other times, when he thought no one was at hand (yea, and even in our hearing when the passion was on him) he would rage and fume that he had ever left Kerioth for to join such a leader as this, declaring that Jesus would ruin all them that followed him, and saying that he could well-nigh hate him as a blind leader of the blind.

Oftentimes hath it been marvelled how it should come to pass that Jesus should have chosen Judas to be one of his apostles; for he knew what was in men. Why therefore did our Master choose for an apostle one that should afterwards betray him? But the answer which Quartus giveth is this, that, at the first, perchance Jesus did not know that Judas would betray him; yea, and had not Judas hardened himself against Jesus, he might have become a chosen vessel of the Lord.

For, at the first, Judas was no traitor, nor like unto one that should be a traitor; but of a sanguine complexion and disposition, cheerful even to mirthfulness, and frank on a first acquaintance; not given to musing nor premeditating; but active and strenuous, and withal a lover of Israel: albeit perchance somewhat too ambitious and less ready in friendship than in counsel. From a child his mind was ever given to great purposes; and towards these ends he bent all his faculties: for he was of a deep understanding, skilled in the ways of men, and of a discerning spirit, quick to perceive what means were fit to accomplish his ends. But the mischief was that the power to understand was quicker in him than the power to love; for his understanding moved as a flame of fire, but his heart was very cold.

When he first became acquainted with our Master, he straightway clave unto him as unto a great leader of the people, who was like to redeem Sion. Howbeit his heart went not out to Jesus as the heart of John the son of Zebedee, and as the heart of Simon the son of Jonah. For I remember once, when I questioned Simon Peter for what cause he first joined himself to Jesus, Peter said, “Because he had been drawn unto Jesus he knew not how, and by the hand of the Lord”; but Judas said, “Nay, but thou speakest as a sheep or a goat, in whom there is feeling but no understanding: but I applied myself to him with deliberation, as deeming him to be the fittest instrument to do good unto Sion.”

Now perchance because Judas gave not so much of his heart unto our Master, for this cause he received not so much back again; wherefore he grew not in spirit like the rest, but went backward rather than forward. And when he found that Jesus of Nazareth was not to be used as an instrument, no not even to do good to Sion; then he began to repent that he had joined himself unto him. Afterwards, when Jesus first took upon him to forgive sins, this was, as it were, the turning-point in the course of Judas. For he was sore disturbed at that time, insomuch that he carried his searchings of heart written even upon his countenance. For he was much moved to have poured himself out before Jesus of Nazareth, beseeching him to take away the coldness of heart, and to give him a heart of flesh. Howbeit Satan hindered it, taking advantage of his pride; for the man was always very proud, and had hitherto been foremost among the apostles; nor could he brook now to step down from his high place and to make himself even as one of the sinners. Wherefore he opened himself not to Jesus, but hardened himself against the voice of the Lord within him.

Yet methinks the conflict was no light one in his heart; and even to the last, he could scarce refrain from giving himself up to Jesus. And, as it seemed to me, for this cause Jesus called him to be one of the Twelve, perceiving how great gifts the Lord had bestowed upon him, and also hoping, by this means, perchance, to have cast out the jealousy and the pride from his heart, and in the end, to have drawn him wholly towards himself. For if Judas could have felt that he was altogether trusted, even as the chief of all the apostles, then belike he would have cast away the pride whereon he clothed himself, and would have opened his heart to our Master; and then verily he would have been a light in Israel, not less than the greatest of the apostles. But it was not so to be; for it was otherwise willed by the Inscrutable.

So it came to pass that, from the time when he was rebuked by Jesus, as I have related above (though in truth the rebuke was not more for Judas than for the rest of the disciples), Judas withdrew himself more and more from Jesus and from the other disciples; neither would he speak freely nor ask questions as before, but he moved the other disciples to question Jesus in his stead. Yet notwithstanding when Jesus exhorted or rebuked us, Judas would ever take the rebuke unto himself above all, and say that Jesus pointed at him, though he did not mention him by name. Then would he fume and rage and depart in anger, and avoid the rest for many hours together. But when he came among the disciples, he would sow strife among us with speech of passion and jealousy; so that he was, as it were, a thorn in the side of the Master.

All this Jesus perceived, and grieved thereat. Yet he said nothing. And, as it seemed to me, his grief for Judas was swallowed up in another and a larger grief; which I understood not then, but now I understand in part. For Jesus at this time began to see more and more clearly that all or almost all in Israel should reject him; and that his disciples should prove faithless, at least for a time; and that he should bring troubles and sorrows and wars upon the earth, as well as joy and peace; and that the day of Deliverance and Redemption was further off than had been supposed. Howbeit, for all this, he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from the going up to Jerusalem: for he knew that the Lord God had an errand for him there; and that his death was to be for the life of men: and that the Lord would in the end give him the victory over all his enemies.

