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Abba, Father, your Righteous One has arrived, and he has brought a large number of the poor to be sanctified in your sight.
They were already sanctified. But I am glad James has helped them come to feel it themselves. Just as I am pleased that you have brought a much larger number of people from throughout the land, and have helped them learn that there is no obstacle between them and me. I think when we look back together on this day, your work will be remembered more.
Thank you. Nevertheless, I think his work with the poor here in Jerusalem is important. I have planted seeds for him in the countryside, but those seeds will sprout only if they receive nurture from the Holy City.
I see your point. But speaking of events here in the city, Judas is trying desperately to stop the wealthy from mounting a revolt of their own. These men may not have the strength of arms or experience in battle to actually fight the Romans. But wealth breeds arrogance — yourself excluded, of course — leading the rich to believe once they have made up their minds to fight, they can send the poor into battle to fight for them.
Yes, my dearest brother Judas Thomas must stop them from starting a war. Please help him feel your presence and take strength from it.
Of course I will! Speaking of a potential war, Simon is trying to prevent one now, even as we speak. But he is vastly outnumbered, and I fear this day will not end well.
Father, I know you do not interfere in our affairs unless it becomes absolutely necessary to stop us from harming ourselves. Simon and his men maintain the peace, they maintain the balance of power in all of Israel. Please protect him so that he can continue to protect your people. I fear that without him, Israel will be destroyed.
Yes, you’re probably right. But how about yourself? You do pretty important work for the people too, don’t you?
But I have you. My brothers do not seem to commune with you as I do. They need protection.
Ah well, we shall see what we shall see.
Jesus snapped out of his reverie. As was always the case, though his conversation with the Father had seemed to stretch out for forty days and forty nights, it had started and finished in less time than it takes to blink an eye. The people around him in the Court of the Gentiles had not moved.
Men and women in the crowd around Jesus had been crying out, “The King!” But as James led the poor into the courtyard from the grand staircase, many others raised their hands and shouted, “The Righteous One! It is God’s Righteous One!”
Both groups cheered as James and Jesus made eye contact across the courtyard and approached each other with arms outstretched. They met in the middle and clasped forearms warmly.
“My brother,” James said as he hugged Jesus. “Now I understand what you have been trying to tell me all these years.”
“My brother,” Jesus answered. “Now you must go one step further. You must learn to speak to the Father and listen to his replies.”
James stood back half a step. “I will, with your help.”
Before Jesus could say anything more, screams erupted from the Portico. A great shout came up from the plaza below, “Death to the Roman swine!” Loud, throaty voices from below began chanting the phrase. Frightened pilgrims scrambled into the courtyard.
“What is happening?” James shouted to a man he recognized.
“Rabbi, the Zealots have attacked the Romans. There’s a war down below us, and they’re coming up the steps to the Temple,” the man shouted back.
More screams rent the air as the men below continued chanting, “Death to the Roman swine.” The courtyard became chaotic as pilgrims fled the violence.
At that moment the brothers saw Judas and called him over. Jesus held one of his arms and shouted, to overcome the surrounding noise, “Are your young men safe?”
“They ran like little girls at the first sign of trouble,” Judas shouted back.
“Good, then we don’t have to protect them too. Both of you,” Jesus said, including James with Judas, “get your people out of here. Go to the Mount of Olives. It’s not safe for you here.”
“But what about you? What will you do?”
Jesus looked them both steadily in the eye. “Don’t worry about me. I have the Father. I’ll buy you time to get to safety. And listen,” he said, as if remembering another detail, “if you can get hold of Simon and his men, take them with you.”
Judas nodded and ran to the gate at the Portico, while James turned to his flock of poor to restore some semblance of order. Moments later, Simon and Judas and a dozen men ran through the gateway. Seeing James leading the beggars across the courtyard to go around the corner of the Temple, Simon’s group joined them as escorts.
A man at the portico gateway shouted to Jesus, “Rabbi, the Romans are coming up the steps!” Jesus looked over his shoulder and saw that his brothers had rounded the corner of the Temple compound and were out of sight.
Thank you, Father,
It was the least I could do. You could have asked for more, you know.
I know. But I have you. What more do I need?
Jesus untied the rope that held his robe around his waist, and knotted the ends. He held the rope in the middle so that the two ends dangled like short whips. Standing facing the booths where the merchants sold their animals and exchanged currency, he cupped his hands in front of his mouth and shouted.
“The scriptures say the Lord’s Temple shall be a house of worship. But you have turned it into a den of thieves.”
With that, he strode up to the first booth, grasped the table bearing the moneychanger’s coins, and flipped the table onto its side. The coins jangled upon hitting the ground, and he moved quickly to the next booth and overturned that table as well. Before the merchants knew what was happening, he had upended five tables in the row of booths. As he approached the sixth, a pair of the merchants stood in front of him, hoping to block his path.
“Get out!” he shouted, swinging his cords and hitting their legs. “Get out, you thieves!”
As they turned to flee his fury, Jesus ran and kicked the rear end of the one on the left. Simultaneously, he swung the cords and hit the rear end of the man on the right with a stinging snap. Both yelped with startled fright as they ran.
By now all the merchants were running. Jesus stood in the courtyard watching them flee. “You will not keep our people from going before the Father,” he shouted at their backs. “You will not!”
He exhaled with the exhaustion that accompanies sudden exertion.
Suddenly, strong hands grasped both of his arms from behind. A Roman ripped the knotted rope from his hand. And then Jesus went down under a rain of fists.