On the fourth day of the month Nisan, being (as I said above) the tenth day before the Passover, we set forth again on our journey to Jerusalem, and much people went with us. And when we came down from the mountains to Jordan, even to the fords of the river, then some expected that Jesus should have stretched out his hand and dried up the river, even as a certain Egyptian false prophet had lately promised to do; and likewise Elias in old times had dried up Jordan, and it had been also dried up at the word of the priests when Joshua passed over. (For both now, and before, and for a long time after, the minds of all in Israel were ready to expect any sign howsoever strange and monstrous, and to follow any that would profess to work such signs; insomuch that, about ten years ago, even on the very day that the Holy Temple was burned with fire by the Romans, even on that last day (as I have heard) a certain false Christ led some six thousand of my countrymen into one of the courtyards of the Temple, expecting a sign from heaven. So strong was faith in Israel; if it be faith indeed, to trust in any that profess to work signs and wonders.) Howbeit Jesus wrought neither this nor any other sign at this season, and we all passed over, even as the other pilgrims, by the fords; but with not a little difficulty and even some peril, for the river was marvellously swollen. Hereat some of the common people that were with us began to murmur, wondering when the time should come that Jesus should put away delays, and work such works as they expected from a Messiah.

When we came unto Gilgal we rested; but Judas made some pretext that he should go on to Jericho before us to prepare the way for Jesus; and, as I afterwards learned, he went to the house of a certain Scribe in Jericho one of his acquaintance, and a principal man among the Pharisees of that city, and he conversed with him a long time. The name of the Scribe was Azariah the son of Simon.

Now while we rested at Gilgal, we looked gladly upon Jericho, gazing at the forest of palm-trees which lay between us and the city. Much did we admire also the four towers of the city, which rose up straight to heaven on the other side of the forest, and the walls high and newly built; surrounded on all sides by thickets of balsam, and gardens of roses, and full of all delights. For the place knoweth not drought, by reason of the perpetual waters; but it is a paradise all the year round. Beyond Jericho, on the other side, we could see, rising up as it were over against us, the mountains that lead up to Jerusalem; insomuch that it was a saying with them of the Holy City that the sounds of the sacred music and the smell of the incense go down even to the men of Jericho. But the ascent is steep and the way bleak and barren, through cliffs and rocks on the right hand and on the left; where no trees are, nor any water; but robbers and murderers lurk at all times in the caves on the sides of the mountains, for to come down unawares upon the pilgrims and travellers which pass by that way. Then said Peter unto John, “Without doubt the Romans will not suffer us to go up; but they will fall upon us by the way. And should not the people be advised thereof, that they may stand upon their guard?” But John said nothing; notwithstanding, he seemed troubled that Jesus took no order for what was to come to pass upon our journey.

When we came unto Jericho, behold, the people had been advised of our coming, and on both sides of the road there was gathered together a great multitude to see Jesus as he passed; and the common people hailed him at this time by the name that was dearest unto the patriots of our nation, calling him a deliverer after the manner of David, and saying, “Hosanna, son of David.” But Azariah the son of Simon, who was of the acquaintance of Judas, was come forth also; and he saluted Jesus and besought him to eat bread in his house. Howbeit Jesus would not eat bread in the house of Azariah. For as he passed through the midst of the people, he had espied a certain man, by name Zacchæus, looking down upon him from a sycamore-tree, into the which he had climbed up, out of the fervency of his desire to see Jesus: and straightway he had called unto the man, and bidden him come down, saying that he must eat bread in the man’s house. Now the man was a tax-gatherer, as might have been seen by his dress and tablets, and indeed the crowd shouted aloud that he was a tax-gatherer, when they saw that Jesus had chosen him to eat bread in his house; and they were sore displeased at Jesus. Notwithstanding Jesus was constant in his purpose not to eat bread in the house of Azariah the Rabbi, but in the house of Zacchæus the publican. So Azariah dissembled his anger and came to the feast in the house of Zacchæus, and certain other Pharisees with him. Howbeit they themselves feasted not with the common people and the tax-gatherers; but they conversed with Jesus and asked him questions.

Now it came to pass, during the feast, that the heart of Zacchæus the tax-gatherer was turned unto Jesus (even as the heart of Barachiah the son of Zadok had been turned to Jesus in the house of Matthew the publican, as I related above): and he stood up and repented aloud of his evil deeds, and promised to make restitution, and that also not twofold but fourfold, saying moreover that he would give the half of his goods to the poor. And Jesus rejoiced at his words and said, “This day is salvation come unto this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”

Now while Jesus was saying these words, I took note that Judas was making signs unto Azariah; and Jesus had scarce made an end of speaking when Azariah (upon a set plan, as I conjecture, devised with Judas) said to him, “Thou sayest that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand: tell us therefore when cometh it, and at what hour? So shall we be prepared and ready when it cometh.” But Jesus made answer to him and said, “The Kingdom of Heaven cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! For behold” (and saying these words he pointed to Zacchæus) “the Kingdom of Heaven is within you.” At these words the face of Azariah was clouded with anger; for he had not attained that which he desired: and we also were somewhat sorry, for we had hoped that we should have heard some new thing. But Judas straightway went out of the chamber, not able to contain himself for displeasure.